Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1864-05-20
From MOSby's Command.

Tile Recent Batles-D eserters from Grants
.irmy-An Exposure THE Strength ofhe
Yankee ARMY Mostly on Another Ra'd.
From our Special Correspondent. now with
the gallant Colonel John S. Motby' we h"7c
received the following interesting letters;
ESPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE or THE ENQUIRER
.UppEsvlLLs, FAUorIER Co. Va,
May y, 1861
The report of the artillery in the fight on the
Rapican was heard at this place, ia distance
from the scene of action Of eyer emo hundred
miles) Notwithstanding Oh adverse wind
blowing ut the time. BY placing the ear close
to tho ground, tho regular ttud, thud, OF the
guns-though scarcely dis!inguishable from
the beating CT the listeners heart--tele-
graphed by an alphabet (a!as too famfar)
the important message anticipated so long
and anxiously. Unfortunately, tho details
cannot be conveyed, by any species Of natural
telegraphy, however rapid; and between tho
announcement that great battle has been
fought, and tidings Of the result for veal or
woe, the days that intervene draw their slow
length along with provoking tedium here
that would lie insupportahle to the qnid
fumes of the cities who can listen to tho
rafting tongue of garrulous magnet, and
crowd around the bulletin boards every hour OF
tho day with the freshest intelligence smoking
hot under their inquisitive noses. With not
more delight do tho people of famishing mart
catch sight Of the white sails Of relief ship
in the ofing. than the appearance OF o news
paper from Richmond is hailed here on "the
border" Its contents, from tho account OF
some new Offering on tho altar OF our indie
pendcnce, to tho "treinend0ns aacrlhce, OF
ready made clothes dealer, arc doVonred with
O. gus.o that would crafty m editor who hob
cudrelled his brains for several mortal mo
night hours only to ovtrhear fifty times tho
next dav the casual remark, that his journal
"has nothing in it at ALL" Ono prlnc,na'
cause Of the irreg,laritY Of news from Rich
mond. OF which the people complain IN remote.
districts where they have not the advantage
Of Mr.. Reagan's patronage, arises from the
fact that the newspapers are emtloyed Tor
wrapping paper in the village shops where
they are generally left To be forwarded By
private conveyance beyond the limit; Of tho
regular mail / state this fact thar suoh sub
scrbers may know who to b!eas in,the depths
of their periodical disappointmcnts.
The recent order issued by the War De-
parrmcnt of Washington, threatening desert
era from Gen. Grants army with instant
death on apprehension, must have been dc
tated by an alarming necessity ii RIO 7umh"r
Of iesertcrs 7 have met recently may -
taken as evic" % Of the depletion from SINS
cause to which the Yankee army on the Rapi
dan il subjected. They all tell the same ta!c
with reference to the disaffection existing in
tho enem7's camp, aud likewise concur in tho
statement as to the large force under Grant,
none Of them estimating it ut less than Two
hundred thousand men. This 9escrtion should
be encouraged by all appliances customary
\ in civilized warfare; but / regret to mako
the announcement that practice prevails IN
this region through which the dcsarscrs make
their escape, calculated 10 discourage 1t 70 3
most unfortunate extent. The robhing 81 de-
serters not only BY vagahnnds who flsgra"r
the Confedc crate uniform. hu: by uoprncir!Rd
citizens, some Of whom i1nst every COMMIT
nifty. il not only an outrage in itself, but IS q
positive act of hostility to tho Interests at the
! Confederate States. Notorly draertrrs who nre
trying TO- escape to their homes, hut even
those who seek our ranks, are tho victims OF
thia reprshcnsille practice.
A fsw days ago one of the latter, P:us-
sian, who eamo to ctf.r his services 10 the
South, whilst on bis way to cur army was
robbed near this place hy bis escort who took
his horseF, sword and spurs, and then turned
him loose in the vicinity Of the enemy. lie
pctitioned them to leave him his sword, a
splendid Damascus ,lade, which he had long,
! e orn as an officer in the prus-ian array, bnt
they refused. H. vas so Fortunate however
"a to obtain tho name Of The ringleader Of ths
robbers whose address, rs written by him
self, is Guy Holiday, Co. G, LIT Maryland
Cavalry, Maryland Line" Tho name Of the
victim is Baron Won Unrudc. This is ole
only CT an hundred instances that hear Of
and mention it specially that the case may
lie investigated, the culpri:s identified and
made an example Of. On FIRST blush it may
appear iplpolitic to mention the facts just
narrated but since tbs prac:ice is notoriou:
i, will get to tho ears Of the enemy anyhow
and tho sooner cur government puts a stop t.
i: the better. Dcsertcrs do not suffer from
want of food and shelter on their way. hu
every assurance of protection should be giver
them in order to encourage continued dcscr
ton from Grants army, till line stretches
out, a blue streak over the mountains, till The
crack OF its DOOM