The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1864-06-26

special o0uespondenee Of the Cincinnati Gazette
BIG SaASTT, GA, June 18th
REBEL DEsEKTEEs
This morning. at Gen. Logan's head
quarters,I had the pleasure Of seeing
parts Of two companies Of deserters, thai
came into our lines last night and thii
morning, with their officers They be
longed to the 54th Virginia regiment
Col r. c. Trigg, and formed a part o.
Reynolds brigade, Of Stevensons diYi
sion, Hoods corps They, as Usual, ex
pressed themselves tired Of the Confed
eTacy, and said they had been talking
over the subject Of desertion for soma
ti1ne Yesterday, being placed on pick
ct in front Of Logan S corps, they, at a
suitable time, sent oyer to our picket
/ line two commissioners, with plenary
powers to arrange the terms Of capitu
lation. Our boys told them to come in
on the Grant principle Of uncondition
al surrender, and they would be pro
tected Leaving one commissioner with
our men as a hostage, TO insure the
faithful performance of the surrender,
the other hastened back to his com
rades with the joyful news. Soon a
captain, two lieutenants and twenty
seven men came safely over, and
breathed once more the air Of freedom.
This morning another lieutenant and
four more men Of the same companies
found their way in and joined their
comrades with much JOY.
Their knowledge Of the strength and
disposition of Johnston's forces is liIni-
ted, as that Of any soldier must be.
They estimate his strength at sixty
thousand AS to the spirit Of his army,
they say that much discomfort prevails
That nearly every man in their brig
ade will desert al the first opportunity
that many of the Georgians are becom-
ing very much dissatisfied, and declare
that they will not follow Johnston
across the Chattahoochee. They are of
opinion that Johnston present position
is stronger than any one he has since
leaving Dalton, but say that Sherman
has force enough to fight him in front,
and at the same time turn both his
f1anks
They tell some amusing stories of reb-
els ''whistling to keep their courage up.
At Cassville, when Johnston issued his
battle order, they said it was scarcely
read to their regiment until our forces
attacked and the order was Immediately
griven to cross the Etowah Johnston
had discovered that his communities
tons were insecure.
Again, on the 18th inst, when they
were here before us on Kenesaw Noun
tian, they say Johnston published re-
ports that Wheeler's cavalry had cap
tured seven railroad trains, and cut the
railroad in Sherman's rear, and that
his army was consequently on half ra-
tions Hardly had this been read until
the whistle of our locomotives, and the
long trains of supplies following gave
the lie direct to their official" reports,
and rendered the prospect Of starving
out Sherman rather gloomy.
They report the story, so often told,
that their officers endeavor by every
possible means, to impress them with
the belief that prisoners and deserters
falling into our hands, will be most
brutally treated. And this, together
with the watchfulness of their officers,
and the incontinent popping of our
skirmishers, prevents many from com
ing over, who otherwise would gladly
escape.
As write there comes another squad
Of FIVE, who, on being questioned, shy
they grew tired Of the Southern Con-
federacy, and left without permission.
1t is encouraging to our boys to see
these evidences of Generalization in
the enemy ranks, especially when they
know that similar decentralization
with US would be preposterous-impos-
sible. A desertion from the Union
ranks to the enemy is of so rare occur
renee that instances are almost I'M
known.
UNITED STATES SANITARY COMMISSION AND
THE MAIL
What good work for the soldier is left
undone by these benevolent soldiers
societies. Until recently many letters
have been delayed and lost because
they were not fully paid
At Nashville, al letters for the army,
paid in part or not paid at all, were de
tanned and the person to whom they
were addressed was notified that they
were there, and would be forwarded on
the receipt of the requisite amount of
money. Under this regulation many
letters were never received-the soldier
either not having the money to send, or
neglecting to send it. By some means
this was brought to the notice of the
q. S. Sanitary Commission, and at once
way was devised by which all such
letters would be promptly forwarded
The Sanitary Commission furnishes the
money and stamps each letter, Paid
u. s Com and it goes to its dcstina-
ton.
While on the subject, it may be as
well to suggest that friends Of the sol
diers in Sherman's army would confer
favor by sending TO each of them, Sc
curely inclosed, package of paperani
envelopes by mail In this campaign
the suffers cannot supply the troops
with stationery, so entirely is the rail-
road used for purely military purposes. !
So if you wish to hear from your sol
der boys send them each quire of pa
per and a package of envelopes.
sEIRMsHINC.
Still the untiring skirmish fire, re-
Iieved by an occasional shot from some
battery, is going on, without manifest
results
PERSONAL. ~
Captains Gibson and 0rermyer, and
Hoover and Crawford, of
Lhe Slst Ohio, are in hospital at King
ston, sick. All the sick OF the 10th
corps, for the last week or two, have
been sent there ERO.
"The Kilkenny Cats"
A late number Of Notes and Queries
gives the following account Of the orig
r. 4 4 !