Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1863-05-28
MORNIN4 LEADKR.
THURSDAY MORNINGS MAY IS, 1855


eaees Of n Captured Correspondent.
The observations Of no traveller through
the heart Of the rebellion would be Of more
interest and value than those Of a profess
EionaI correspondent accustomed to carl-
full scrutiny Of whatever passes before
him. It will be remembered that three
Observation-Disclosures and Brown,
Of the New York Tribune, and COburn, Of
the World we're captured by the rebels
while attempting to run By the Yicksburg
batteries, on board a tug. Mr.. Coburu
has succeeded in returning to New York,
and furnishes an interesting narrative Of
the experiences Of the journalists. After
relating the manner Of their capture, he
says;
~"0nlsnding. the survivors were taken
to Vicksburg jail, q horribly filthy place.
Il After q few hours custody, Captain
Ward, Surgeon Davis, and the correspond
ents were transferred to the City Court
House, where they remained two days,
when it was decided to send them to Rich
mond.
ave we're disappointed at thereal weak
ness Of Visksbnrg. Not more than To-
900 men have at any time been there. The
defense OF the front anu ActtA IL mo9bg
less formidable than generally supposed.
The rear defenses are rude and unfinished,
and the Big Black bridge almost Defense
less. .-r -
and broken, and the roads everywhere
bad. When Sherman landed at Miliken's
Bend in December last, the rebels had q
force Of 1900 men in Vieksburg and the
defenses, but they were rapidly re-infore-
ed, till, on the day Of Sherman's assault,
they had 5000.
GAt the time we were there the city was
half-deserted, and the whole military force
consisted Of 5000 west Of Black river,
under Generals Forney and Loring, and
5000 east Of that river, under General
Bowen. They were bringing supplies by
railroad rs rapidly IS possible.
HGrierson's raid did not obstruct the
railroad more than 48 hours. At Jackson,
on the 9th inst, Governor Pettus issued a
proclamation, assuring the citizens that
there was no danger, while at the same
time, lie was removing the records and
public property to Columbus, Mississippi.
General Grants advance was within
twelve miles of the place when we were
taken through, and great CONSERVATION
prevailed In the city. On the 8th we we're
taken 10 Demopolis, Alabama, thence TO
Selma. thence $50 miles on the Alabama
river to Montgomery. Through Central
- Alabama the wheat and corn crops are
abundant very little cotton being raised.
It is believed considerable Union feeling
exists in that region. Expressions ofsym-
patty were common. There were but few
troops either-thrOugh that region, or any
other part Of the interior of the Confeder-
acy, which we visited. The people are gem
orally praying for peace, and very anx-
iously inquiring when the war would be
eVsr. ~
uAt Montgomery General Joe Johnston
and staff passed through on their way to
Yicksburg.
HFrcm Montgomery We were sent to
West Point Georgia, and on the 18th to
Atlanta. Georgia, where, contrary to our
treatment ct all other places, we were con-
fined in the military prison, on account Of
complsints that the officers of the gunboat
I~ndianoiayand officers Of Colonel Strsight's
commsnd had been treated with too much
civility By the populaee at this place
Newspapers we're kept from us and the
food was exeerable, consisting Of corn
bread snd musty pork. In other places we
were permitted to pass through the towns
at will. But here It seems other prisoners
had been eheered and fed by the people.
hence the unusual stringency in our case.
At Atlanta are large machine shops and
an ordnance foundry constantly engaged
on common small arms and ammunition.
In all the towns and throughout the coun-
try the abie-bodied men are all gone, and
women, negroes and children were sll that
were left. The negroes were employed in
repairing the railroads, in the foundriesl
and managing their army transportation.
Articles formerly imported in the South
have almost disappeared; most Of the
commodities and merchandise selling al
ten times Northern prices. Rio coffee is
worth IS per pound: coarse shoes S25 pei
pair. None but the plainest and ~coarsest
fabrics are to be had at any price. On the
18th we were sent via Dalton, Georgia,
Knoxville, EAST Tennessee, Bristol and
Lynchburg, Virginia to Richmond.
q The East Tennessee country appears
well cultivated, and the growing crops ART
splendid. Braggs army is reported to b'
on half rations.
HStraights raid into Northern AlabamI
and Georgia caused the Utmost eonsterna-
ton among the people. He marched 2OC
miles into the enemy's country, skirmish'
ing with superior numbers, and was cap
tured within ten miles of Rome, his am
munition being exhausted and animals
worn out. Forests loss was 400 killed
and wounded, ours only so. Through Vir
GINA the crops are also fine, but little to
bacco being raised. Attention is mainly
devoted to wheat and oats.
ain Richmond the correspondents vert
thrown into the Libby Prison, with l25 Of
feers from Hooker's army, S%trsights com.
mRnd, and the gunboat Indianola. The
treatmentin the Libby Prison is perhaps as
good as could be reasonably expected
Some Of our prisoners complain bitterly
but it seems uudeuiable that the food fur
nished is better than that their own officers
have. The rooms are crowded, and in hol
weather excessively uncomfortable.
"An the ChRnceliorsville prisoners have
been released. The commissioned officers
Of the Indianola are released, as also the
officers Of Straights command, excepting
the surgeons and ehaplains. Lieutenants
HELLER and Taylor, of the 2SLh Missouri,
and Bouell, Of the Seth Illinois, captured
81 Shsrman's repulse at Vicksburg, also
their pilot and carpenter, and the nom
commissioned officers and crew Of the In
dianoIs, have been released. All were in
geod spirits. During the recent battles Of
Charlottesville, and Stoneman'S raid, the
people of Richmond were greatly alarmed
for the safety Of the place. -
Commissioner Ould- charges that our
Government is arresting a great number
Of political prisoners contrary to agree
ment and threatens severe treatment Of
the prisoners in his hands in retaliation.
The rebels feel gloomy about the news
from the West. Passengers by the last
boat from CitV Point say a report was