Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1864-03-29

DALTON, kfBt March 2cf lcu3.
ED1ToRs APPEKL Having recea v returned from
the State Of Arkansas feel oonhdel few thoughts
through your Journal viii not pro,e unlnteresting
touching the condition Of he people, the attitude of the
State on political questions and the conduct Of tho
Aboiitiouis.s. As passed through Mississippi from
Meridian to West Point was agreeaOIy asOnishsd to
see such vast quantities Of eorn snd the abundance Of
provisions ThD tax in kind Of wss deposited IN
pens on The side Of the Mobile and Ohio railroad IN
such abundance that believe that there Is enough to
feed the army for a twelve month
After passed Grenada, Kiss, approaching the Ais-
sinsppi liver everything the appearance Of pescs
times, save now and tn plantation which looked
dssertsd-the Yankees having stolen all tbs male ne
groes The planters near the river devOtlng Gueh
OF thsir time 10 the culture of cotton. Cotton COM
mands such a price that they cannot Withstand tns
temptation Of raising it, There is extensive trade
being czndestinely carried between the planters
and Yankees Had Il not bssR sOr this unlawful trade
the North would have suffered for the material
and Europe would not have been SO quiet stood on
the banks of this mighty river, in the small cotton
woods and saw stssmsr after steamer plying up end
dsTn on bosom, as In former times Erd
a. impudenty as il the waters belonged p Yankee.
DOM and the shores were Of Lincoln dominions Fhis
grioved my hsart am of opinion that t7yo coed bal.
teres we'll supported with regiment of cavalry could
close that trade and make the navigation of the Mis-
sssIppi dear whistle 10 the North. saw steEEa-
ers covered with soldiers until they looked blue sEd
So near The bank that expert battery could have
fired twenty rounds into them before they could haze
possibly run out of range. Would It not be sxpedent
to send two batteries there TO try ths.esCt Of canister
on boats
While stood the shore opposite island GO, could
see the tents Of the negroes ths island, stolen from
Ae plantations in the 5tom On the lower portion Of
the idsnd there were sixty negroes under two white
officers, who were being drilled as the law Directs
farther In the interior Of tbs island were four hundred
Old negro men, women and children eating eord.wood
going to school, and 1ding abolition lectures
der & white teacher iAd & minister OF the Beeehsr
school, Occasionally the negro soldiers, under hslr
white ocsrs leave the island and visit the main Shore
taking citizens prisoners for feeding encouraging
Southern soldiers If the Southern officers that
river had the proper rerye all those bands OF thieves
and aboiuonists could be annihilAted.
After reached the Arkan side of the river was
compelled to be constantly the alert ss raids were
bslng made every few days from Helena, through
Phillips ami Monroe counties, by Yankee cavalry.
There one battalion of cavalry that should be named
night hawks for they do all their work in the dark
This battalion sneaks out Of Helena under cover Of
night searching every house and hut for the space OF
twenty miles and they have thus picked up four
hundred Confederate soldiers within the period of
twelve months. Just before left Phillips county Nal
Carlton and Cspt. Moore Of the 18Th Arkansas regi
msnt, were overhanled by them, and were lodged IN
the Helena jan. Col. Jossy was also wounded, and
taken prisoner
The people, through that portion of the county that
travelled, ia good circumstances, having an
abundance Of provisions and clothing, but their bsr
ties ara restricted and everybody and the ladies' too
baye taken the oath AS this letter Is suicsnty long
viii treat on this subject in my next K