, 1863-05-19

Tho Eituation-StralEht's Expedition
-Dcuth OF Vnn DDrn-tFcddfn% OH
the Rattle Flcld-Co1. Lou. Waters.



MunrHEksBolso, May u, 1861
THE SITUATION
Can be told to-day in few words. The |
army Of the Cumberland still waits the rising |
Of the tide which is to beur 1t on to victory, |
and / am Of opinion the coming wave is not /
far AWAY. A prominent member Of General
Rosecrans' staff said to me this morning: /
"Can't cay, Of course, just where veil fight, |
but look out, one Of these fine mornings VIC |
will be on the move. I've noticed, day or
two buck, that the old man (Geu. r. begins
to wear his fighting mood"
may be mistaken; the f7ends Of this |
grand army may be ut grfcvious fault,
but there is but one prevailing idea regard |
ing the impending battle, and that is that
Gen. Rosecrans cannot be whipped And
this idea is not confined to the s'friends;n - 1t
Is woven into the thoughts Of the soldiers
themselves, go that defeat is hardly possible.
Rumors Of rebel advance are stilt floating
about, giving the timid and uninfor1lcd food
for startling conjectures and stories, but
there is really no Important movement Of the
enemy on foot. Ten days ago Bteckinridge's
division made an advance Of some six OF
eight miles, disposing its right wing to com
u,and the roads running towards Readyyiilo
lTCm n QQQ0urT HIlQ GEtEu 1IufE%
The center and left of the rebel line arc ap-
parently unchanged, though there arc indica-
lions Of q movement. We'll informed officers
arc Of opinion that Breckinridge's adEance Is
meant to cover general withdrawal OF their
army, looking to = support Of Lees bcleaguer-
cd Iirginians. Others, perhaps equally. as
attack upon our left, discovering in the large
cavalry force which Wheeler has within two
! days been marching towards Castez's position
4lFFF ont
There is no question but that Read5yille is
threatened Whether the attack will be made
or not, depends On the turn Of affliEs Ia Vir-
| ginia. ., ....-...
| sTRA1GHT's EXPEDITION.
| Two or three weeks ago, made short re-
ference to an expedition, about which l only
/! dared write the most general statements. The
! movement then referred to, WIS the one,
| which, If rebel accounts are to be relied upon.
ended in the capture, ncAr Rome, Ca, Of over
| 1000 Fede1al soldiers
The proptiety Of an extensive raid into
northern Georgia and Alabama, cutting rail-
| road communication and destroying property,
had beeu for weeks considered BY Gen. Ruse-
crane, and hazardous as the undertaking pro-
missed to be, there were scores Of officers and
men found very willing to prosecute
it. Colonel 4. D. Straight Of the 5lst
Indiana. in whose regiment we're two or
three companies of Northern Alabaulians,
was at length fixed upon for the command OF
the expedition. do not know that his az
companyiug force vas designated by the Gen
! cral Commanding, or CHOSEN by himself, but
his much do know, he was assigned pro
visional brigade Of about the choicest trsups
in the army, every man Of whom had been
| tried md not found wanting. Tie S0tl I'LL
nois, commanded By Col. Thos. G. Al1cn-they
who fought SO nohly, few weeks ago, at
Milton-the 75d Indiana, tho 81 Ohio, aut
the 5lst Indiana, (Col. Straight's own regi
mcnt, J and two companies Of Tennessee cav
airy comprised lis whole force, in all soMt
| 1,,tD men. The infantry were mounted ant
l march before them. and il the early morning
Of Saturday, the 18th day Of Aprit, tho dc
voted band Of heroes pushed secretly from til,
I lines Of the army. bound-no one knew
| ~Litlcr. I do not know That were Col
Straight'e instructions, hut it las been under
Q stood that he was to make his way to Atlanta
! Georgia, and, if possible, destroy the powde
mills located there ALI who knew the cha,
! acter Of Col. Straight's command, felt tha
t The job would be accomplished, if within ths
a range Of possibilities, and many were thu con
lectures aid predictions IS TO the fate Of -; III
b1aye fellows. Since lis departure from Tns
4 Gun hia, up which time there had been nj
misfortune, Col. s. had not been heard from
0 till the reception Of the rebel papers, from
Il which the other nights kilograms were com
u tLese Headquarters, though it is though
G that II detachment IF the Coloncl's force 1la
| hnrn hnr,, n.r1 rrt3 In thn>n
j. Ia am 1,.u,!v,r 5;.9osc,1 ~ t. bc,;evo that III
# nhoir farcn ,,f w,,ict + vii f1e not;c.d thts
o;re ,aer1r !, ctr,ant annn,nr,tion has he,.
Q GzatiarcI y, srd ia to.dar T,r;sana,s IN rrI,,
II han;s Nh Ep n tha f,c+a ~ 1ita;,,ea II w
ne fonna 1nacr..r y ~ ihas ~ tfat fraye h,av
r ~, 1,as ~, "r,et1t .1ran iiseif ~, Tbon
Il ea.,ds .e ~ Sn11s,a 1yoE,I, IF nronortr viii
- fon,'d daet.'r.5 and ,,onr NJ t,i,eI ,;fa ~,
1 eh1,rt h11 Il 1'5f,r. ~. ~ snr1o1da- ~ W
o@oN' - ~ - 49,
n DEATH of VAN ooAS.
The famous rebel cavalry leader, the receE
+ United states officer, the ,prohisate maj
1oWps @ aeeouns M td Of hs ao eatn S fp zip from Il
- Na6h'liic ittpd,ea- II VIII reach you IN III
q shape quicker fAan IN any other Way, perhaps
aud is certainly very satisfactory EtatemeE
J Of the nffair;
II r,.a,,-.ad ,;,,,, -, r..n.po, ~, n,~, ;, n
p,ns "s aa a,'"ns s0 q, T. eaa oy ~ + +
"a ave,te.s M s.eE, Iii. On lie ranrntnr nf tbc Il
r. 6as a,,r W ~ IN 1is nitr " and naI IN
Tim We i:aIn tct the sanre Of tie dit,lyasy wIit
.ew KID tb:rtv huurs nr.yions % IN III. S1Iin ri H.
which tic latter agreed on lis honor to .ivc
r. Peters tittcn statement the next day sctti1
:. forth four distinct EIcte Dr. Peters sid to hi
is That unon tbr fultll.mrut OF this promise.
to would si,are his life 10 his wife aed cnifdre
AltIou.ii |nn Dom had said hc cared uothi1
re for his own wife. The neSt Iay Dr. Peters ".
, sict nrtl lid rat call ou Ea norn nntil the -e,or
VI dny Tt,trtday rnorrnr abour O'CLOCK when
IA 5er.tndrti ri tnn nofn - romnltarcn wifi II