The Abingdon Virginian from Abingdon, Virginia • Page 2

cpkfomt BY CO ALE BARR. I Fx-iclayj Aug-. 14, 18G3. To the Why despond Why look Why feel discouraged? Did you ever lead that, portion of the history of the first American Revolution relative to Valley Forge, or that immediately preceding the battle of King's Mountain? If you have, then hold np your i head and take encouragement, and feel that; you are a man and can brook reverses. To i be sure the hour is dark, and men talk discouragingly, but from the hour that Adanrate the apple 'till the present, the world has been inhabited with croakers and hypocondriacs.

Even Noah's flood didn't drown them For our parts, altho' the enemy, in formidable numbers, is still encroaching upon us, and seems for the moment to have the advan. tage, we feel that it is just as impossible for the South to be subjugated, as it is for the streams to flow back to their sources. We have faith in the justice of our cause, and just'as sure as we trust in the guidance of the great Jehovah in this matter, just so sure will we finally triumph. We meet with men every day, with faces as long as a shingle, and who look ac if they had swallowed a funeral, who gravely discuss the subject of whether they would prefer to be ruled by Lincoln or Louis Napoleon. Such discussions are about as wise as it Would be for a man condemned to be choked to death, to discuss whether it should be done by beef or mutton.

We have no idea of being ruled by either, and never expect to be. If we desire to be independent we will we are willing to be slaves, it matters but little who I Reconstruction. Some about ere we of this. As well dream I the'reconstruction of aa exploded bubble or rope of sand. but fools or madmen ould entertain such an idea.

The North nd South are forever severed, and every moment of future time will widen the We are at sea now in our own hark. We can bringit to safe anchorage or dash it to pieces among the breakers. Which will we the question. Will we act like men and freemen or will we mope about like "Tribulation Trepid," meeting trouble and misfortune half way, and wearing counre- nances of eternal gloom and sadness? Let us hopeful. When things get to be as bad at- they can, they, can't get worse, and must get better.

Let us look aloft, and permit the sun to shine in our faces once more. Washing I ton and the noble men that followed him tiuld have given worlds if they had had I for the fuances of success at our com- and yet, with the Lord on our side, se we would have been annihilated long I and as brave an aimy and as skilful! neruls as ever went forth to batile, we croak despond, and make oursebes as miserai as we possibly can. There is nothing at absolutely discouraging in the aspect of airs. "The darkest hour is just bef-re the wn," and a bright and beautiful morning Desponding friend, did you ever in imagitioi. follow Willium Tell and his followers from i rag to crag in their own wild mountains, or Robert Bruce from glen to glen in his own native hills? Did you ever read the history ot William Frederick, or ponder the of the Waldenses and Nestorians? We haven't the room to narrate them here, but hunt them up and examine them, and then feel ashamed that you ever felt rageii.

You are in possession the most beauiful, diversified and healthful country on tbf globe, with men aa gallant, a as generous, a cause as just, as the sun ever shone upon. Up, bed relying upon the God of battles, and victory is just as' sure as you strive for it. We are pleased with the cheerful view of the status of affairs taken by the Mobile Register, and for the encouragement of the desponding here submit it. Says that paper: "From the yet extensive land boundaries of the Confederacy come up cheering words of strength. 'She great State of Texas, is an empire in and a conquest single handed of no ordinary magnitude by the most Sowerful nation, stands intact in her strength.

lota Federal soldier's footstep pollutes her soil, nor is on- of her ports in hostile possession. Louisiana west of the Mississippi con 'quered and overrun six months ago, has been since wrested from the grasp of the foe, and with all the strong points in our possession, is defended by skillful Generals and the bravest of troops. Mississippi is only occupied on the borders of the great river, and to these borders the enemy can be restricted if Mississippi will put on her armor, send" back her truant soldiers and gag the mouths of her timid Ruggles and Chalmers each with an arniy, and at least eight thou sand cavalry, are on her soil to defend it, and with the help of the people can defend it, and drive tbe Yankees to their gun boats. Alabama is freer from the enemy than she was a year ago, and has oniy to unite Ber reserved force to that of Georgia and join Gen. Bragg, for delivering both States from the presence of the enemy.

