The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-04-01
INTERESTING FROM ARKANSAS.
Inside View Of the Rebellion.
A Rich Collection Of Southern
Letters.
DuvALL's BLUFF. Ark. March 10. 1864


cane, abandoning Confederate mail bag
containing nearly two hundred letters.
From these make the following extracts,
from which it occurs to me that you may
judge of the prevalent condition of affairs
in Arkansas better than can describe it.
Being from home to relatives in the army,
they contain no military interest. Pc
rused over one hundred of them, and ter
ror of guerillas, disgust at the continuance
of the war, and prayers for peace, pervade
them all. Most of them are illiterate,
many humorous, some touching, and q
few rational. Space allows brief extracts
only.
The wife of rebel officer writes to her
husband :-"Poor dear, this terrible war
has reached crisis, and must soon be
over. Our aspirations were noble, but
dearest husband, when will we learn that
the South has failed2 cannet advise and
ana powerless to help you. Oh, how my
heart aches when reflect how you must
suffer for lack of clothing and all comforts.
If l could weave my heart into garments
for you, I would gladly, oh how cheerfully
do it; but, alas! l am helpless; I can do
nothing but pity you and love you. 1t is
q reign of terror in Arkansas; have less
fear of the Federals than the lawless guer-
illas. I can only love you and pray for
you. Ijoin nightly and hourly in my fer
vent prayers for peace and the return of
the loved ones to the loving ones who are
at home"
Mrs. Roberts writes to her truant in
somewhat different style, but to similar ef-
fect:-" wish 700 Guild cum hoom Jim
and Gee my moo baby l had sense you left,
ways ten pouns. we hev tho purtiest
children in Arkinsaw. ! named the moo
baby missouria ann roberts. Tell n it's
nice wun. Our niggers is all run off to
the bluff; the three boys is jined Linkin's
niger army. Lord, Lord, how long is
tdese things goin tn last. You amt doin
emmy good fitin at all, and think you or.
ter cum hom en- help me with the baby. l
don't think we'll make emmy crap this year
then what's pore NEE tn do. Sally
sends howdy. The hogs is gone inter the
swamps mar wekes."
A piOus sister writes to soldier BROTH
or =" Parson Nolan is our sercut rider
now. He says that God has plainly prom
ised to be on our side, an drive the &C
cursed Yankees firm off our soil Parson
Nolan is splendid preacher, bnt it don't
look to me as if God was drivin the Yanks
any too much Outen Arkansas just now.
There's one thing don't like at all, and
that is the gorilla bisness. They don't do
any good at all, and just rob everybody
Parson Nolan prayed agin EN- at our house
last Sunday, and l was right glad of it,
for that sneaker Robinson was there, and
pa says he is nigh onto the meanest white
man in Arkansas. May you live happy,
die happy, and get into the everlastln
kingdom above"
FATHERS OPINION.
81 tell you, my son, this country is gone
up, and the sooner things get righted up
the better for all of u.s. The citizens that
have taken the oath have not suffered near
as much as those who have not. In my
opinion Gen. McRea has done ten times
more ham than good, and only makes the
Feds worse both sides emulate each other
in robbing, killing and destroying. What
ever you do, my son, do not come home
your safest place now is with the regular
army. The reports you hear about south
ern soldiers being about here are all false'
McRea's men are no better than gangs of
robbers The Feds are showing them no
mercy
A business man at West Point writes to
a friend
"Cotton is selling at &c. We've made
good thing of it But, Lord, Ed, you
would think the whole world had gone
crazy with cotton Oh the brain. Nothing
but greenbacks go now. Confederate
money is not worth l think
the whole Confederacy scheme is explod-
ed, gone up.
"The Feds do not recognize McRae as
anything but guerilla, and show mis- men
no quarters for the last few weeks tell
you, Ed, it's getting to be tight papers.
The election to readmit the State, comes
Off next month, the 18th, and expect the
Feds are bound to have it their own way.
Everybody in this country is taking the
oath. Lots of the boys have retur led
home, and swear that they intend to stay
there and / don't blame them. advise
all who want to fight to stay with the regu-
lar army, for I'll swear the Feds are bound
SoUuSI VI ldICl, W NH ONC4y last
man they catch in arms about here"
A sweetheart to her lover inquiries =
"Ob, dear, dear, when will this hateful
war be over2 1t seems forever since you
were here and Itell you, Charley, there's
lots more girls tired Of j. besides me.
The Yanks treat us ve:y well, but they
make nothing of me ispunk up to them,
tell you have a sweetheart, one broth
er and two cousins, all Rebels, and am
Rebel quarrel with them every time
We meet, but they only laugh at me Ev-
erybody round here is taking sthe oath.
Ali our lighting is for nothing, think,
but ruin and disaster. 1t may be all very
we'll to talk, but oh, Charley, how happy
we might have been but for the war Ma
says that nothing will ever repay us for
the suffering and desolation Of hearts and
homes. You wouldn't know Little Rock
now. 1t seems like strange city to me
An indignant wife says" 700 had
best KUN home for all the good 700 are
dOin toller.n that ole. fool Price about
de never did hev no sense emmy how, an
his follerers hev less. 700 better q CRATE