Year: 1863

regard to the war very similar to those expressed
by our boys on this side. They were tired of ii
they said and our boys responded an amen. The
corporal suggested in an of-hand kind of way
that we priVates got together and pare off
each one going to his own home, and let the
war take care of ITSELF The idea tickled them
amazingly. As far as they were concerned they
would willingly do SO, but they supposed there
was no other way but to fight it out as things
were now. They told us if we would use GER
tain sign when we met on the battlefield, they
would spare US. They asked what regiments
we belonged to, and when we told them they
said they had berad of ua before they were
North Carolinians. Some South CaroIiniane
came down to the river and we asked them wha,
they were fighting for, They said we ought tc
know, and refused to give direct answer. II
was IN vain to repeat the question, the reply
was the same" you ought to know" We
told them they were fighting to save their mig
gers, which they seemed to resent little. The
niggers might go to HI, it wasn't them they
were fighting for


They wanted to know why we didn't ad
vance We told them they ought to advance
on US. They said they did the last time, and nov
it was our turn. They said when we first crossec
over, Friday night, we might have taken tn
nights, as there was but few men there; tn



main army under Lee having gone down tb
river to counteract movement they suppose
we were making in that direction. Butas 500
as they heard we were moving here they hui
ried up their men with all possible dispatch an
now it would be impossible to take them The
had some papers which they were very anxlor
to exchange. We asked them the news lro
Vicksburg, and they replied that it was very Fl
vorable for their side. They said PembertC
would hold it till he had eaten his last dog b
fore he would surrender. They said Grant ar
Banks had lost nearly 10000 men trying
storm the works at Vicksburg and Port Hudso
They held the newspaper in their hand that be
an account of it. had in my pocket the Su
day Morning Chronicle (Washipgton) and


Freeman week old which offered to give the
If they would come across with their paper
and besides this, other boys offered to give the
as much coffee as they could carry back v
= would let them 90 back in good faith. One ff
low started, but the whole thing was spoiled
Lieut.. Woosters coming along just then az
ordering him back. 1t was against the orde
on both sides to talk across the river, much le
to swim across. We told him to wait awh


till the officers got out of sight, Q hope Lieu
: Wooster won't see this letter and then he cou
come across, but no favorable opportunity oAt
- ed. Farther down the river fellow crosse
exchanged papers with them and had friend
chat. They shook hands cordially, and Cne {
tered to 60 and get blanket to cover him VIII
he stayed that he might not take cold. aft
= he had stayed there as long as he thoug
- proper, these afectionate enemies shook hanC
. bid each other good by and parted. This NOR
: ing corporal went over and got paper wh


was printed yeater5. y in Richmond. He Gu
y y ried over n. Y. HersH, the Boston Post, 81
: last week Windsor Journal The rebels ha
been respectful aRd courteous, ready to talk Sc
sibly on Any subject, and they are ready, to
to blAckgusrd aud fight if We choose. "
highly pleased with our social visit I couQu
: help shiasing it Il great pity that we shou
have to shoot such good hearted felows.


ANTI-RKBEL.