Except an occasional raid on the Atlantic coast from gunboats, the powerful State of Georgia holds the integrity of her soil. We shave-lost that part of. Tennessee between Murfreesboro' and the Tennessee river, bat it is only to embarras and checkmate Rose- 7i i crans in movements. Even in Kentucky, the' guerrillas are Busy, and we just read of I their driving the Federal troops back into Columbus, Kentucky, and holding sway over all the country around it. -South Carolina, except a few Islands on the is bee the enemy, is now gal-1 lantly breasting the fire and steel of the my at Charleston.

The same rimy be said of North Virginia, God bless her! stands erect in the i fullness her manhood and the panoply of her arms, with not one plume in her war cieasi drooping, although the fires and storms of battle have been poured upon her devoted Never was the Virginia press so buoy-1 ant in hope and so full of the spirit of fight. Lee is the head of an urrconquered and unconquerable army that has proved its mettle ami its discipline on fifty battlefields. It fights next on the sacred soil of the "Old Dominion," a ground every inch of which is known to the commander, and almost every mile of which has been made classic by its victories. Of materials of war we have abundance, arms, powder and ball. Of food, God has given us a harvest of unprecedented bounty.

Of men. there are enough on the rolls of the to outnumber the Lincoln forces in the field, and off of these rolls enough to clothe five hundred thousand in the harness and mail of war. With such elements of strength as these in affluent abundance, to talk about being "overrun and whipped The work of whipping has not fairly begun, much less nearly ended. When the Yankees shall have taken every seaport, Mobile, Savannah and Charleston, and we are driven to the interior, the real troubles of subjugation will just have commenced. Then comes long marches to the interior of a hostile country, huge and unmanageable supply trains, the perils of the communication cut off, of starvation, of enemies from behind every sump and tree, and all those insurmountable obstacles which a people determinpd to be free can interpose to an army of invasion and subjugation.

No; we are not "whipped," and we never shall be, until we throw down our arms and bend our backs like slaves to the Yankee master." Ceil. Sterling Price. The Montgomery (Ala.) Mail has learned, from what it deems reliable authority, that Gen. Price has resigned his commission and retired from the Army of Arkansas. The reason given for this step is; that having, been placed in a subordinate position to Gen.

IMmes, he was prevented from executing his plans for the liberation of Arkansas. This is greatly to be regretted; and, altho' from the day of his inauguration to the present hour, we have never entered into the hue end cry against President Davis, or uttered a syllable or word in opposition to his policy, yet we must say he has, to all human appearance, acted unjustly towards General Sterling Price. We regret' to have to say even thus much, for all depends upon unanimity among ourselves, and a proper support of the administrative policy of the head of our army and navy. There can be, it seems to us, no earthly excuse for keeping Gen. Price iv the back-ground, and much less for making him subordinate to little more Xi novice in arms, and certainly greatly ferior as a commander.

Gen. Price is the gifted well as one of the most sue essfol. nm lersinthe Confederate service, and should long since have been promoted to the rank his services have so richly His resignation is a source of deep regret, but not more so than the praise with which the Northern journals attempt to damn him. They ciaim that be went into the Confederate Ervice reluctantly, and has yielded to the treaties ol his sou, who occupies his estate in Missouri, to take the oath of allegiance to the Lincoln Government, and retire to private life. We don't believe a word of this, though allegation is going the rounds of the press.

