The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1865-01-07

belly fuli, he VIII GIT down by his camp hre
smoke his pipe and tell stories or crack
jokes for hours, regardless of the fatigues
of the day. ..t.| ..
Nov. 22.-Our march to-day was through
Q. beautiful country. but the farms looked poor
and di'apidated The Soils generally light
and stony underlaid with immense beds of
primitive rock, which frequently crops out in
long ranges ofgrani,e hills. The day was
exceedingly cold, and the ground frozen hard,
rendering both marching and teaming hard
and rough.
Our route was tortrous, through fields, by
roads and cross lots. So that, after a march
of ten miles. we boxed the cumpass and en-
camped ust four miles from where we left
this morning.
All kinds OF forage, however, was abuu-
dant all along the winding route We pursu-
ed, and the men are feasting tonight on all
the Injuries the appetite can crave.
A little incident occurred to-day, at a plan
tation which created a great deal Of mirth
alone the lines. As we were passing by the
planters residence a crowd of soldiers, as is
their usual custom, entered the barns, sheds
and ont buildings and, while walking around
looking for plumber, stumbled headlong into
hogshead OF molasses which had been sunk
in,o the ground in dark corner, leaving
abon, foo. Of the upper end Of the cask
above the floor The cover Of the cask had
previously been removed by some one. The
poor fellow struggled for some time to extri-
cate himself from the street fc he was in, but
all his efforts only fastened him in the tight
er, until several of his comrades extented
him helping hand. and saved him from be
ing entombed in s0rg1'm grave. After al
lowing the dulcet esculent TO drip from his
ambered garments, the sweet look
ing cUss,' was put on the double-quIck
down the lines, amid loud cheers, to re-
cover his place in his regiment. He had to
march in this condition two miles before he
could get q chance to wash off.
We encamped about 1 o'clock in a dense
thicket Of underbrush and briars. ust II miles
from the state capital, and near the main
road again. Tomorrow We are 10 march H.
10 the city, which has already surrendered 10
Gen. Fitzpatrick
The rebel citizens, through here, have q
rumor that Richmond has been evacuated
and that Lies army Is on its way !" intercept
us before w. reach the Augusta and Mllen
be between Millcdegyille and Augusta. ready
&c pouncc upon our train should an oppOr-
tuuity be offered 10 them.
night. and this morning everything was ice
bound. The cold y. ". wind. however,
which has been blowing so heavily Tor the
past two DAYS and nights has entirely ,ulsi-
ded and the sun comes out beniruly This iOre--
noon, rendering the air warm, but the roads
heavy and muddy.
The country between Little river, aud the
0conee IS one Of the most picture Iue re giohs
have ever Travelled over. l. !, thu dividing
ridge betz, ceu the waters Of these streams,
aud laws high above III. surrounding plains.
At some points the prospect j. grand beyond
descriptions. The road runs along the sum
init Of the ridge and open, 70 the river a
beautifully yariera,cI Landscape on either
side extending a far Is the eve can reach.
Large plantations, dotted with snowy white
mansions partly concealed amid groves %:
myrtle. mnCuo.ias. ana live oaks. checker
the scene. But the rose j. not without IL
thorn" As theeve wander- aiml-in.ir over
the prospect, fascinated with IL extent and
beauty, the heart shudiers asitno;cs column
after column OF dark. black smoke observing
the river. rising un . tha clouds from the
beauiif4i dwellings, Of tli- Opuient planter who
have sQJdued the forests and enrich these
plains IS far as the eve could reach the
ircendiary was al work. and hoUsca!teT,h 0usr
for twenty miles on either side Of the road
committed TO the flames. How marrei must
the beauty Of this region be tomorrow, It's
lair face viii 10 .rcckleG and Scared with
scorched groves and srnoulder.u- embe-s-
What w.l the effect o. this wanton destruc-
ton of property be urpn our enemies? VII
it subdue them or WI. = r!le them into de--
pa-at.0a? These are questions yet 10 DC sow
ed.
The more see OF the practice Of suls;s-
ting an army upon q country byf'ragiug. the
less think of il Il is impossible to estab-
l>h practicable system 81 ioraring. No
matter nov much it may be restricted b. Or
der and rules, it is Louni to lead 10 stray
Cling, decentralization. and outrage. There IS
always = class Of men in an army who will
take advantage of orders and. under the
name of foraging. ransack the country. plum
dering and robbing houses, and insulting and
outraging deience,eSs women. Instances of
this kind are daily reported. There is scarce
" house between here and Atlanta which
has not been ransackeG by this class o.. men. ,
They break open bureaus. chests. and franks, |
carry Off or destroy women's apparel, steal ,
jewclrv. and rob them Of their money; and !
not unfrequen;ly compel them - give up the /.
very rings upon their fingers, or submit to !
their brutal passions under q threat over q /
species OF brutalizafiun of men IS destructive !
to all discipline and leads directly to cow
ardice. Let soldier once become sutiicien- |
tly depraved to be guilty OF such crimes and
what estimate will he place upon his charac- |
ter-his fair fame7 None whatever And |
what dependence can be placed upon a man
who has no character to defend-who is so
lost to shame as to glory in crime? Such |
men fear the results of their wickedness and |
shrink from danger as naturally as two |
repel each other from the mag |
nets points. They are curse 10 an army and |
disgrace to the parents that gave them birth |
Tonight we encamped just outside of the |
city, and inside of n strong line of defensive |
works which the rebels commenced. around |
their capital, Immediately after the fall of At
tanta. Had these works been completed and |
well armed a small force might have held us
at bay for a long time. But when Hood started |
north with his army the troops here were
sent away and the work on the Notifications
stopped here when Fitzpatrick approached
the city the 18th, 18th, and Goth inst. The
small garrison of Gov. Browns pets, with his
sxcellency and the Legislature suddenly de.
camped, allowing our cavalry to enter the
town without firing gun. Yesterday the
10Th corps arrived here and cncamped on the
other side of the river, leavi ng division on
his side to garrison the city. Thus far no
ujury has been done to the city, except the
burning of some army stores. an ammunition
actory, and the jail, ia which there were
quite a number of political offenders confn-
ID
Nov. 24.-This morning we entered the
Georgian capital, with banners unfurled and
,ands playing national airs. Most of the
houses kept closed doors. Their former oc
.upants had flown. All the leading citizens
lad left, leaving their homes in charge of
ervants or employees. Gen. Slocum had
tationed strong police force in the city who
we're busily engaged patroling the streets to
prevent its being fired. We marched down