True Democrat., 1863-01-21
A Letter from Mississippi.

A Letter from Mississippi.
 Army promotions by seniority, or as rewards, do
 not, often work well. Many a good captain has been spoiled by being made d colonel-lnany an
 excellent colonel has been ruined by being made a general. It is true that officer who has risen
 from the ranks, has had the advantage of expe- rience, and the elevatio1>s evidence of merit. On the other hand, it does not always follow that because man caR command hundred men, there l fore he can command thousand, or that one who can handle and control thousand men, can man.
 age and control ten thousand. Iii the Mexican war, Van Dorn acquired reputation cavalry officer and made quite name for dash and enter
 prisc In the present war, having been promoted to major genera!ship, and given the command of infantry, he made two signal failures. He has been re assigned to q cavalry command and is now in his proper element. A letter from fiend in the 3d Arkansas cavalry, gives account of Van Dorn's capture of Holly Springs and unsuccessful scout made by that officer. It is fuller detail than we have yet seen:
 GRENADA, Mss, Dec. 30, 1862.
 R. II. JOHNSON, ESQ.,
 We have just arrived here from long and sue cessiul scout in Tennessee. We left camps two weeks ago to-day, to be gone-ten days. Gen. Van Dorn, al he head of about 1000 cavalry, led us first to Holly Springs. We-entered the town just after daylight, taking the enemy completely by surprise, many of then being asleep when got to their tents. The infantry force about 2,000, all of whom we captured, except few who were hidden and whom we had not time to hunt from their holes. There was small cavalry force camp ed near the town, who were apprised Of our com ing ill time to mount their horses and give us {, few rounds They fought our advance guard with spirit, for while, but turned and made their es. cape We captured five or six millions of dollars worth of stores of nearly all kinds. This the depot of stores for Grants army, and the prisoners told that they mad six months ratons there for Grants whole army. Besides these, everything in the way of quartermaster's and ordnance stores were there in abundance. They had two trains of cars loaded and ready to start down to the army, when came in time to burn them. We took l50 or 900 splendid wagons and ambuances, and as we could not bring them away had to burn all but few ambutnces, which we took with us- Our whole force c!othei themselves anew with the clothing they seized and got many extra clothes as they could carry their horses Besides this, we loaded some four hundred horses and mule., that captured with clothing and blankets. All this, was no comparison to the amount we burnt. Some two thousand prisoners, among them three hundred officers, were paroled on the field. Gen. Grants wife there and Gen. Van Dom had an interview with her. We found good deal of cot ton. which we destroyed and great many negroes whom the federas had stolen. The negroes were taken away from town and ordered to return to their masters. They went of, as could not take them with Us. We spent the day at holly Springs, burning stores, parolng prisoners and picking up stragglers and runaway negroes.
 We left Holly Springs in the evening and made our way into Tennessee, burning bridges on the railroad, cutting telegraph wires and cutting off the two miles of Bolivar, but finding that the enemy had been reinforced and largely out numbered us, we turned down towards Middleton. Here We had a heavy skirmish, the enemy fighting about three hours, and then fell back to their fortiicl- tions By this time division of infantry, artil lery and cavalry came out to meet us We turned toward Ripley the enemy close at our horses heels. At Ripley, where stopped to rest and feed our horses their cavalry and artillery overlook us and opened fire, without doing much damage. We halted them there, and they abandoned the chase. This cavalry expedition of Gen. Van Dorn's will compare favorably with any made by Stuart, Mor- gan, or Forest. In the twelve or fourteen days that we were ont, we had four heavy skirmishcs, several picket fights, took 5000 prisoners. destroyed millions of dollars worth of property, got good supply ofclothing, and ut Holly Springs, captured some paymasters and over a illion of dollars (some say three millions) in greenbacks, and all this with d loss not exceeding l00 men, l Van Dorn s star, which was under q cloud, has emerged, and now shines brilliantly. You must admit that expedition was successful and its effect at this stage of affairs will be to damage l the enemy here and derange their plans. We bear good news from Virginia, Tennessee and Vicks- burg. Co D.