The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-05-15
LETTER FROM "oRAPEsHor. ).

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Z. g. Niron-The Daily Unia, IN Camp.
Special Correspondence Of the Nashville rniob.
BREETwOoD, May 18th, 1863.
In the whole course Of my fashionable
experience cannot call TO mind such an
infuriated scene {. of excitement as was
enacted here on the reception of the good
news asst night. II eclipsed in genuine
enthusiasm the Aldermanic pow-wow
gotten up for Mrs Alberto oldest boy
when he visited the Wood family in
New York few years since. The only
draw back in our affair was that we had
no City Hall TO devote TO blazes on the
occasion. Periodically anxious 10 evince
our feelings on the success of the Army
of the Potomac, tribute Of respect we
are seldom called upon to discharge,
the worthy representatives of Kentucky,
Illinois, Ohio and Michigan We'd with
each other in their efforts at rendipg the
welkin in manner that would have
done credit TO Stentor himself
Every conceivable mode of illumina-
ton was devised and adopted. Candles
sufficient to light through Purgatory the
most extensive "First Family" in the
valley were consumed. The Buckeyes
were prolific OF resource, giving the in
ventive genius Of amateur ppoclaecTaics
an opportunity Of displaying itself Pet
owls and domes;icated squirrels, were
harnessed with lighted bits of candles
and sent tree-topwards. Our feelings,
like our voices, ran higher than the owls
or squirrels, and Notwithstanding the
pious "put in" Of an old fOgy that we
were making did fools Of ourselves .
the fun went on. The rumor that the
ribbed emblem of our national pride and
glory was planted on the ram
parts of the rebel Capitol, was circu-
lated in early eve by Captain CLARK, of
Gen. RosEoRANs' staff, who was here
on business. From that hour till tattoo
the soldiers eussed and discussed The
subject, when it burst forth in one wi d
shout of Joy from throat to throat Such
good news, coming from the Potomac,
sounded like thunder over Church
yard, and, to ascertain the foundation for
such replacement, Col. McGooK, whose
heart was swelling with anxious hope,
telegraphedto Franklin, and received the
laconic and cOnsoling answer:--''It is a
hoaxp' That was damper to thought-
full outsiders. Fie, fe, Gen. GRANGER,
why not substitute hope for hoari
| Our friends at Nashville were equally
cheerful--"you know as much about
it as we do" Mother Of Moses, this
was torture refnedl To think that
at that moment, Richmond miqM be in
possession of Gen. KEYS, JEFF. DAVIS,
and his Interesting family" Gagged, and
the whole conthieyancy gone to SmafEer-
eeas, and we be de barred fromeDjoying il
TO our hearts satisfaction, was horrible
to think Of. Ny usually quiet and anna.
Bile self was out Of sorts, II could pic
ture JEFF. in cage, like Bagazet the
'cowardly vagabond," who fed his coun-
try. If the "rumor" was false, may the
devil admire the man who set that t'290'
lie aloat. Nothing is lost, however, but
our breath and the candles. The owl
was denuded of its choicest feathers,
and the squirrels have to deplore the
tails Of their misfortunes. They look
deplorAbly bewildered this morning, the
melancholy tell-tale monitors Of the ruiz
of which they are fragment. Distrust-
full of the truth of the rumor, a feeling OF
dispiritedness orept over me. sought
the comforts of my dog-tent, took re-
spectacle glass Of brandy, smoked my
pipe, and as | watched its huge volumes
of smoke vanish in air, meditativeIy ru-
minated over the uncertainty Of human
calculations. The "soldier'ssuppsrp was
a poor repast to me. rc,s rh:d ool olda
have met and seen with my own
eyes, that ubiquitous individual that has
gained so much notoriety in the army
aud in Congress Intelligent contra
band" Anxious TO see the noted per
sOnage, the praises of whose worth and
knowledge has wearied the ear of the pre,
sent age, I sat me down upon. the banks
Of the Harpeth. Soon . voice attracted
my attention, and on peering through the
bushes, discovered shoulder strapped
gentleman, Of the 1o4ih Illinois, conyers.
ing with said contraband, The contra.
band was, il were to Judge from il
appearance and occupation, of the neute,
gender. II wore clothes intended, years
ago, to resemble those worn by women
and Il being driving an illegitimate SCI o.
Balaam's saddle beast, to which was at.
tached pillow, could not say to whai
tribe Of the human family u belonged to
The lieutenant was Of a more penetrativ,
turn of mind, however, as the following
conversation which passed between then
will show. lean positively vOuch for th,
truth Of IL; ,r., ri. % alou4
oaloer.-Ssy, niger wench ~,
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