Year: 1862

We have had a conversation with gentle
man who was in Frederick when Bradley John
son and his rebel followers came into the CITY,
and remained there four days, not leaving until
Tuesday evening. We append the substance
of the conversation


Q. What is the number of the rebels


a. 1t would be impossible to say. They are,
however in large force; | should suppose not
less than 10000 men, though they claim to be
over 100000. One of the most intelligent of
them told me that nearly the whole force who
fought with Pope are with them.


Q. DO they interfere with the people?


A. Not in the least. / mixed among them
after Gen. Lees proclamation was issued, and
spoke my sentiments very freely. They took
it all in good part and replied to me as they
thought proper.


q. Was there any federal money used ly
them in their purchases ?


A. None at all that heard Of The only
money beside confederate scrip was South Car
olina money. They have perfectly cleared
everything out of the city in the way of cloth
ing and provisions, so much so that if they re-
main a week longer both soldiers and people
will be in starving condition. They 60 round
the town also begging something to eat, but al
ways offer confederate scrip in payment.


Q. How did the storekeepers fareP


A. They have sold everything, and been COM
PEELED to give good money in exchange They
were ordered to open their stores by Bradley
Johnson and did not dare to refuse the money
offered. Mr.. A. j. Delashman one OF the
leading secessionists, had a large stock of boots
and shoes, and whilst dealing them out for
rebel scrip fairly grit his teeth in silence when
some of the Union friends congratulated him
ON the fine business he was doing. Mr.. d.
was one of the committee of citizens who went
out to welcome the rebels to the city,


q. Have any of the houses of the Union
citizens who absented themselves been invaded ?


A. The only house occupied by the rebels is
that of Gen. Cooper, and it is not abused. A
party of soldiers, melted by some of the seces-
sion town people, broke into the Frederick Ex-
aminer Office, and commenced to destroy the
office furniture and the provost guard coming
up soon dispersed the party. Bradley Johnson
told them that any attempt to renew the out
rage on private property would be punished by
death.


q. Did they obtain many recruits in Fred
erick?


A. Not many in Frederick, but there were
about five hundred who came from Baltimore,
Anne, Arund.l, Montgomery, and Carroll coun-





ing the character of the army and the life which
the men lead many of them refused to join,
and were getting home again. When leaving
myself met six young men from Carroll
county, and piloted them to Westminster.
They acknowledged that they had been 10 Fred
erick to join the army but after "seeing and
smelling" it, had concluded to return home.
They begged me not to give their names.


b. What did they mean by smelling il.


A. They meant exactly what they said.
have never seen mass of such filthy strong
smelling men. Three of them in room would
make it unbcarable, and when marching in col
umn along the street the smell from them was
most offensive. There are some of the better
class OF men, but the great mass are men OF
lowest caste, aud although under strict disci-
pine, the filth that pervades them is most re-
markable, Their sympathizers at Frederick
have been greatly disappointed in the character
OF the army, and most of them are now as
anxious for them to disappear as they were for
them to come. Their coming to Frederick has
been a sad visitation to the middling classes
many OF whom have lost everything in ex.
change for rebel scrip, especially the storekeep-