1 Kegroes in the Army. A writer io the Mobile Advertiser of the 21, suggests, with a good deal of propriety of tbe employment of negroes in our army, in order to offset the negro policy of the enemy. He auvocates the raising of a force of 80.00U, to serve during the war, and to be taken from those portions of the Confederacy most liable to invasion: This is his 80,000 mon thus raised should be so distributed in the army that in each company of one handred.eighty should be white men, twenty negroes, and so on in that proportion. There, should be a general order, inflexibly adhered to, that each captain of a company should so distribute the negroes entrusted to him as that one negro should be assigned to every four white men, under whose immediate charge he should be placed, cooking for them, and performing such other menial service as might be proper. He should be required to attend them and prevented, under the severest punishment, from associating or consorting with the other negroes of the company, especially at night.

Of course, he would not be detailed for guard duty or any other involving like responsibility." In reference to this, the Richmond Whig tenor of the article implies that this recommendation relates only to slaves. The writer strangely omits all reference to free negroes, whose duty it is as much if not.more so than that of the slave, to for the independence of the country in which he makes a living and finds adequate protection. It would be the part of economy, as well as of justice, to put this class first in tbe field, for they are, at borne, comparatively useless. They render no service as producers, while the slaves bear all the burden of our farming operations, thus constituting an Clement of strength in this war scarcely less important than that of oar soldiers in the field. Eighty or a hundred thousand men could readily be raised from the free negro population of the country.

Losses among them, resulting the casualties of war, would entail no inconvenience, while the loss of slaves, with the already enormous depletion caused by abductions and escapes, would be seriously felt. The losses in this respect would be peculiarly onerous upon slaveholders in exposed districts, to which the writer in the Advertiser proposes to confine the levy of 80,000. Any loss in this connection should be proportionate, and all those in the interior, as well as on the border, should be made to bear a share of the risks and losses. The misfortune of exposure to the depredations of the enemy involves loss enough; the peculiar necessities of the position should not be made the excuse for the infliction of additional losses. Could we approve the general plan of employing negroes in the army, we would still maintain that the burden of service should first fall upon the free negroes.

There are probably 300,000 of this class now in the Confederacy, and a third or a fifth of this number could be easily made available. The communities in which they reside would suffer nothing, but gain much, by their absence, and we imagine that no peculiar embarrassment would arise in the matter of exchange should any of them fall into the enemy's hands. The Yankees have a peculiar love for the and they would have a fine fieldfor its exercise by retaining this class in their midst. If they observe the stipulations of the cartel in all other respects, we will not rmplain. Remember, That Friday next, the 21st is ths day set the President for fasting, humiliation and prayer.

This day, it may be hoped, will be strictly and humbly observed, by all the people of the Confederacy. In our signal victories, we seem to have forgotten that were wrought out for us by the strong arm of the Lord, and we were prone to give ihe glory to men. It is due, therefore, that we should repent of our sins, and humbly acknowledge the hand that has guided us triumphantly through so many battles, and reverence the name of him on whom alone we can rely for protection and favor. Of course, all business will be suspended, and all the people observe the day. Some of our boys who were wounded and captured at Gettysburg, have been exchanged and are returning.

Since onr last, Lt. James Henritze, of Russell, and A. G. Thompson, of this county, have The latter was two weeks at Fort Delaware, and says the horrors of the place have not been overdrawn. Wm.

Rjopp, W. Minnick, A. R. Kiser and W. J.

Crabtree, of Co. 37th and James and E. Dinsmore, of Co. 8., who were reported as missing at the battle of Gettysburg, are confined at Fort Delaware. They were not wounded.

Call for Tour Bonds. Col. Jas. K. Gibson, Depositary, C.

S. at this place, desires us to direct attention to his advertisement in another column', requesting holders of Certificates issued for Coupon Bonds to call for them. Bonds upon Certificates issued to the 25th of July are now ready for delivery. PThe Wytbeville Raid. terfcom Charlestoo, Kanawha coune Cincinnati Commercial, pretends to true account of the late raid upon Wytbeville, scarcely a word of which is within a mile of the truth.

