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journal & Messenger.
J. If NO W LE» iand 8. ROS K,
hDITOKS AM) PKOPKIKTOKS. *
1 iiotliciul I.PltPl* of A. S
JohuMoii to President Davis.
Df.catur, Ala., March 18, 1802.
My Dear General: —l received the dis
patches from Richmond with your private
letter by Captain VVicklitfe three days since ;
but the pressure of affairs and the necessity
of gettiug my command across the Tennes
see, prevented me from sending you an ear
lier reply.
1 anticipated all that, you have told me as
to the censure which the fall of Furt Donel
•n drew upon me, and ftoe attacks to which
you might be subjected, but it was impos
sible for me to gather the facts for a detailed
report, or to spare time which was required
to extricate the remainder of my troops, and
save the large accumulation of stores and
provisions alter that disheartening disaster
\V hen about to assume command of this
Department, the Government charged me
v<ith the.duty of deciding the question of
c. cJipying Rowling Greet), Ky., which invol
\ l not only military, but political consid
eration. At the time of my arrival at Nash
ville, the action of the Legislature of Ken
* tui ky had put un end to the latter by sanc
tioning the format inn of companies mena
cing 'Tennessee, bv assuming the cause of
the government at Washington, and by
abandoning tlm neutrality it professed, and
in consequence of their action the occupa
tion of Rowling Green became necessary as
an act of s»df defence, at least in flu* first
step.
Anuut the middle of September Gen.
Buckner advanced with a. small lone of
about *I,OOO mi'ii, which was increased bv
the Lull October to 15,01 m), and though tu -
ees. ions of lorce were received, it continued
at about the same strength until the end of
November, measles and other diseases keep
ing down the effective force. The enemy’s
force then was reported to the War Depart
ment oOjtMff) and an advance was impossible.
Relieving it to be of the greatest moment
to protract the campaign as the dearth of
< 'utton might bring strength from abroad
and discourage the North, and to gain time
to strengthen myself by new troops from
IVnnessce and other States, I maguilied my
torces to the enemy, but made known my
true strength to the Department and the
Governors of States. The aid given was
small. At length when Gen. Beauregard
came out in February, he expressed his sur
prise at the smallness of my force, and was i
impressed with the danger of my position.—
1 admitted what was so manifest, and laid
before him my views for the future, in which
he entirely concurred, and sent me a memo
randum of our conference, a copy of which
J send to you. 1 determined to tight for
Nashville at Ronelson and gave the best |
part of my army to do it, retaining only
14,000 men to cover my fi out, and giving
10,000 to defend Donelson.
Ihe force at Donelson is stated in Gun.
Pillow’s report at much less, £ do not doubt
the correctness of his statement, for the
force at Rowling Green, which L supposed
to be 14,000 elective men, (the medical re
port showing only a little over 500 sick in
ihe hospital,) was diminished move than
qOOo by those who were unable to stand
the fatigue of a march, and made my force,
on reaching Nashville, less than 10,000
men. I enclose Medical Director’s Report.
Dad 1. wholly uncovered my front to de
fend Donelson, Ruell would have known it,
and marched directly on Nashville. There
core only ten small steamers in the Cum-
I Gaud, in imperfect condition—only three
"l which were available at Nashville, while
to.' transportation of the enemy was great.
i he evacuation ot Rowling Green was im
peratively necessary, and was, ordered before,
ami executed while the battle was being
bmgbt at Donelson. I had made every dis
position tor the defence of the Fort my
mean> allowed ; and the troops were amoug
the best ot my lorce. The Generals, Floyd,
l'id.m and Jjuekner, were high in tlie opin
ion ot officers and men for skill and courage,
umt among. iRe beats officers of my command.
* hey were popular with the volunteers, and
oil had seen much service. No reinforce- '
intents were asked. I awaited the event, op
po ito Nashville. f l he result of the conflict 1
'•acii day was favorable. At midnight on !
I he loth, 1 received news of a glorious vic
tory —at dawn of a defeat.
M \ column during the day and night was
thrown owr the river—(a battery had been
established below the city to secure the pas
'' ('•e.'i Nashville was incapable of defence
b'om its position, and from tin* forces ad van*
cing trom Howling Green aud up the Cuin
-1 yrlaud. A rearguard was left under Gen.
t i*y I to >‘cure the store.* and provisions*
’ l! ' ‘hd not completely efloet the object.—
Ihe people were terrified, and some of tha
lic.opv were disheartened. The diseoura
meat was spreading, and I ordered the corn*
tuatid to Murfreesboro’, where \ managed,
b) assembling Critiendeu’s tmd the
togirives trom to collect an arncy
al-ie to otler battle. The weather wasiucio
ment, the floods excessive, and the bridges
?. e *£ washedi away, but most of the stores
nd provisions were saved, and conveyed to
new depots. This having been accomplished,
though with serious logs, inconformity with
i»,y original design, I marched* Soiuhwml
c.ud crossed the Tennessee at this pokn?. sc
•' ,s ro co-operate or unite with Gen,. Bfcaujr
g.ird, for the defence of the Y&fley. oft) u
s '* : JT'» * ie passage ig aliflpst eoinj* de
tea, and the head ot column is already
with General Bragg at Corinth. The m o ve
uient was deemed too hazardous by the most
experienced members .of my staff, but tl.o ob
;,ect warranted the risk. The difficulty ol
electing a junction is not wholly overcome,
but it approaches completion. Day after
to-morrow, unless the euemy iutorcepts me
tuy force will be with Bragg, and my army
nearly -thousand strong. 'I Ais mvst U
destroyed before the enemy can attain his
rs,
1 have given tills sketch so that you may
appreciate the embarrassment which sur
rounded me in my attempts to avert or reme
dy the disaster of Fort Donelson, before al
luding to the conduct of the Generals.
