, 1864-03-23


=! saw lin. and The day -after the fight he re-
cciyed from Col Owen the present Of q hand.
some sword for his bravery.
This Adjutnnt Mcclellan, by-the-by, Is a
first cousin to Gen. George B. McClellan, the
Union hero Of the seven days. battles around
Richmond. He is a fac siml'e Of the ticaeral,
at least ID appearance, and for his devotion to
the rebel cause WIS recently promoted to
Major OF Gen. ,Stuart's staff
But to return for moment to the negro
soldiers: Gen. Bragg, in communication to
Mr. eeddon, stated TINT at the battle OF
Stones River, four companies of negroes,
Which had been formed out Of servants et-
tached to the army, and offlcered by white
men, conducted themselves with great credit,
exhibiting a fearless: determination not ex-
cc1lcd By the best soldiers OF his command.
He recommended the immediatc organization
Of 200, Geo soldiers of this class, to be distrib-
Tted IN companies AND regiments IN armies
But you may rest assured that, although
there are few Slaves who Would fight for
their masters in aid Of tho rebellion, that
nine out Of ten of them have now too Large
q senee Of freedom to assist in rfvetfng
tighter the chains Of bondage upon them
arming Of 2oo, 900 Of them would, IN effect,
be equal to an addition Of 50o, 900 soldiers to
our armies. :,
An impression appears to prevail in the
North that the rebels are preparing to eyacu-
ate Virginia; but know, Or at least am
confident, that such Is not the case. They
will remove their Capital | lave no doubt,
but you mny depend that they viii hold Vtr::
gfnia until expelled foot By foot. by the
Northern armies. Gen. Lee would not listen
for moment to the voluntary abandonment
of the State, and the Virginia soldiers would
Instantly throw down their arms If such
course was determined on. There is no mis-
4n1y I.Sa A. r u +
brother VirginiaDs, what. would become OF
the rebellion and the Confedezacy?
At the time Of Stoncman's raid in May last,
Richmond Was considered In danger, and tho
citizens were conyoked by placards carried
about TIE streets by negroes, md other calls,
by Gov. Letcher. Mayor Mayo, and other
prominent rebels, who urged them to form
themselves into companies and regiments for
defense Of the city. They declared that II
the city should be captured the State could
not be held, and that + the State were aban-
more, and the State would fall Letcher said
that the Virginia soldiers would feel, If their
State should he lost, that there WIS nothing
LEFT for. them to light lor: They would NOT
be blind be qneagn to 9Ps that lot It could
pend that tie rebels will defend Virginia with
the desperation Of despair; but let them be
driven beyond Its boundaries, and eight ont
of ten OF the Virginians @sTill gladly avail
themselves Of the Presidents Amnesty Pro-
cla1nation to return. Let Virginia be re-
claimed, and the Confederacy will tumble
Desperate efforts win be made this spring
to drive Grants army out Of Northern Georgia
and Southern Tennessee The occupation OF
Chattanooga BY the Union1sts created great
CONSERVATION among the rebel authorities.
The Secretary Of War stormcd like mad
man. He declnrcd that they might better
hare lost Richmond or Charleston than to
have allowed the enemy to obtain foothold
N Chattanooga, thus placing at his mercy
tho fertile valleys Of Northern Georgia and
Alabama, and that he must be driven back,
rcgardless Of the cost The wholesale cod-
ecIiption which is being mercilessly enforced
throughout the Confederacy will enable tho
rebels to concentrate an immense army in
front Of Grant By the 1st Of april, and unless
the latter Is heavily reinforced, ali that has
been gained In that region may be lost. :.
But many rebel officers are confident that
# the Unionlsts should obtain q foothold In
Northern Georgia, they would never be able
Fortifcations ofa formidable character have
already been thro wn up around Atlanta and
Decaturi and ut every point along the Chat
tahoochet river (which runs twelve or fifteen
miles north Of Atlanta, at which an army
eould possibly be crossed, extensive works
ao4 0CAVAsS Lave UEeA eaGItSA. 4At PA1 s1Ea1
labor on these works was Of course, perform
ed exclusively by negroes.
4 short time ago the municipal authorities
of Richmond rendered Gen. Lee 5000 to
enable him to purchase rcsidcnce In that
city, and We loarn from the rebel papers that
the great hero and patriot declined the rift,
preferrfng that the nmount should be e1pen-
ded for theibcnefit OF the soldiers in the field.
But Happened to know that motives other
than those of patriotism and an alectionate
regard for his soldiers prompted Gen. Les to
refuse the munifcent offer.
A conversation which occurred between
Mrs. Lee and ber friend Mrs. Vaughan which
heard tho latter innocently repeat In the
the true reason Of the Generals declining the
handsome present, It was well known for a
considerable time before the authorities took
formal action in the matter that they intend
cd such gift for their favorite General; and
Mira. Vaughan on calling on Mrs. Lee In her
humble apartments, congratulated her on
the prospect Of her soon occupying an elegant
mansion again. Airs. Lee knowing that her
friend alluded to the contemplated present
from the city, replied that she did not expect
to occupy more commodious quarters during
the War-thnt the General would not receive,
If offered, q residence in Richmond they
had been obliged to abandon one home, and
that as the fate Of the city was get undecided
and uncertain, they might If they had resi-
dencc there be compelled to abandon that
also, and that they preferred to live as they
were living, ready to leave without loss or
care If the chances OF war should require them
to do 30. She said II after the war the cou1-
try desired to reward the General for his ID
bo1s and sacrifices, Its grateful offers wonld
likely be accepted.