Daily national Republican., 1863-04-04
Nm. Ryncun,Ion OF nIcbmonJ

We find in the letter of that versatile satirist,
"orpheus C. Kerr" published in the N. Y.
Sunday Mercury, dated April 8, the following
sarcastic illusions TO our war movements in
general and the reported evacuation of Rich
mond in particular:
On Thursday last, my architectural steed, the
gothic Pegasus, conveyed me once more by
easy stages, to the outskirts of Paris, where /
found the aged and respectable Mackerel Bri-
gade cleaning their spectacles and writing their
epitaphs preparatory 10 that celebrated advance
upon the well-known Southern Confederacy
which is frequently mentioned in ancient his.
tory. The Grim Old Fighting Cox, my boy,
has rashly determined, that the unfavorable
weather shall not detain our national troops
another single year, and there is at last pros
pect that our grandchildren may read full and
authentic report OF the capture of Richmond in
the reliable morning journals of their time.
And here let me say TO the grandchild Orpheus;
" Be sure, my boy, that you do not permit your
pardonable exultation at the triumph of your
! country's arms, to make you too severe upon
the conquered foes Of the Republic" | put In
this little piece of advice 10 posterity, my boy.
because l desire TO have pOslerity magnani.
nous.
Twas conversing aIably with few oflcit
Mackerels about several mutual friends of ours
who had been born, were married, and had ex.
| piTed of decrGpitude during the celebrated ma.
| tional sieges of VicksbuIg and Charleston
when a civilian chap named Mr.. 2. Greene
came into camp from New York, with the in.
tention Of proceeding Immediately TO the ruins
| Of RichmOnd. He was a chap Of much sprpad.
Ing dignity, my boy, with a carpet bag, an
umbrella, and a walking cane.
''Having read, says he, ''in all the excellent
morning Journals, that Richmond Ia beinO
hastily evacuated by the starving Confederacy,
l have determined TO precede the military IN
that direction. Possibly" says he imperative.
| ly, 81 may be able to find a suitable place in
the deserted city for the residence of nv fami
ly during the summer"
Captain William Brown listened attentlyely
and says he;
SIS your intelligence official, or founded on
fact"
The civilian chap drew hlmselfup with much
dignity, and says he:
"l find 1t in all the morning Journals"
Certainly, this was conclusive, my boy; and
yet our supine military men were willing to let
this uuadorned civilian chap be the first to en-
ter the evacuated capital of the stricken Con-
fedeTacy. Facing toward this ill-fated place.
he moved of, with his carpet-bag in his left
hand, his umbrella in his right, and his cane
under one arm, perfect impersonation of the
spirit of American Progress. BY slow and
dignihed degrees he grew smaller in the dis
] DNs
II was some six hours after this, nv boy. that
we were cOnversng as before, when there sud
denly appeared, coming towards us from the
direction Of the capital Of the Confederacy, the
figure Of a man running. Rapidly 1t drew nearer.
when discovered II to be Mr.. p. Greene In a
horrible condition of dishevelment, his umbrel
Ia, cane, and carpet-bag gone, his hair standing
on end, his coat-tails protective in the breeze,
and his lower limbs making the best tiu.e on
record. Onward he came, like the wind, and
before we could stop him he had gone by us,
dashed frantically through the camp, and was
tearing along like mad toward Washington.
"Ahn says William, philosuphicaiiy, she
derived his information from the daily prints
OF the United States of America, and has seen
the elephant" The moral" says William,
placldly, sis very obvious: put not your trust
In print, sirs."
II 1t be indeed true, my boy, that there is
more pleasure In anticipation than In reality, -
the war news VIC lind In our excellent morning
journals should give us more pleasure than our
poor pen can express.
Yours, credulously,
ORPHEUs q. KERR.