Year: 1862

styled tents,-.Syblias, Fremonts, and others
dotting the higher land. Horses paving,
mules rolling, kicking and breying; grooms
swearing at them wishing them with their
nccks broke in h-ll. Speak to them about
it and they will tell you mules cannot un
dcrstand any other language. would
sooner be anything else than mule
in the Government service. Martial music
morn and night enough to satisfy any
reasonable person-perhaps you will wake
up out Of pleasant reverie and sharp
pleasant charming strain Of music will burst
swee,ly upon you ear. Yes, music. that
might charm seraphs car instead Of being
considered in connection with war. | like
it much as music always has charms for
me. There is something in music that has
most powerful effect in subduing our
stubburn natures and modifying our Ills
and charming US into a state Of acquiesence.
Never omit music as part Of education,
even in your common schools. ....


The soil looks thin. 1t has on the high
lands kind Of yellvwish and in places
reddish clayey appearance, some places
along the road almost as rcd as red chalk.
Wells require no curbing except near
the top. As rule there are no kind Of
stone here, houses set upon posts.


Major Matteson, son Of ex-Gov. Matte
son Of Illinois, died Of typhoid fever the
sth. 1t is said he distinctly spoke in six
different languages during his wandering
hours. He had travelled in Europe-was
highly educated, brave in danger, and much
beloved by his command. His sister and
brother arrived from Jolliett, Illinois, just
in time to witness his last earthly struggle.
One man from each company, comprising
his command was detailed to escort the
corpse to his former home.


The 9th, General Plummer, of Illinois,
died very suddenly ly--arrived from home
only the day before. Funeral cortege pass.
cd my tent Sunday evening the 10th, about
o'clock, with his whole division in militia.
ry procession, muffled drurs and appro.
pirate musc-they have passed few min
u.es The earth trembes, the distant
hills resound for the third time and the
Gen. is left alone in all his glory,-only
temporary interment. "The tall, the wise,
the reverend head must lie as low as l."


To-day a negro was stretched up to a
tree by having his wrists tied up so high
as just to allow him to touch his toes
fairly to the ground, for whipping .
mule. Perhaps it was just, but l express
cd tie idea that il he had been a white
man be might have escaped, for if the
white grooms and teamsters were punished
in this way think the army would have
quite job on their hands, and Uncle Sam
would have to send on cords Of rope
There are plenty of white men here who
are ready to condemn, free Of charge, the
poor blacks for just what they would 10
themselves. The colored people submit,
within the lines too, to much that would just
ly evoke their indignation upon the h. ads
Of the whites l am sorry to say that their
condition though improved is not what it
should be. mean to say that they are
not treated with that civility which their
general courtesy demand. They were once
slave to a master, noW some Of them arc
servants to Il horde Of petty tyrants, law
ful lespo.s- This state Of things ought not
to be, but it is kind Of natural conse-
quence and in time the prejudice against
color will wear away. The colored ser.
wants are usually courteous and meek and
it would be we'll for some in official stations
immitatc them, and it would improve %
per cent; many Of our northern young
men do take lessons of these colored peo-
plc In point Of intelligence you perceive
but little difference between them and .
good share of the so called white popula-
ton. 1t is but justice to say that the col
ored people are nearer on an equality with
the common whites than had supposed.
Colored servants think show and mani
fest more courtesy and true good training
in point Of common civility than great
portion of the whites. They approach you
respectfully, ask for what they want-don't
ask credit, don't course you. l have al.
ways sympathized with the slave and the
more sec of them the more am convinc-
ed Of their proximity to the white races in
point of equality. Admitting their inferi-
ority, as some are always karping, there is
no just reason why We should hold them
as slaves. What would YOU think of y
son undertaking to rule his brothers, be-
cause he could read and white and his
brothers had never had an opportunity to
learn.


Has the greatest mind, admitting We could
agree upon who possesses it, a right to rule
all creation. Society! understand that
comparatively but few of the people can
read much and but very few write their
names-so says the Ordnance Sergeant
They are rather dark and have on Dir Of
negligence about their genial appearance
dress generally poor and one would sup
pose used soap very spairingly. There is
evidences Of want of self respect about
the personal appearance of nine tenths Of all
that have seen. One would suppose they
had never Travelled far, and had but little
idea of what was going on in this world
and but faint idea of y world to come
You think of the language Of the poet:
'Lo the poor Indian whose untutored mind,
Sees God in the clouds or hears him in the wind;
Thinks admitted to that eQualsk


Ills dog alone shall bear him company"


1t may bc proper to say that this section