He says the rebels were posted in the houses, of the town, both public and private, with a reserve in the street. He says the Court House and adjacent buildings were destroyed, and subsequently the main part of the town was fired and reduced to ashes. The writer admits a Yankee loss pf 86 in killed, wounded.and missing, and sums up the Confederate loss at not less than 200. Tbe Courthouse was uninjured, and not 20 houses-destroyed, all, with two or three exceptions, being small, offices, stables and out-buildings. Four persons, we believe, were killed, among them Capt.

Oliver, who was murdered, being' shot in the back after he was captured. The writer also states that a detachment was sent to Mount Airy, but I found that place occupied by 300 rebel soldiers, and tbe Reed Creek bridge strongly guarded. He also says that Wytbeville, contained a population of six thousand. The truth is, from 500 to 1,000 Yankee cavalry were whipped by about 175 soldiers I and citizens, with tbe loss of all. their field officers.

There were not a dozen armed soldiers at Mount Airy, and not the faurih of that number at Reed Creek Bridge. In a word, the whole statement of the Commercial's correspondent is untrue, and is merely intended to cover up tbe disgraceful failure and defeat of the raiders. Communication Re-opened with Jackson. Atlanta, Aug. Btb.

I have a private letter from Jackson, of yesterday's date, showing that communi- cation is re-opened with that city. ffip See advertisement of Mr. A. V. Johnston, Bristol.

A rare chance to get what 70a I vonf The American War in Prophecy. Messrs. Editors wish, through the press, to call the attention of the Church and public at large, to the Book of Joel, as containing what seems to me a direct reference to our present calamities, and how they may be terminated. As the President has set apart Friday, the 21st as a day of fasting, humiliation and prayer, I have concluded to recommend the reading of the Prophecy of Joel in every family in the Southern Confederacy, on the morning of that day, (there are only 73 verses,) and then let as many of them as can, old and young, bond and free, repair to the place of worship, and there let "the ministers of the Lord" again read this Prophecy in the hearing of all the people, and make such practical remarks upon it as may seem pertinent: and "let them say, spare thy people, 0 Lord," and let us wait in faith the fulfillment of the promise "I will remove far off from you the northern army, and. drive him into a land barren and desolate," which shall be speedily accomplished, as shall also all the promises contained in this excellent Prophecy Will the Southern' press please copy.

THOS. K. CATLETT. Woodland, Aug. 11, 1863.

PFor the Virginian. Camp Near Abingdon Va. 1 Aug. 4th, 1863. Messrs.

Editors: a few leisure moments, I take the liberty to address you a short, communication, to which I hope you will give place in your columns. I I have been in the service of. the Confederate army for two years, have been defending the rights of the South as honestly as I could, and have been an observer of human kind for a number of years, and for the last six months, there has been a greater change in the moral dispositions of the people, than I once thought could ever take place in any generation. The great mass of the people have come to the conclusion that a Boldier iB not fit to come under their roof, and charge them at least ten prices for milk, butter, cheese, or any thing they get from them; and if they see a soldier about the stores of a town, they will sneer at him, except it is a commissioned officer; and if they did but know it, the soldiers are as good as the officers. It is very true that some of the soldiers will commit almost any kind of depredation whatever, but it is not the general mass of soldiers that will do them.

The majority of soldiers are as well raised, and live as well at home, and are as much refined as the foppish class of people living in these one-horse towns and villages. But when the Yankees are about to approach, and we start to give them battle', we are met with a cordial reception, and the ladies wave their handkerchiefs at us to cheer us on our way to the field of blood and strife, but as soonjfas the enemy turns his course, and we chance to step upon the street, the same sneer is put up. Now I will just say to those sneering young ladies, that we will not have them while the war lasts, and I am sure we will not marry them after it is ended. Co. 64th Ta.

Regt. For the Virginian. Camp 16th Regt. Va. Cavalry, Messrs.

Coale Barr: As Jenkins' Brigade has been doing so much, it is but fair that a few of the men that are in his Brigade from Southwestern Virginia should be noticed. During the fight at Jones' on the 10th of this month, Lieut. H. S. Fickle and privates L.

