Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-03-02


Important from RebeIdom--.-IEtsrestin
Letter from RIehmond---mOurHfal COndi-
tion Of AGairs in the sOurh---Charactcr Of
fhs Defenres Around Richmond
We make the sGbjOined extract from an
intercepted letter from 3 Southern lady to
her sister in Kentucky, win be read with
interest. After speaking Of the prevalent
discOuragemsnt and Of her son william,
she says: acr q rr-
Society here is utterly broken up. All
fondness for fashion and pleasure seems
to have been lost, and day after day pas
ses with nothing to relieve the prevailing
dulness We see nothing but soldiers and
the paraphenalie Of war. The whole city
is converted into hospitals, prisons and
barracks, and our eyes have grown weary
Of the signs Of strife. President Davis
seems discouraged, and, I fear, failing
rapidly. The responsibilities, disappoint-
ments and feultfndings OF his friends have
broken him down, and it is hardly proba-
bic that he will live to see the end Of the
war. We had great scare here when
Butler attempted to capture Richmond,
and an surprised that SO few precautions
are taken against Q raid upon the city.
We have a very small force here, and much
Of that unreliable. Two companies OF
heavy artillery, FIVE light batteries, two
companies Of cavalry and about four thou
iadd citizen soldiers are all we have to
defend us. There is 8 part Of 8 North Car
olina regiment guarding the ChickHhomi'
ny, and seven hundred and fifty men in
Fort Darling but these could not be Of
much service, and should not be sur
prised If the Yankee cavalry got into the
city, released the prisoners and destroyed
the Capitol. The fortihcstions towards the
peninsula are very strong but towards
Hanover Court House and west Of the city
We have no guns or fortifcstiOns Of any
consequence. The citizen soldiers are not
to be relied on in any emergency, and ills
believed that the appearance Of any con-
siderable force Of Yankees would be the
signal Of 8 general stampede. The Mead
ow Bridge and Bottom Bridge roads, Of
which you have heard SO much, are entire
/ ly exposed, and sometimes think the au-
thorities are wilfully blind 30 danger.
The gunboats here, Of which SO much was
expected, amount to nothing. Only one
is completed, and that is as slow as tor
toise. Two others are nearly done but
their guns have been sent to Charleston,
and don't believe they intend to finish
them. The city if full Of disloysl people,
sne we can only trust our most intimate
friends. What could we do If the Yankees
should suddenly come down upon us 2
tremble when think what may happen,
All the old soldiers have been sent to North
Carolina. General Pickette's division,
which had been here so long, was hurried
of, it was said for the purpose Of csptur-
ing NeWbern, but the real object was to
prevents disturbance among the people.
We never had much confidence in North
Carolina, and believe one half the State
would welcome the Yankees to-day. Will
liam says our authorities dare not be too
rigid with them; but think if few ex-
smples we're made Of the disloyal leaders
We should have much less trouble and sp-
prehension. Charleston still stands, not
withstanding the brsggsdocio Of the Yam
KEGS. The city is almost deserted, though
the grass is actually growing in sll- Of the
streets. wonder sometimes why they
don't take some of Bsauregsrds troops
and reinforce General Lee Nineteen thou
sand men, should think, were more than
is required to hold that place, though it is
thought that the enemy have left Morris
Island only to attack the city from another
direction. Uncle James writes from No
bile that they fear a Yankee raid in that
direction, and that every one is ready to
leave. So it is almost everywhere. One
does not k1eg where to 60 for safety, and
and the wIisle country seems in constant
fear Of invasion.