Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-07-21
Pon me Second OhIO Cavalry,


g. " During these hot and sultry July days
the cavalry is resting and recruiting, get
ting ready for more work, I suppose. To
the I'd Ohio the rest is welcome, know.
Our days of ease have been few since
joining Grants army. .--- ---
"Ihe long, tfresome but exciting ride,
down and back, through the heart OF the
Confederacg made strong boys Of MS
WeakliBgs of a month since. We are
strong enough now. I'D
"In company with Major s. and Csp-
tain W. and escorted by an officer of Gen.
Wilcox staff on the first of the month |
enjoyed an inspection of our works and
the situation OF our army about Pc
tersburg. The 9th Corps works and the
reeel Notifications face each other, dis
tant about one hundred yards at points,
more distant at others. The rSb works
are the stronger and occupy the crest of
a range of hills bordering upon little
stream. Our outer line is half way down
this slope, on the same side OF the stream.
Our boys get their water from this streaHi.
They have a ca1seway dug tor partial
protection. Sharp shooting was going on
while We was th5re.-Re-had two close
calls, As the reOel line commands the
hills across tte stream IN rear Ofiouf hfst
line, we lose, heavily by tile sharp shoot
eTs. The loss in the division averages
some twenty killed and wounded perab
There is little differeHce OF position y
tween the 18th Corps and the rebels in
frOnt. We Witnessed a fine artillery du-
el between q battery of heavy guns, occrl-
Pying one of the forts the 18th captured,
and a battery upon the ridge, across the
AppomattOx No harm was done that
we could discover, though the shots wre
hre / accurately on both sides. -7.- -..
A" In my opinion the only way to take
Petersburg and hiehmond Is To keep the
railroads cut. This seems to be General
Grants plan, The 2 and 9th Corps are on
the left, and seem 10 occupy q position
more to protect the remainder OF The ar
nv than to threaten the enemy. The plan
IA certain OF success, VIC soldiers believe.
But so many men are going homs that
we must have more troops 70 insure COM
Meta success. Lee never ought to be al
lowed to get south Of Petersburg hut 20
stop him GraUt must have a superior force.
OF course the eyes of the Government are
not closed. Strange, that you people of
of the North will gee so frightened that
Won cannot tell whether your Soils inva-
| Ged,by 6 GOO or 10000 men. and whether
they are infsnIry or caTalryl Guess they
will never be seen by ROUert Lee again,
whatever tho size. .r -
WThe late raid reminded me much OF
! the Morgan chase one year ago. Until
we were within a few miles OF our lines
on our return--excepting two or three
sharp engagements, (ihe fight mt Stony
| Greek was seveTe,) some hard Work
| destroying Tailro IDS and. stores, and the
| scoWls OF angry Yankee hating wOmen--
/ it was most successful pleasure tr1p Tor
US soldiers. We found tine Land howing
with milk and honey hams, sugar, corn,
| wheat, bacon, wines and everything
necessary 70 supply the wants OF the
people of the Confederacy even to
luxury. The crops and country generally
looked as prosperous as Ohic's did year
AGO. We can cut OF these crops and
supplies from Lees army and compel
! him to 90 to them--if Gen. Grant Will
allow him to pass by. Perhaps he will
and perhaps not-surely not ii tue Coy
eminent gives him tine requisite number
of troops. This giIne is certain Of sue
cess If the Government acts promptly,
and efficiently. s- l d.
1--WE Iaade awful havoc with the rebel
communications this time, ami think It
is possible 10 do it as often as they can
repair them. Lee cannot hold Richmond
| many months, unless we meet with some
big drawback. SO we soldiers think.
ain The late raid every plantation
seemed dark with slSves. multitude
Joined us and kept with as tillW were
Obliged 10 break through the rebel lines.
Here the case of the panie-strlcken slaves
was heart touching. Mothers, ragged and
foot-sore, with naked, half-staTved
children in their arms-fathers with
children and big packs on their backs
children crying f5f missing parants--1ll
beseeching I'm despair our soldiers TO heip
protect and save them. II was awful
They had braveIy, ana without murmur,
endured the long marches, the dust and
heat and hunger, suffering extremely
bound for that hGppg land at all hazards
Here they were OyertakeR-sOme shot
down, as our boys Witnessed, and the re-
mainder marched to Petersburg TO be
returned to their 'OWnersi All seemed
anxious to be free, but many saw The
little probability OF getting through with
US and did not start, ......
zone morning while we halted a few
minutes near a large plantation, we con-
versed with several slave women. They
were enthusiastic over our appearance
and invoked God to grant US speedy sue
cess. One pulled down her dress and eX
hibited her SCARED back, caused by lasheS
received because her son had run away
Others said their backs were just as badly
scaTred-that slave could not live sin olt
YirginDy' till twenty years OF age WiGhOu
bearing marks. They seemed small ant
stunted. When asked the reason way
they ansWered-"0h it is hard work
Massa, AS soon as chile is so big'-peint
ing to three years old Ghild-'she begini
to tend the children and them hoe corn
? pull tobacco and gruO de mashes-Whel
the wet and cold weather comes on, thel
say they are put in the swamp 10 dig Gu
roots and make bitches, The male
seemed more healthy and robust. Thr
South can never be starved out, wbil,
it contains so much slave labor. a
"SeveTal slaves started with US Wit
were captured by StOnewall Jackson, q
Winchester, in 1862, taken to Richmont
and sod at auction. One OF them was
light colored, clear headed, Oright-eYel
fellow, free born boy from Maryland
we hardly saw white man whit
! out. W heard of militia in front, rear anC
ON our. TANKS, hut cur scouting and for
aging parties could never find any. Tn
militia must have consisted OF little boy
aud old men, for we never found thes'
classes at home. .... .. -
"0n the day we reached the Stauntol
river, went out with a detail Of twent,
men for horses and mules. We went q
: Charlotte Court House, seyen.miles from
the columns passing, through rich, roll
: ing country, called ~ the citizens FHhi
: Paradise Of Virginia. The village wa.
: much like Elyria, containing two Ihrgt
Hotels and several stores l When W.
: dropped into town, women and chlillTeI
, ran with fright, closed doors and bllnds
aud await ed in suspense, the hellish deedt
of the vandal Yankees. 1t was sOm'
time before we could bring the people
TO their senses and make them believe