The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1864-04-05


Interesting from Richmond -Mournful Condition Of
Afairs in the South-Character Of the Dsfencss
around Richmond d-Norfh Cdrolina in arms sgsinsf
Jeff Dauis-Proposed Concentration of the Rebel
armies against Gen Gramt.
The annexed intercepted letter from Sou
thern lady 10 Richmond to her sister 10 Ken
lucky. gives an unusually interesting picture
of affairs as they now exist in rebedom. The
communication evidently emanates from an
intelligent and reliable source, and should be
perused with care: t
RIcHMoSp, Feb. 10, 1854.
Ny DEAR SIsrER,-As our mutual trend
Mr.. BIS, is about to undertake the serious
journey to Kcutukcy, avail myself Of the
opportunity to write you good letter. We
have beard nothing from you in nearly two
years, and can we'll appreciate your anxiety
concerning Us. Our brave boy is dead-killed
al Gettysburg. Oh, how we miss him, but
the !hought that be fell in noble cause,
takes away much of the bitterness, though il
seems as il the sacrafce had been made for
nothing. IL is impossible 10 describe the
gloom that pervades all soci ty aud with all
the Affections and doubts that oppress us, there
ia rot one comforting CLEAN, except the hope
of speedy end Of the war. must confess
that We have lost much of that assurance Of
success which once buoyad US up, and pictured
such bright visions of the future; but our de-
termination to hold out TO the last is unaba.
ted, and we comfort ourselves with faith that
Providence will eventually reward our sacra6.
oes, and bring us safely ont Of the furnace
that is consuming us. The rest of the family
are all well. William is in the war depart
men,; but we fear that the conscription will
take him loo. He might get a commission, l
suppose, but We trust the necessity Tor doing
SO will not come upon US. Cousin John has
left Charleston and gone to Savannah, though
be writes me that the military authorities OK
pect an attack upon the city, and that most Of
the people have removed neatly all their Of
fects to tho interior. Henry has taken Lis
family to North Carolina. Cousin Mary has
been unfortunate. She became attached TO
an officer Of Gen. Dee's staff, who cruelty de-
ceived her, and at one time We thought she
wouldn't live. The poor liiilo thing died, and
l think ii was blessing 10 it, as Well AS its
mother, that il was SO.
Society here is utterly broken up. All fond
nsss offashion and pleasure seems to have
been lost, aud day after day passes with moth
ing to relieve the prevailing dullness. We
see nothing but soldiers and the paraphernala
Of war; The whole city is converted iuto hos.
pitals, prisons and barracks, and our eyes have
grown weary with the signs of strife. Prcsi
dent Davis seems discouraged, and, fear, is
failing rapidly. The responsibilities, disap-
poinimerls and fautfndiegs Of his friends
have broken him down, and it is hardly prob
! l. l., l.s L. IL II L.
war.
We had great scare hero when Butler at.
tempted to capture Richmond, and am sur
priced that 50 fow precautions are taken against
a raid upon the city. We have very small
force here, and much of that unreliable. Two
companies Of heavy artillery, five hight baticr.
les, Two companies of cavalry and about four
thousand citizen soldiers are all we have to
defend US. There is part of North Caro-
lima regiment guarding the Chckahominy
River, aed seven hundred and fifty men in
Fort Darlrg; but these could not be of much
service, and l should net be surprised il the
Yankee cavalry got into the city, released the
prisoners and destroyed tho capital. The for
tificaiious toward the Peninsula are very strong
but toward Hanover Courthouse, and west Of
|
any consequence. The citizen soldiers are not
to be relied on in any emergency, and it is
believed that the appearance Of any consider
able force of Yankees would be the signal for
a general stampede. The Meadow Ridge and
Bottom Bridge Roads, Of which you have heard
SO lnrch,'are entirely exposed, end sometimes
think the authorities are wifully blind 10
danger The gunboals here, of which so much
was expected, amount 10 nothing. Only one
is completed, aud that is as slow as tortoise.
Two others are nearly done, but their guns
have been sent to Charleston, and dop't be-
lieve hey intend 10 finish them. Tue city is
full of disloyal people. and We can only trust
our most intimate friends What could we do
if the Yankees should suddenly come down
upon usl tremble when think what may
happen. All the old soldiers have been sent
10 North Carolina. Gen. Pickett's division,
which had been here SO loag, was hurried off,
it was said, for the purpos, Of capturing New.
bern; but the real object was to prevent dis
turbance among the people. We never had
much confidence in North Carolina, and be-.
! leve one-half the State would welcome the
Yankees TO day. William says our authorities
dare not be too rigid with them; bat think
if few examples were made Of the disloyal
leaders we shoul have much less trouble and
apprehension. Charleston still stands, no,with
standing the braggadocio Of The Yankees
The city is almost. deserted, /, though, aud the
grass is actually growing in all the streets. l
wonder sometimes why they don't take some
of Beauregsrd's troops and reinforce General
Lee. Ninsteen thousand mon, should think,
were more than is required TO hold that place,
though it is thought lbat the enemy have left
Mon Island only TO attack the city from an
other direction. Uncle James writes from
Mobile that they fear Yankee raid in that
direction, and that every one is ready to leave
So it is almost everywhere One does not
know where TO go for safety, and tho whols
country seems 10 constant fear of an invasion.
We hear very little from the west; from Le.
yond the Mississippi nothing. All that couu-
try, / fear, 10 lost to US. Do not believe the
Yankee stories about the. smallness of our
Western army. Longstreet has twenty thou.
sand, and Johnston thirty five thousand mon,
beside the smaller commands scat .ercd through
the country, that nigh. be added to their for
ces in case Of an emergency. Grant seems to
be The only General the Yankees ha~e had
since Mcclellan, and il they will only give him