Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1863-08-07
Correspondence Delaware Gazette.)
From the 12lst Regiment.
SHELBYvILLE. Tennessee, I
July 3Ist, 1868. {

l concluded this evening 10 again pen
you few liUez. and also TO inform the cltI
zens Of old Delaware and vicinity OF Inc
whereabouts of our regiment-the l2lst O-F-
lin which there are so many members from
vour county. We are still in the land of Dix
ie and where but short time ago the rebels
could boast of so large a force but the pres
ent writing finds but very few of them here
who will own to be of that stamp
As you are well aware of the full particn-
lars OF our tour through this portion of rebel
dom made by Rosecrsns and his army, and
the speedy exit OF Bragg out Of it, will say
but little about ii. Braggs army is greatly
Gemoralized and beaten. and thousands of his |,
men have deserted him and are daily return
ing to their homes and giving themselves up
to our authorities, preferring almost anything |
to that OF remaining in the ranks of the rebel
army.
There has been some few attempts made ID
the southern portions of this county to organ
ize guerrilla bands, but the citizens say to us
'when you all come around they pretend TO
be good Union citizens ;" however, a few OF
them are picked up occasionally and brought
in 10 be cared for. They will miss 1t hereat'
ter as Col Gibraith returned to this place on
last Sunday with his regiment-the lat Mid
die Tennessee eavalry-and as the most of
them were raised in this and the adjoining
counties, they are posted as to who are rebels
and who are not. They are on furlough IN
til next Saturday, and are visiting their rela'
tives end friends, and are having gay times IN
general. They expect to go into camp Cd
Saturday and return to their former duties
They say they are fully determined to pay the
rebels Of this vicinity for their causing them to
leave their homes and families for so long
time. 1t is a splendid regiment, and they
love to embrace every opportunity in hunting
out their rebel neighbors.
Shelbyville is very pleasant and thriving
city, and the majority Of the citizens are right
sociable and true to the Union. 1t is well wa
tered and is built upon the banks Of Duck riv-
er and contains several very fine springs. 1t
also has two large college buildings which al
present are used as hOspitals-has some eight
or ten churches. two banks, and by the mum
ber and size of the business houses, should
4 think that before the rebellion broke ont there
was much larger amount OF business done
here than in Delaware. When we first came
here there were few male citizens TO be seen,
but as soon as we we're fully stationed, had
YOU have been here, you would have come to
The conclusion that Nashville, or some other
large CITY had been flooded, or something Of
that kind had taken place, ard that the cltl-
zens were flying 70 this place for safety, for
they returned in great numbers and since
then q1ite a number have gone into business
ngain. There are some five or six fine dry
good stores, two drug stores aud quite mum
ber of grocery stores opened out and others
have since gone TO Cincinnati, New York and
other cities for goods, who viii open out their
slocks OF goods as soon as possible.
These men are nearly all refugees who had
to ay from their homes to save their neLks
from the rope or their bodies from the bullet
or knife of the rebels, who have had possess
ion of the place !or the past ten or eleven
mon hs.
, The 4ih Of this month was spent here IN the
same stvIe we were wont TO see it done when
at home. We assembled in the fore part ol
The dAv and listened to some very good speak
ing from the citizens from the surrounding
country, and altogether, we expected TO have
= u good time in the afternoon, but ere the fore
noon had rolled by dark clouds were seen ris-
ing. and almost before we were aware of, the
:, rain was coming down in torrents however,
L we appointed another day (the following NJ on
: davldo again assemble. and we did so, and
were addressed by several able speakers-both
clizans and soldiers.
! We were rot a little amused this evening
} at ciizen from an adjoining cOuIty-Mar
: shall, believe-who Was sitting in our room
He requested us to show him some Of oul
green back money, as he said he had Devel
seen any of it, handed him some, aud after
examining it very closely he handed it to his
u peiuhbor to look at, and then turned abou
: and asked us if there was any discount on i
p" as there was on their State banks, &c HI
said there were many in his vicinity who die
not now believe that Vicksburg had been Ia.
ken, and they still THU K that it never will be
8 He then went on with a statement that hi
was fine and true Union man and had al
u WAYS been. and that he was compelled to vot,
for the separation of these United States, &c
III Your worthy tOwnsmen, Col. w. P. Reid anC
Surgeon T. B. Williams were sitting by lis
s.. tenng to his conversation when tbe CoIone
entered into conversation with him and sooI
u stumped the gentleman, catching bin at sew
eral different points.
1t has been very warm the previous week
!" but fine shower this afternoon has cooled tht
y atmosphere and it is quite pleasant This eve
al ming. We are having much better living nov
, than we have ever had since leaving home. fo
we can purchase almost every thiGg we desir
oi in the line of vegetables. We have been fav
ored with some kinds which l suppose bav
= not yet come tn maturity with you, such a
i0 new corn, watermelons, peaches, &c; butter
" eggs and the like are very plenty. We US
nothing but soft bread since we have bee
'' here, as Bragg had finished some splend
oven baking for his army. We are capturing
all the stock the rebels have in the country.
Col. Wilder's brigade took a scout and re
turned with 800 horses and mules and 30
n contrabands Col. Atkins brigade of mount
lie ed infantry went out last week and was gou
i five days when they returned, bringing wit
,e them I4OO head Of mules aud horses and be
ne tween three and four hundred contrabands.
ID We were all rejnced to hear that Morga
es has at last "fOund his mule" away up in Ohio
Is, He has hunted for it a long time we feare
re he would escape, but we knew if he could b
D. caught at all that the Ohio boys could do it.
he There are but Is members of our regimen
of in the hospital here, and the majority of ther
n are about to return to their companies. Th
nd paymaster came into our midst this evenin
m; and will likely shell out literally tomorrow Q
d next day. The boys have been almost rene
re ing the heavens this evening in camp wit
Fir their cheering for his presence.
X l would like to know what the Norther
copperheads think about the victories Of OF
armies of late, and whether they still thin
that they can resist the draft when it takt
nm place among them? They certainly are tt
,io meanest beings upon this earth they are eve
~ worse Than the Southern busbwbackers WI