The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1863-12-10
Arlssy Correspondence.
CAMP OF TIE 29IH INDIANA V. l.,
BRIDGEpORT, ALA,
November %. 1868.
EDITOR DEMOCRAT

1 presume you have heard the astound-
ing news long since, that Chattanooga was
taken, and occupied by our troops. More
recently no doubt. you have communicated
the welcome intelligence to your numerous
readers that Lookout Mountain also was
{ ptured; that the Tennessee River, and
the Nashville & Chattanooga Railroad had
been placed within the control Of the Fed
eral my,-and it may be. too, that you
have (naturally enough these times) init
mated that military officers of high rank,
with ladies of doubtful character, were
making visits of pleasure to the Battlefield
of Chickamauga. counting the rebel graves
without fear or hindrance even from our
secret Police. If You have done all this.
|. for one, will not blame you, but sympa
thize with you, and pity the iniatuation
that caused you to do so.
Your readers, God bless item, (and l
hope there is no treason in the eXprcssion)
have perhaps when reading the lists OF
killed, wounded and missing, after tha.
great Battle, concluded these places dearly
bought, and even if the balance of the
State Of Georgia were added, it would al
ford poor consolation to those among you
whose fearful eyes, and habilaments of
mourning attest the deep grief Of a soul
bereaved CT husband, father or dearly
loved son or brother | would not willing
" wound the feelings OF the bereaved by
even intimating the idea of compensation
for loss which no earthly wealth can
make good, or conceal that fatal blank
which extends into eternity. | have been
shocked when reading The fabricated news
sent broadcast over the land, based chiefly
en- camp rumors with singular additions
made by greedy and green correspondents
and officers private letterHrters. \ Skin
mish attended with the smell OF hall u doz-
en- consumed cartridges is often magnifcd
into great battle, a toray into The country
among deienccless inhabitants few Of
whom surrender themselves uncondition-
ally is not unfrcquen,ly magnified into a
bloody and desperate engagement; but cur
arms are always victorious. no matter what
the odds against US, and reports are uni
formly favorable. There is honor in all
trades arts and professions, bat in military
matters it seldom finds its way to the ,ur-
face Of the INVESTIGATIONS thrown around
it until it makes its appearance on the
tomb stone years after. | would not say
a reasonable word. nor lctach the small
est leaf from The coronal wreath that deco
rates the brow OF any man known to fame.
nor would knowingly hinder enlistments,
yet the truth IS Lockout Mountain is not
yet taken. nor is the railroad or river
entirely free from the dcpredations of the
rebels but fighting Joe Hooker is really
there-he managed to run himself throu. h
the blockade at the foot Of the mountain.
but tia fight is not yet ended, there Is an
uEceaSing cannonade, going On in Lookout
valley as well as on and from the noun
tain and the question of who shall hold
the disputed region will be decided soon.
From the number Of our troops collected
in and about Chattanooga we ought to
sweep the starving, ragged rebels from
every position they hold in Tennessee
But there is much OF the sngc-cat in these
rebels, they subsist purely Oh corn and ba-
con, which latter article still having some
OF the ancient dev:l in it, most evidently
imparts much OF his nyinciblc determine
ton to those who sub.ist upon it. There
is no telling what these mountains may
bring forth, and the country beyond Is
equally as treacherous, rs the facts of the
late battle will abundantly prove. The
newspaper Correspondents last summer
constantly repeated large numbers Of rob
els were daily surrcnderlnS themselves to
cur advancing army. a stranger would
readily have supposed that the Southern
Coniedcracy had srrang leak of % OF
100 day, but alas the battle of Chicka-
manga showed that We were largely out
numbered after all the leakage OF months
We had been deludcd with the idea that
we had only to let ourselves down irorl
the Summit Of Lookout, and ENJOY an un-
disturbed feast upon the Injuries seen
through our glasses, but that too was bat
a dream from which we awakened to bury
many Of our brave comrades to become them
se.vcs feast for worms. We are now OH
guard duty at the bridge here ana will
probably remain during the winter, It
which we shah not object as it Is the FIRST
time the .9th has been allowed to remain
On post duty since we entered the service.
Health OF the boys good. Yours truly,
BRIDGEPORT.