Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1863-07-15

the completion of the new road acros
rendering it unnecessary. The army il
now chiefly supplied by way of the Yazoc
river. The commissary and quartermas
ter boats lie about twelve miles up the
river, at q landing called Chickasaw Ba
you. This dull, sluggish stream, naviga
bic for nearly three hundred miles, is, a:
its name signifies, literally the River o.
Death" No one can drink of its water.
for any considerable length of time and
live. Draining as it does immense cy.
press swamps, it is the quin tessence oi
bilious and intermittent fevers. All the
water used on board the boats up the
Yazoo is obtained from the Mississippi.
| wish to correct an error of type OF
pen that appeared in former letter, in
relation TO the rent required Of the les
sees of abandoned plantations. In lieu
of rent, the Government imposes tax
on the produce, at the rate of one-half
cent per pound for cotton, and five cents
per bushel on corn and potatoes.
There are now five regiments of colored
troops here, besides seven thousand con-
trabands. A few days since l witnessed
a novel sight in the shape of procession
of three thousand of these sable fugitives
from the land of bondage. Every imag-
Unable species of transportation had been
improvised for the occasion. Mules,
carts, wheelbarrows, wagons, and carri-
ages in every stage of dilapidation, hav-
ing been pressed into the service. In
one instance, / saw a family of no less
than five Ethiops mounted on one mule !;
in another, noticed venerable Sambo
playing horse before q hand cart contain
ing his household effects, upon which
were perched four little woolly heads, and
a superannuated grandmother, while Di-
nah brought the rear in good order, car
rying some of the luxurious appointments
of domestic economy, the most conspicu-
Gus of which were large mirror, banjo,
sack of meal, pair of boots, q small i'm
age carved in ebony and balancing on
her head bucket from which protruded
a frying pan and other culinary appenda-
ges. 1t is truly surprising to see the load
that these human beasts of burden can
tote as they term it. Many of the We
muses. were sporting the most gaudy gala
day attire. The splendid silks and other
rich and gay patterns that adorned the
dusky beauties was conclusive evidence
that confscation extended even to the
mistress wardrobe.
1t seems to me that the negro soldiers
should no longer be kept on''probation. /"
On the CORY fields of Port Hudson and
Milliken's Bend, with bayonets dipped in
blood they have made a record of daunt-
less courage that entities them to be re-
ceived into full communion
The expedition recently sent out from
this place to Richmond. Louisiana, under
command of Brigadier General Mower,
returned after having dispersed the reb-
els and burned the town containing about
fifty houses, Dreadful, indeed, is the
necessity that counsels this wholesale de-
struction of property, scattering to the
winds in the short space of one hour, the
toilsome industry of years; but let them
not complain, for it is of their own choos-
ing. During my brief sojourn in the
South | have seen the ruins of more than
a score of towns and villages, the chin
neys alone remaining to mark where they
stood. These have, many of them, been
destroyed to prevent their falling into
our hands, but are, none the less, sad
commentary on the devastating effects of
civil war Could our Southern sympa-
thizers at home but behold these charred
and blackened monuments of ruin, mar
king the tomb of Southern prosperity
and peace departed; could they see the
troops of squalid, famish-stricken refugees
begging protection and support of the
Union army, they might realize to some
extent, the misery and ruin they invite
to their own doors, by Withholding their
aid in extinguishing the lurid fires of Sc
cession ere they extend their baleful ef-
fects to the free, fair North.
How soon the rebel garrison here will
be forced to capitulate is merely matter
of conjecture; nor does it signify much.
Fate has sealed their destiny, nor can the
combined powers of Sscessia avert the
impen ding doom. The hostile lines are
now within easy speaking distance, which
gives opportunity for exchange of pleas
antries. A few days since a butternut
called out-"I say, Yank, why in thun-
der don't you make another charger"
"Why, we would, Reb, but Lincoln
says its contrary to the rules of war to
charge on prisoners"
At times, when the gunboats, siege
guns combine to rain terror and ruin on
the accursed city, the scene is terrifically
grand. The ear is painfully shocked
with the stunning conclusion, while the
air is filed with the blazing thunderbolts
of war Fastening on their fame-winged
mission. This is but on outside view =
those who have been forced to remain
within the rebel lines during tuch times
represent the scene as terrible beyond all
description. May kind Heaven deliver
the beautiful towns and cities of our ma
ton and State from the horrors of siege.
E. B. B.
TUESDAY, June 30th.
The dispatch boat having been detain-
ed, will add, by KaY OF. postscript, that