Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-03-10

sort of neutral ground between the reb-
ell and federal outposts. One or two
plans, in which friendly negroes with
dug OUT boats at midnight figured,
We're frustrated by suspicious and watch
ful landladies. But Mr.. G.. finally suc-
ceeded in getting across with his family
and at once, to his great surprise and
qualification, fell into the hands of friends
and old acquaintances, in the shape of
Col, Ripley, Capt Kelley, and Others of
the Ninth Vermont, of whose kindness
and attention Mr.. G. speaks in grateful
terms All this occupied months of labor
and trial from the time of leaving his
residence in the South till he reached
the hands of welcoming yermonters and
Rutland County men.
Mr.. Gray confirms the accounts we
have had of the great destitution pre-
vailing among the masses of the South
ern people. He illustrates the difficulty
of procuring some articles of clothing
by his own case. He reached the Union
lines with plenty of money, (such as it
was) in his pockets and - his toes
through his boots.
Upon the subject of the rebel armed
forces Mr.. Gray is confident that we have
never estimated their strength high
enough. All the railroads were con-
stantly thronged with rebel soldiers
moving on to their destinations. He is
certain that at Chattanooga, for instance,
Rosecrans was opposed to no less than
lbs, 900 men, and that we have been con-
stantly outnumbered in battle elsewhere
In the last rebel eonscription no one was
spared. Every male able TO bear mus
ket was swept into the ranks. A wood
en- leg was hardly sufficient to save one.
Their present armies are large, much
larger than is generally supposed, but
they are their last ones. No material is
left for Others. With their present ar
mics, or with none, the independence of
Rebellion must be established
Mr.. G. was with our troops in North
Carolina during the late rebel attack,
and speaks with warm admiration of
the manner in which our men, number
bering about 900, so well held their own
against rebel force of not less than
5000. He speaks of a large octagon house
on the neutral ground opposite Swans
boro from which, as it was ascertained,
the rebels were notified by preconcerted
signals. of the advance of any federal
troops, their numbers and direction. In
formation was given to the proper au-
thorities concerning it and the matter
has probably been attended to.
Mr.. Gray showed us letter received
by him. while on his travels, from his old
place of residence, dated Dec. Goth, 1853,
from which we make the following in
teresting extracts.
"a Happy Christmas and Merry
New Year to you and yours. The world
here wags along in mnch the usual way,
with little variety, except an occasional
interlude Of street fight or night row.
dyism.'
.Etsf AILtT SpcithtuS vi OLC Va WI. J.so az
quaintances, the writer continues;
sOthers of your associates (voluntary)
are now watching the heavens Of military
legislation to see whether the sky will
fall and all the larks be caught this time.
There is an immense twittering among
the birds proposed to be taken to the
national capital and spit. Oh, that all
had wings who wish for that locomo-
ton. What hegira of wings would
cloud the sun. There Is consolation
in the assurance, however, that wings
are not the only means of propulsion on
| earth. Perhaps some of those known to
| YOU here and elsewhere will not long
cast shadows on confederate soil. AS
for myself, there is some hope that the
| remaining moderation of Solons will EN-
able the high school to continue opera
tions another year. This hope may prove
groundless. In that event / take the
| goose-step' of course. Substitute men
are tinged with color, deeply, darkly,
| GTtcadfully blue. I send you two papers
printed in Atlanta, and win try to send
you another containing the speech of
that agrarian Golden, that you may see
3, ow far gone old England is in her ma
~ My family, not liking the expense
e ma. n life, are now in the country
u o". ing to sell the house we lived
=, m 10y, .ay shall move into your old lot,
ana 3 |nen Loen lind of hermit hall, with
anu o;l;tau niep .o port to visit my family
q ana ,n'y ,na1. t,pa p.'sS. r. eets demi-negro, a
suspected Pariah ante al, ning as;s ol IKE
questionable presence am. .,ns ta;a
ic brass buttons. The civic life o, tnis
country is nearly buried AMI Mo!och Is
lord of all he surveys.
NEW YORK Town ELEcrro, rs. - The
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