Ashtabula weekly telegraph. [volume] (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1853-1873, 1864-10-22
FROM THE ARMY OF THE JAMES.

FROM THE ARMY OF THE JAMES.
In THE FIELD MILES FROM RIcHMoNp. J
~ da'" - October 7th, 1864.
John j. Davenport, a halfway Norwalk
boy, is Gen. Buller's Provost Marshal, as
we'll as private Secretary. Beneath his
capacious and ever hospita5le tent set me
here to write, less than two leagues from
Richmond and in full unobsti sd view
from our signal tower. AS write at one
end OF the table, the keen provost is tx
aiming q long line Of Witnesses, one by
one and all fresh from the doomed citadel
of the CoHiederacy aud its defensive trench.
es. Ever and anon a booming shell. IRON
the river batteries about mile 10 our left,
and a screeching shot from our own or the
Iebel guuboats lozily floating at anchor.
less than two miles above us, wake the
echoes Of the woods and the liver. Did
the'enemy know how quietly the Beast
sis and smokes his segar, debating de.
spatches. replying to orderlies througiug
his tent, &C.. and within what easy range
of their guns, how it would stir the mirlh
of devils TO let she'll or two drop in his
front door yard just by way of stirring up
the redoubtable and plucky radical Gener-
al. But these friends of the Copperhead
Democracy evidently don't know the range,
and no more notice taken Of shot, powder
and shell, than the pop Of tiniest boys
elder gun. But the examinations of these
streams of deserters and refugees engross
all attention, and as am compelled to
listen to their recitals, Of coulse my mind
is specially awakened to their tales Of woe
and misery. The caieGiissng would. do
credtt the palniest days Of New England
orthodoxy, aud The Saybrook platforms.
Allsthis is necessary, 10 separate the wheat
from the now and then exceptional chaff
So thorough and accurate is The Provost's
knowledge Of every Corps. Division, Bri.
gade aud regiment that no one can wilful-'
" mslead or deceive him. The names of
all rebel tficers down to Captain, now 10
aud around Richmond, is here known aud
registered. SO that as soon as a man steps
inside for examination aud names The regi,
ment and letter of his Company, he is at
ouce Anticipated with Colopel's and Capt
iaus name. But Of all the sad tales Of ter,
rors, deprivation and suffering have ever
read or listened 10, those that have greeted
NY ears within this tent, during, the last
4S hours beggar them all. will no, at
tempt recital but of few, because they
stagger belief, and did not one after anoth
er, day after day repeat the same stories
[ could but feel that they were exaggera-
tons. Said one intelligent man, there was
never such reign of terror in Richmond
before. He had seen scares aud paDics
and all that. but nothing that equalled
their present desperation aud dispair, Time
after lime he had seen sick men, aged and
infrm men, boys of ten years and younger,
with hands tied behind them driven out in
to the trenches since Butler carried their
outer and strongest line Of defeuce. Sol
diers had been swept out upon crutches.
with one arm and Que Leg sick and shat
tered by wounds or. disease, 10 fine to uso
bis own exact words, said he, every.
thing in the shape Of o man able TO turn
over on bis belly and load aud fire had
been driven at the point of the bayonet By
the FIRE patrol TO the trenches. And the
same descriptions of horror are confirmed by
all. The richest aristocrat and tiniest lad
and the most decrepid beggar, are all re-
morseessly swept 10. heard the narrative
of ono old man, an Irish laborer, who came
, ID yesierday y years Of age aud who could
not stand, erect 10 save his life. 1t was al
| of the same pattern. This was the elias
of defenders in front Of Butler, With eDl!
veterans enough TO force them 10 duty ao'
sndesvOf 70 ptsroht sbsir escape Oss .
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