Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1864-03-31


sas, March 9th, as follows;
At Indian Bay our scouts discovered
native skirting the swamps and max
ing tor the river on a mule. On being
pursued he abandoned the mule, plunged
into a bayou and swan for the cane,
abandoning confederate mail bag con
tanning nearly 200 letters. From these
/ make the following extracts, from
which 1t occurs to me that you may
judge of the prevalent condition of af-
fairs in Arkansas better than / can de-
scribe it. Being from home to relatives
in the army, they contain no military
interest. perused over one hundred of
them, and terror of the guerrillas, dis
gust at the continuance of the war, and
prayers for peace pervade them all. Most
OF them are illiterate, many humorous,
some touching, and few rational
space allows brief extracts only.
THE WIFE OF A REBEL
officer writes to her husband 1" Poor
dear, this terrible war has reached cri-
sis, and must soon be over. Our aspira-
tions were noble, but, dearest husband.
when will we learn that the south has
failed ; | cannot advise, and am power
less TO help you. Oh how my heart
achss when reflect how you must suf-
fer for lack of clothing and all comforts.
II could weave my heart into garments
for you, / would gladly, oh how cheer
fully, do it; but alas am helpless; |
can do nothing but pity you and love
you. 1t is a reign of terror in Arkan-
sas; | have less fear of the federals than
OF the lawless guerrillas. ! can only
love you and pray for you Ijoin night
ly and hourly in fervent prayers for
peace, and thereturn of the loved ones
at home"
MRS. ROBERTS
writes to her truant In a somewhat diff
ferent style, but to similar effect II
wish yoo Guild cum hoom jim and Gee my
moo baby | had sens VOC left, ways ten
pouns. we hey the purtest children
in Arkinsaw. named the moo baby
missouria ann roberts. / Tell Il its
Mise wun. Our niggers is all run off tn
the bluff; the three boys is jined linkins
nigger army. Lord, lord, how long is
these things goin tn last. You ant doin
any good feiten at all, an ! think you
orter cum hum an help me with the ba-
by. don't think well make any crap
this year-then whats pore NEE tn doc.
Sally sends howdy. the hogs is gone in
tu the swamps for 2 wekes.
PIoUs SISTER
writes to q soldier brother: "parson
Nolan is our sercutrider new. He saws
that God has planely promised to be ON
our side, and drive the accursed Yam
KEGS from off our soil Parson Nolan is
splendid preacher, but it don't look to
me as If God was drivin the Yanks any
too much outen Arkansas just now
There's one thing don't like at all, and
that is this gorilla bisness. Thay don't
do any good at all, and just rob every
body. Parson Nolan prayed agin EN- at
our house last Sunday, and l was right
glad of it, for that sneaker thief Robin
son was there, and pa says he is nigh on
to the meanest man in Arkansas. May
you live happy, die happy, and get into
the everlastin kingdom above"
BUSINESS MAN
At West Point writes to a friend
"Cotton selling for 5Sc. We've made
a good thing Of it. But Lord Ed, you
would think the whole world had gone
crazy with cotton on the brain. Moth
ing but greenbacks 60 now. Confed-
crate money is not worth a dam. I
think the whole Confederacy scheme is
exploded, gone up!
"The Feds do not recognize McRae as
anything but a guerrilla, and show his
men no quarters. l tell you, Ed. its
getting to be tight papers. The election
to readmit the State comes off next
month, the 14th, and expect the Feds
are bound to have it all their own way.
Everybody in this county is taking the
oath. Lots of the boys are returning
home, and swear that they intend to stay
there; and l don't blame them. l ad-
wise all who wish to fight to stay with
the regular army, for I'll swear the
Feds are bound, sooner or later, to kill
every damned man they catch in arms
about here"
a SWEETHEART
To her lover inquiries
80, dear sir, when will this hateful
war be over, be over 1t seems forever
since you were here and tell you,
Charley there's lots more girls tired of
it besides me. The Yanks treat us very
well, but they make nothing of me.
spunk up to them, 1 tell you. have a
sweetheart, one brother and two cousins
all rebels, and / am rebel. quarrel
with them every time we meet, but they
only laugh at me. Everybody round
here is taking the oath. Don't You
think, Charley, the war is most oyerl
All our fighting is for nothing, think,
but ruin and disaster. 1t may be all
very well to talk but, o, Charley, how
happy we might have been but for the
war. Ma says that nothing will ever
repay us for the suffering and desolation
of hearts and homes. You wouldn't
know Little Rock now. It seems like
strange city to me"
AN INDECENT WIFE
Says:
Yoo had best kun home for all the
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