Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-02-03
-ISTIC PARTIES.

Ny informant represents the reports oi
the disafiection of the people OF Georgia,
/ Alabama and other States where he has
soiourned, as in the main correct; but
fthey are very careful in giving expression
4 to their real sentiments, owing to the Sc
we're punishment that ii is sure TO draw
down upon them. The President is usu
/ ally distrusted. and he comes in for vio-
lent denuncistions from all parties-cov-
1 ert UniOnis;s and rabid fFe-eaters. All
are anxious for peace-the poor for peace
! by return to the old Union, the rich for
a peace that will give them independence
and not disturb slavery.
WHAT THE RANK AND FILE THINK or THEIR
CAUSE.
Walking through rebel camps, convers-
ing with officers and men at their bivouac
fires, my informant was impressed and
surprised to find the emblems of Union
ism still smouldering in the rank and file
Nearly all would willingly lay down their
arms, and accept the best terms of peace
attainable, believing that all hope, now
that the original seeded territory is so
narrowed down, has vanished of indie
pendence for the South. The same feel
ing is held by the officers TO a great ex-
tent, but as they are principally scions Of
the wealthy, they are determined TO "die
game, and keepup the dropping spirits
OF their subordinates by gross misrepre-
sentations and expressions of continued
faith in their failing cause.
HOW THE REBELS SUBsIsT TREK TROOPS
TO such state of desperation has the
South been brought, that for many weeks
previous to the battle of Chickamauga,
the army was fed on quarter rations The
soldiers are represented to be so starved
that they care not which party wins, SO
long as they can get something to eat; 4;
and battle to them is aGod-send, for on
the eve of one they are better fed to en-
courage them to fight, while the hope of
driving the enemy back. and obtaining
some of Uncle Sans mama" is a strong
incentive to induce the soldiers TO deeds
of desperation. When detachmenIs are
dispatched, however, on special duty
away from the regular army, they are ney-
er furnished with rations, but must de-
pend on their ingenuity to suhsist. They
always succeed by indiscriminate pillage
of the people en- route.
THE SOLDIERS FAMILIEs-No CORRESPOND
ENCE PERMITTED.
The opportunities of my informant for
observing the condition of the families of
the soldiers were ample. Wherever he
went he found the most intense suffering
prevailing among them. Thousands and
thousands actually starve to death, or
drag ont a miserable existence upon the
paltry pittance derived from the Govern
ment for the manufacture of army cloth
ing, at which but about 81 per day in
Confederate money can be realized.
Bread riots are frequent, yet the newspa-
pers do not mention them lest the intel
hgence reach the soldiery. They are not
confined to one or two places, but are uni
versal in every city and town throughout
the South where the poor, starving fami-
lies can be collected together Ny in
formant was present and witnessed many
of these riots, which he describes as ex-
tremely narrowing 10 the feelings of the
humane. To such an extreme are the
families of soldiers driven
that the women in towns and cities. as a
last resort, take to a life of prostitution
So general is this, that the name of a
war widow" has become synonymous
with life Of debauchery. All this is so
carefully kept from the brave and suffer
ing men in the field that they know
nothing of it. The time has long since
passed when they were permitted 10 re-
ceiye letters from home, lest in them they
receive news that would wiring their
hearts and prompt them to desert. In
few instances, and but seldom are soldiers
permitted TO write but never to receive
letters, unless the contents are first pc
rused by others.
CURRENT PRICES OF STAPLES OF SUBSISTENCE.
The following will give the reader some
idea of the expense Of living in Dixie
The spy saw the prices paid in Confeder-
ate money; damaged ham, S6,25 per
pound, sold at auction; molasses, Sl6 to
SIS per gallon; salt, $3.50 to 50 per
pound; board, So to S1S per day; single
meals, s., consisting of corn bread. sweet
potatoes, and occasionally beef. Pork is
seldom seen. Sixty-five dollars were paid
by him for pair of split sole-leather
shoes. All articles of food and clothing
are in the same proportion. Genuine
coffee is never seen, but a substitute made
of parched potatoes, meal or beans, styl-
ed Confederate coffee" is in vogue.
.'rHELING THE DEAD"
The supply of shoes and all other arti-
cles is exhausted since the close of the
blockade and those articles are no longer
issued. To clothe himself the soldier
must appeal to his wits.
THE SENTIMENT IN NORTH AND SOUTH CARO-
LIMA.
The people of South Carolina are repre-
sented as being as intensely Secesh as ev-
er, and they are as eager for the continu-
alton of the war as ever. The poorer
classes, however in that State are all Tn
ionists. In North Carolina he found the
sentiment quite different. In Rolla,
Salisbury, Wilmington and other places
visited by him, Union sentiments were
uttered openly by all classes, so much so,
that throughout the whole Confederacy
a North Carolinian is received with sus-
picion, and closely watched. The senti-
ments expressed in the Raleigh Standard
are fair index of the real sentiments Of
the people of North Carolina, both citi-
zens and soldiers. While en- route from
Rolla to Augusta, Ca, he witnessed fra
cas- between two officers and a citizen,
who was praising the Raleigh Standard
and giving vent to Union sentiments
The officers assaulted the citizen, when
number of private soldiers interfered, and
informed the officers that if the Unionist
was again struck they would be compelled
to strike them (the oficersl in return.
THE NEGROES AND THE WHITE FUGITTvss.
As the Union army advances, all the
wealthy cotton growers and negro breed
ers retreat within the rebel lines, taking
with them their families and negroes-a
practice that calls forth strong denunel-
alton from the interior inhabitants, who
curse them as id refugees. who have
quartered themselves and their negroes
upon them to deyour the food which
they require for themselves and families.
A southern refugee, with his negroes, is
as coldly received as the Yankees, and he
is given to understand that he is an inter
loper, who is no better than vagrsnt.-
As an illustration of this, my informant