H. Clapp, William Campbell and James M. Dills, of Co. and Jack Myers of Co. flanked a stone fence, behind which lay 60 men belonging to the 16th Maine infantry, and after about five minutes hard fighting, hand to hand, but not until they had captured about 40 of the Yankees, and killed and wounded the balance.

Just as they were taking off the prisoners, a Regt. came out of the woods, and they were obliged to let most of the Yankees loose. They brought out six prisoners and only had one man wounded, viz: William Campbell shot through the body, but is getting well. Clapp knocked one Yankee down with his gun, and while, he, Clapp, had his knees on his breast, fired five shots, four his pistol and one with his gun. James Dills shot a Lieut, as also did Clapp.

By a Baltimore paper received this morning by a flag of truce, the Yankees report a loss of 23 killed and wounded, and six prisoners. Co. Ais from Russell county, and Co. from Tazewell. B.

F. REYNOLDS, Co. 16th Regt. Va. Cay.

KA new Move for Grant's Army. The New York Times recommends a new move for Grant's army. If, says It is impossible to continue much further the pursuit of Johnston on his present The law ground and difficult nature of the ground, the scarcity of wholesome water, and the intense heat in that region at this season, continued operations, there next to im. possible. It would hardly be worth while marching a great army through Central Mississippi and Alabama, even if it could be done.

Of course a garrison will be wanted at Vieksburg. Garrisons will also be wanted at Natchez, Port Gibson, Memphis and other points on the east bank of the river, as well as at Helena and other points on the west bank of the But even if we allow five or ten thousond men fop each of these points, Gen. Grant will still have a large part of his present army at liberty for further service. Gen. Grant himself, it is said, considers his next most proper work to be the cooperation of his army with that of Rosecrans.

There are certain points in Northern Georgia and Southern and Eastern Tennessee, our possession of which is vitally important in their bearings upon the great strategy of war. Knoxville and Chattanooga in Tennessee, and Atlanta in Georgia, are among such points. The two former are pivotal points where our army, occupying a central position, could to the greater advantage against tbe rebellion, whatever shape it may assume in the future. To take these strategic centres would require a-very large force, even though it be that the rebels have no first class armies there to assail us. We think the importance of this cannot be over stated.

Grant in Georgia and Rosecrans East-Tennesoee, tbe rebel government would be virtually demolished. August 10. Persons lately oat from Vieksburg report Xt has gone to supercede Meade. cPhearson tjvkes command of'the John Morgan. Mts Demeanor in Departure from Cintintiati.

A correspondent of the New York Evening Post, writes from Cincinnati, July as follows; For several days since the arrival of tag Rebel Morgan, crowds of people have" beseiged the city prison in order to get a view' of the great but tire baminsj rnys of a Jufy sun had a tendency to cool ardor. A general order from General Burn' side denied access to- and even the mother of the prisoner was refflaed admittance. The "press" were not even fovored, but your correspondent, by a mere accident, bad a few moments conversation with the chieftain. He appeared quite easy until ho found that the parole dodge was nseiestf, and; that Gen. Burnside refused to recogtfiie' rtLwhen he became somewhat reserved attf thoughtful.

He seemed to fear that he wpul4 be placed in uncomfortable quarters, as re was reported that he and his officers would be sent to Johnson's Island, which he was told was a cold, bteak place, and that the prisoners were treated roughly. We told him such was not tbe case, but that he would, no doubt, be closely confined and closely watched, but that he would be treated acoording to his rank and the usage and custom of war. After about ten minutes conversation he was remanded back to his quarters, and as he left he said to Gen. Manson, who was standing by "General, I wish you would intercede and get a drink ot whiskey for me, as lam terribly dry." As ho left he courteously bowed, and, cigar in mouth, accompanied by his keeper, disappeared, much to the qhagrin of the gaping crowd, who were gathered outside the open windows of the reception room in the city prison. At 9 o'clock this morning, three companies of the 111 th Ohio Volunteer infantry, under command of their Lieut formed in a hollow square in front of the city prison, having been detailed as escort to tbe Rebel officers to the depot of the Little Miama First came John Morgan, dressed in blue jeans pants, and having on a new grass linen blouse, his towering form prominent in the procession.

