The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1864-09-10
Army Correspondence.
CANP NEAR MEMrHis. Tenn.

Nh. OsYAN-Perhaps l can give you q
few items from this .ocalTty which night re
of interest. Memphis is indeed city of
raids and its inhabitants do very little sound
sleeping after dark Happening to be in the
city Su1dc.v morning Aug. > LIST. too was
prisoner e war. for the space OF two hours.
in the hands Of that blooithir-,y and s"r'-ci-
less tvrant, Gen. Forrest. Tn. exaggerated
accounts WHICH have reached Won, are all tr1c,
A. a Californian once said, and vou may Jus.
pat down the capture OF Memphis the morn
ING aforesaid a * far the bOiIe,t stroke OF
he war. on the other side. | could hardly
realize the fact. that in the mos; popul0uS
thoroughfa-e q McrnTh.s. the street shor;c
be choked wl'e .eal live Cue-iilass swing a
unconce-rsa upon their horses though they
were in the darkest rccesscs OF .0"l- Hati'r
forests Not a soldier dischG-T2st i,-s fare
well sh-.." bu, seemed Only ir'-rt m getting
as far auav ~ he could. IN tie least pivcn
time Some of the t3-th Hi'.c'= We're srr-
prised by Forrest in coming and a nsH'ter
Shot. t,t r-c- halt rs badly surprise - he
VIZ 49, Lis -et-,'at, Il WAS then ir1t The
bs3,~- EFlir-.sagi- w. Irvrrr,fl ;s-~i HFrIy =
rebel fct was -rnt 10 his long nome with the
griltv stains "f rIurd5r yer -c-.r ~ ~ hands.
h9-, hreri ?. g-ens dcGl sfrr!t the condI-
ton of Forrest men l,t didn't think ever
saw such q set cf hardened sicciu. n: o! hG-
manitv ietor.. In ars;-e-' y *. question.
fwiu a-e vcu a,.l where are 80 from 7 one
5t them answered I've ara a =. % IorTe-, :
ID rcbs :" and anv c,v, haeir;. - s''"i
a'-;rw q ,he,- - / did would no; Ftarc do1''-
81 tfc T-.SS of rs statement. Some without
hats. others without shirts. a greater number
without shc-s. and mos. all without coats.
and armed - re 10th with carhincs and re-
yolscrS. they presented ssnr,hISs hu, al in
viting arrt arancc.- 7siF.iI aiSa.a ~ CRATE
full ,ptssII for letting ~ or 30 cheap, Un'
s1ppoSc the reason tL'i al - Little pGoTis
cuous firing. vcrt .'r5ri.i Of hurting more
friends than iocs. ,yi,c' G Ilf,ss!N you'd hayr
icon t,r case had n General light crIzUcd. ]
have Thought I. great ul!tny Iirnc-, If our bead
men and officer 7.erc heart and sonl III thc
work Of putting, desD tie Tc.ollicn. as ihr
rci.s are in f-.h.ing it back. the end woald
have bcen Ec--s aSso, bht such, Fam sorry to
believe. is not the case, o! which Will speak
hereafter.
have visited - c.,..ps of several Illinois
and Iowa regiments +,!:hin the past two weeks.
and find that sickness +. thinning the ranks
Of our brave bows faster tbsp Bullets, The
foreuart of the season was az dty ana! ex-
tremcly hot, and from the commencement OF
the present month till now, it has i-e1- near
" all rain, and most of the time very coot
The two extremes. especially the Latter has
generated q great dca. uf sickness III cyrnE.--
mostly fever and aguc which by the way -
bad enough. Our reg: ment which has hceE
in service only about sixty DAYS il fall, il not
more than O. Q third on the sick list, and
majority of the balance, ought TO be in some
convalescent camp or hospital.
The work of subduing the rebellion goes
slow in this quarter. or after the style OF go
ing up one step and falling back two and
the cause to me is plainly and painfully "P-
parent. ! am not vet full believer IN the
doctrine Of total depravity, not even II Wen
lived up to- and think there is many an hon
est seeker after truth, who would be willing
to embrace it, at the expense OF his prccon-
ceived opinions. TO such. | would like 10
show a picture Of the war as it looks to me.
In the first place there are altogether to many
shoulder straps, or rather many are wearing
them who would look better in the ranks OF
privates Such mark of distinction ought
to nerve one to his utmost in this gigantic
struggle, but each additional stripe puts the
wearcr a peg above his work. and as pay in
creascs patriotism diminishes. Ii Is n bold
assertion, but the history ofthe day and hour
will vouch for it. Nineteen-twent:eths of our
brave boys in the field, who are not half paid
in these times of high prices, feel its truth
almost to crushing extent, and unless
new impetus is given to the work and less
decentralization shown. | shall feel additional
solicitude as to the result in irving to recruit
our armies for another years campaign.
cannot perhaps yet adopt the policy of
the Peace party, but if am lucky enough
to get out of this alive, l shall go home
with stronger peace proclvities than l
came with, and with fewer objections to q
change of President | donS know but the
people have as clear right to try the expcr-
iment of a new administration, in the event
of failure to suhdue the rebellion IN prom
Used time, as the administration has to turn |
out a General for not doing what majority |
of its followers expected him to do. 1t looks |
as though the rule might work fairly both |
ways. "Hope long delayed maketh the heart |
Sick and think that is the point where for
bearance ceases to he virtue" Fear for |
the salvation of our country is fast taking |
the place of hope and not without some rea-
sonable grounds, and / doubt not that the
fast waning faith in the ability of our present
Chief Magistrate to conduct the war to hap
py issue is giving life and energy to the peace
party at the north. Something must be done,
and as feel incompetent to suggest, can,
like the immortal Macawber only keep still
wait for Something to turn up"
Wy citation is atlOat as to the result
. much sPe"- -"tion in Chicago this
week, and it cannoS be denleu 10
rood or evil will hang upon the fate OF
lecision. l trust that love of country will
its sittings. Yours truly,
CAssIUs.