Year: 1865

cathedral floor, Transforming each tree and
bOugh into columns and arches of glimmer-
| ing gold.


AS | write the camp fires dance and
fare upward ; away off in the dark forest
strange, uncouth forms peer out from the
shadows, while far off band of music,
mellowed by the distance, sounds in sooth-
ing cadences the restfull tattoo. All this
is not the blood, the carnage, the suffering
of war, it is its delightful romance.


CROSSING THE NORTH CAROLINA BORDER.


LAUREL HILL, n. c., March s.


The central columns have advanced four
teen miles to-day and, as was anticipated,
without any opposition whatever Wheth-
er or not the Ranking column have seen
any rebels do not as yet know, but it is
not probable that there is anything more
than light cavalry force upon our extreme
left. \ body Of infantry are said to be in
the neighborhood of Florence on our right
but they will take good care not to ap-
proach within feeling distance of our col
umns. The rear / have never thought it
worth while to speak of, for we have so
frequently to cross rivers, taking along
with us the means Of passage, that only a





in that direction.


The Charlotte and Raleigh papers afford
much amusement by their lugubrious CUES
ses as to where Sherman will next strike
blow. They are all in the position of
group of men who hear shell hurtling
through the air, coming in their direction
Every one thinks he is the mark fired at
General Hoke, commanding at Charlotte
has issued an address to the people of the
place, assuring them that when Sherman
occupies the town he will protect citizens
and private property he begs them to re-
main quietly at home, and trust to the gen
erosity of the conqueror | think the peo-
pie of Charlotte will do well to accept the
assurance of General Hokc until we get
there.


NORTH AND SOUTH CAROLINA.


The line which divides South from North
Carolina was passed over this morning 1t
was not i'll our imagination alone that we
could at once see the difference between
the two states. The soil is not superior to
that near Cheraw, but the tilers, the far
mers, are a vastly different class of men,
| had always supposed that South Carolina
was agriculturally superior to its sister
state. The loud prctentionS of the chival-
ry had led me to believe that the scorn of
these gentlemen was induced by the inferi-
ority of the people Of the old North State,
and that they were little better than dirt
eaters" while the strong Union sentiment
which has always found utterance here
should have taught me better


The real difference between the two lies
in the fact that the plantation OwLers work
with their own hands, and do not think they
degrade themselves thereby. This degreda-
ton to the chivalric mind was quite enough
to inspire contempt For the first time
since we bade az rerOir to salt water
have to-day seen an attempt to manure
land. The army has passed through thir-
teen miles or more Of splendidly managed
| farms The corn and cotton fields are
nicely ploughed and furrowed. The fences
are in capital order, the barns are well
built, the dwelling-houses are cleanly and
there is that air of thrift which evinces
itself where the owner takes personal in
terest in the conduct of affairs.


sHERMAN's TROOPS AMONG UNIoNIsrs.


The conduct of the soldiers is changed.
| have seen no evidence Of plundering :;
the men keep their ranks closely, and more
remarkable yet not a single column of fire
or smoke, which few days ago marked
the positions of heads of column, could be
seen upon the horizon Our men seemed
to understand that they are entering a state
which has suffered for its Union sentiment,
and whose inhabitants would gladly en-
brace the old flag again could they have
the opportunity, which, by the way, we
mean to give them, or am mistaken as to
our future campaigns.