He is a man of over six feet in height, weighing perhaps some two hundred pounds, with erect form, florid complexion, light hair, goatee and moustache closoly trimmed. He has a rather pleasant blue eye, foil and sharp, and his gait is swaggering. Be- side him walked Col. Clokej a tall raw-boned man of somewhat swarthy complexion, with dark hair, and eyea which have a sinister ex pressidn. There seems much of the brute predominant in bis features, and, while unpopular with his command, is spoken of as having a cruel disposition.

Two and two, to tbe number of twenty-eight, followed the'whole, enclosed by double files of soldiers with loaded muskets and' fixed bayonets. Most of the prisoners were smoking cigars, an we no ticed a canteen freely circulating among them on their way down "Jth street to the At the depot an immense crowd of people who followed them on their march, made the streets impassible for wagons and horses. At 10 o'clock the rebels were placed in the cars, and under guard of a full regiment of infantry left for Columbus, where, by order of the Secretary of War, they will be confined in the, State Penitentiary, in solitary confinej ment, until the release of our officers held as hostages in Richmond. This is the termination of the great Morgan raid, and Cincinnati breathes free once more. Outrage on Confederate Officers.

The New York World, in an editorial on the treatment of General Morgan by the notorious Burnside, protests indignantly against such conduct in the following paragraphs: After several months of junketing, Burnside's army finally moved out to the Kentucky river, but never came near an enemy The only enemy in Kentucky was allowed to pass directly through the State, in the face of Burnside and of all his troops. Morgan was permitted to- ride by him almost unmolested, and to cross into Indiana and Ohio and not until the citizens of those States had rallied in sufficient number was the bold marauder captured. But if Burnside had nothing to do with catching the hare, be insists upon his right to cook it, when caught The commander of the Department "of the Ohio first appears in tbe field, as a barber and jailor. He orders the paptared officers first to the city prison of Cincinnati, and afterwards to tbe Ohio penitentiary, where they are subjected to tbe indignity of having their heads shaved. Such a proceeding is as onworthy of a great nation or its representatives as it is unwarrantable by all the laws of war It is perfectly right of course that these offi' cers should be detained as hostages for Col Stre.ght'a party captured in Georgia, hot Col' Straight is in the Libby prison, treated as all other officers are treated.

The cases are so. nearly alike that they are naturally suggestive offsets of each other. And if we iSetake not greatly, this cruelty towards Morgan will but inaugurate a fresh and painful retaliation upon our prisoners in Richmond. Shocking-. Yesterday a couple of Confederate officers paroled at Vieksburg after that insigaftcant place changed hands, were strolling throuSS the Tredegar Iron Works, when they rtSR bled upon the department that turns out the Kft JP i he Are those rifled inquired one of the officers, pointine to several ready for shipment to tbe most critical points.

"No," growled one-of the sooty workmen, "those are "smooth bore, we send these to the Southwest, and the Yankees do tiierrjhug of them." officers, each scratching behind the ear with the dexter fin! ger.J— Richmond Examiner. To Wor a'ed The Rockingham Register says that the pain caused by gun-shot wounds, and wounds of any kind, will be removed almost instantaneously by holding the part affected over smoking lard. Put the lard on burning coals in a shovel or pan to handfeUS let the wounded part be brought aa'eloaaas possible to the toe smdfe and'SmS arising from which will act charm nn3 formed the Register states thai he baa JI it tned knew it-to fail All who ore "suffering from wounds ahnnri teythiASMnple.and easily applied remedx 1.