Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1864-05-06
ARMY LETTERS.


@Faf7l AhsN-f hPsh - A"@s
Erlend Tbaysri
Having a little leisure, have deter
mined 10 devote il TO the service Of your
self and numerous readers, 10 giving
you and them few inklings of what ia
doing, and what is contemplated by the
military in this place, so far as ! can
penetrate the arcand OF their councils.
Oar regiment (the 9TH Ind CavAlry)
I together with the entire cavalry force ct
this point is encamped under the ram-
parts outside OF Fort Pickering. The force
Is not very large one, our regiment be-
ing the largest in the command. Neither
is !, we'll mounted, as the late raid in.
TO the heart of Mississippi used up most
I Of our horses. But this defect is about
! TO DO remedied, as the authorities have
seized upon most Of the animals ct for
cavalry service in the possession Of the
citizens Of Memphis This necessary
measure will give Us as many horses as
are needed, aud frstrate stock, can
assure you, they are. The citizens do
not like the move, but they have no help,
except what the Qaar,ermastef givea
them in the shape Of greenbseks, which
ought to satisfy majority Of them whose
loyalty is Of a dubious character Besides
they must understand that in taking the
horses, the Government is but providing
for the defense of their fine and really
handsome city, which, should Forrest
and bis Fort Pillow murderers succeed
In occupying, would be laid in ashes BY
the formidable batteries of Fort Picker
ing That this viii be the condition Of
Memphis, in the latter event, the fare
well speech of Gen. Hurlburt amply tes-
ti6es, and Forrest is well aware Of that
fact, aud hence, makes no attempt at It's
capture. Memphis destroyed, where
would the rebels get supplies for their
forces in the circumiaeent country. The
existence Of Memphis is Of no import
snee to the Government Of the United
Il States; in fact il is a disadvantage, as
the residents are really incorrigibly Sc
cesh, and value an oath as little as an
inhabi,ant of the Celestial Empire. Ii
is really amusing TO see the expedients
TO which they resort in order 10 escape
military service. The Cogen and Hallnu
pass selling case, instances the sacrifices,
pecuniarily, they are alacriously dis
posed to make, to purchase even TEN.
porary exemption from the Ito them)
hateful duty, imposed BY their compulso-
" membership Of the Enrolled Militia.
There is force of about three thousand
militia here, when there ongh to be 81
least double the number; and this force
is composed OF men who have only, per.
haps, . small stock OF goods and house
hold furniture at stake-men vho have
come to Memphis since its occupation
: BY the Federal forces, and who scarcely
own brick or a shingle of the city. i
would be .amsntable catastrophe tc
see this noble town mass Of ruins, bul
should the inhabitants fail in their dut,
10 share in its defense, they will havI
only themselves 10 blame, in the event o
its destruction.
, Ihase been excessively amused at the
. reports circulated north Of the Ohio ant
elsewhere, of our terrified condition
caused by the close proximity of Forrest
Chalmers and Faulkner, when, in truth
indifference and uneoncsrn were yer,
{ legible on the eountananees OF ever.
person with whom | have had any inter
course. Forrest has not had under III
. command the amount of men neeesssr..
q to take Memphis, neither viii he hay
= this year, sensation reports TO the con
N trary notwithstanding.
That there has been gross mismanage
l. ment all through this Spring, all kno,
g who have been engaged in the various IL
Il 4 started enterprises which have marke
% the opening Of this years csmpaiEr
:, a The plans were good, and the force de
tailed to carry them into successful sxs