Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1864-03-24
LETTER FROM A REREL Gov.
- ssas, r,iGREsSNIA AN. &
Glowing Views at Kichmond--
Pears ana Hopes-.Innportant
Adnnisst0n.h - Cs~gta, s.

q
The following letter, among others, was
csptarsds,C Canton, Mississippi, during Gen.i
Shefmsh's march. IL wsswrttcn BY o. r. |
Sinslston, .ofCanton, Miss, who ohss broth
or, We believe; ofsome notoriets. in Quincy,
Illinois. Ths letter was kindly loaned to
the. correspondent Of tho Chicago Tribune,
BY the officer having itiA his pos.ession: = 4
r.s ~ ro' l RICHMOND, Jan. 26, 1864. \.
Hon. J, B, Hancock: .aI,se... sdi- .,.' I
SIR: 1 wish I had to-day q glass of your
excellent wine, as feel somewhat lsnguid
and fstigued after my multiplied aud, inces-
SAINT duties here hope some day todrink
the health of our young nation and talk
over our chair. breadth escapes" and great
tribulstons The present hour looks gloomy
to besure; but like yourself, | believe in. ul-
innate success. To give us this success, We
want to strike an effective blow early, in the
Spring. This will set US on our legs again.
Doubtless the Federals will open the cam
paign by moving shesvy column upon At
lants, Ca, and at the same time heavy
one from Knoxville, in the direction Of
Southwestern Virginia and Northern North
Carolina. -. a' ''
This latter, if no. repsllsd, will force upon
Gen. Lse the necessity of falling back from
his present position, it may be from Rich
prevent himself from being fanked, and his
troysd. You can see at once il this move
ment be allowed to succeed, that these con-
sequences must follow This portion of Vir,
ginis is now pretty well eaten e1f, and if
Lees army we're cut of from the South it
could not be provisioned for three months.
Pressed in front, and hsrrassed in rear, with
provisions exhausted, disbandnent and des-
truction must follow. 49,, -.
Then it becomes matter of the first mo.
ment to guard the rear Of the army Of the
| Potomac. N.t 'I1A % '-'h = la'
Should the movement upon Atlanta suc-
coed, then Georgia will be laid waste, and
our chief source lat presently Of provisions,
will be cut off. No man can look forward to
Spring without great apprehensiops. Doubt
less our severest trials will then be upon us.
If We sustain ourselves, or more, il we gain
any signal advantage over the enemy soon
after the opening of the campaign. we may
give the opposition elements Of the North q
chance to combine and beat Lincoln for
President. This | should hail as q good
omen and begin to think of peace at no very
distant day. | see no chance for peacs un-
til the Republican party is beaten and over
como. In the meantime things are, sssum-
ing a more unfayorable aspect in North
Carolina. Her course is deeply humilia-
ting to every patriotic heart Congress is
laboring diligently to strengthen our army
andimprove our currency hope we shall
succeed materially IN accomplishing both Of
these ends. The remedy is a severe one
but the disease is desperate, and no silly
nostrum will answer The cause is the poo
pies and they must sustain itat all hazards,
and the representative who falters in thi.
hour Of trial is not worthy ofconfdencs. |
would tell you what measures we arc likely
to adopt, but that would be contraband, our
proceedings are ia secret session. ,
As ever, your friend, most truly,
N' o. r. SINGLETON.