When the force was detached, I was in
hopes that such disposition would have been
made as would have enabled the forces to
defend the Fort, or withdraw without sacri
ficing the army. On the 14th, 1 ordered
General Floyd by telegraph, “if he lost the
Fort to get his troops to Nashville.” It is
possible this might have been done, but jus
tice requires to look at events as they ap
peared at the time, and not alone by the
light of subsequent information. All the
facts in relation to the auirender will be
transmitted to the Secretary of War, as soon
as they can be collected, in obedience to his
order. It appears from the information re
ceived, that General Buckner, being the
junior officer, took the lead in advising the
1 surrender, and that Gen. Floyd acquiesced,
and they all concurred in the belief that
their force could not maintain its position—
all concurred that it would require a great
sacrifice of life to extricate the command.—
Subsequent events show that the investment
was not so complete as their information
from their scouts led them ta believe. The
I conference resulted in the surrender. The
' command was irregularly transferred, and
devolved on the junior General, but not up
i pareutly to avoid any just responsibility, or
! from any want of personal or moral intre
pidity. The blow was most disastrous, and
almost without a remedy. I therefore, io
my fust report, remained silent. This si
ienco you were kind enough to attribute to
my generosity. 1 will not lay claim to the
motive to excuse my course. I observed si
leuee, a* it seemed to be the best way to
serve the cau-e and the country. The facts
were not fully known -discontent prevailed,
and criticism or condemnation were more
likely to augment then to cure the evil. 1
refrained, well knowing that heavy censures
would fall upon me, but convinced that, ii
was hotter to endure them for the piosent
and defer to a more propitious time, an in
vestigation of the conduct of the Generals,
for in the meantime, their services were re
quired and their influence useful. For these
reasons, Generals Floyd and Billow were as
signed to duty, for I still felt con tile nee in
their gallantry, their energy and their devo
tion to tin.* (’ontedcracv.
I have thus recurred to the motives by
which I have been governed, from a deep
personal sense of the friendship and confi
dence you have always shown me, and from
the conviction that they have not been with
drawn from me in adversity.
All the reports requisite for a full official
investigation have been ordered. Generals
Floyd and Pillow have been suspended from
command.
[Mere follow some allusions not necessary
to un understanding of the main objects of
the letter, and a statement of the disposi
tion of the fences in command, which it is
not deemed necessary to publish.] The let
ter closes as follows ;
J have troubled you with these details as
I cannot properly communicate them by
telegraph.
The test of merit in my profession, with
the people, is success. It is a hard rule, but
I think it right. If I join this corps to the
forces of Geu. Reauregard (1 confess a haz
ardous experiment,) then those who are now
declaiming against me will be without an
argument.
Your friend, A. S. JOHNSTON.
I-’jill of Fort Pulaski!
The favorable reports which reached us
yesterday morning from those who, watched
the contest between the enemy’s batteries and
our garrison in Fort Pulaski, had not pre
pared us for the startling intelligence of the
surrender of the Fort, which reached us
about; ten o’clock last night,
A courier arrived in the city lust night,
from whom ivc learn that the Fort was
breached in several places by the heavy lifted
Parrot guns, twelve of which were in the
King’s Point battery, distant about a mile
and a quarter from the Fort, Early in the
nay all the guns in the barbette except two
- were dismounted or otherwise disabled by
the tire ot the enemy s batteries, and seven
of the casmatcdguns bearing on the batteries
disabled. The shot and shell of the enemy’s
batteries having made extensive breeches in
, the walls of the. Fort, their tire was directed
towards the magazine, the location of which
I they had doubtlessly learned from deserters,
and winch was in imminent danger of being
exploded, having been breeched in three
places.
Tim Fort, having become untenable under
the terrific lire of ibe heavy guns of the ene
my, nearly all our gims that could he brought
t»t Ixeur against their batteries having been
di.sa.pded,and the magazine being in imminent
dagger, a longer resistance was deemed hop,-,
le-s*. and tJie Fort was surrendered about two
o\dnek in the afterrnoon.
We are gratified to be able to state that
die casualties on our side were very few.—
F<nu' men were wounded, lmt none killed.—
W«'. understand that two of the (fijlethorpe
/*'"/ ’> f Infantry lost a leg each. A member
Os an up country corps lost a portion of his
urn* below the elbow, and was slightly wound
ed in the shoulder, and Lieut, Christopher
Hussey, of the Non faf ornery (itnc/ds, was
slightly injured by a brick knocked from the
wal ! of the Fort.
Our informant states that the effect of the
renem/s batteries on the walls of the Fort
•was utterly demolishing, aud that the strong
masonry, heretofore deemed almost impreg
nable, offered but a feeble resistance to the
J steel pointed shot of the immense Parrot
guns. The result has shown how little reli
! mice is to be placed iu brick walls against
| modern batteries.
j The fall of Pulaski, with the loss of its
j garrison, guns aud munitions, though a se
f rious misfortune, should not discourage us,
: "but, on the contrary, should stimulate us to
the exertion of our utmost efforts to repel
Hhe insolent invader.— Savannah Xevs of
tSaturday.
Tin: Y ankers in North Carolina. —A corres
pondent of the Petersburg Ji.rpress writes from
yirffeis, April 9th, as follows:
j. messenger arrived here last night, bringing
the* news that a party of Federate landed at some
j »ok t near Elisabeth Pity yesterday, aud succeeded
in' ct >,ptur;ag two or three hundred militia stationed
b> it* ecu Elizabeth -City and South Mills. The feat
was ~»ccc mpiished by getting in their rear and
cuttle? them off from,their escape. I could not
learn tr* - number of Yankees that lauded.
Army Corre*pon«teDc«r of the Savannah Republican.
THE BATTLi: «HP ski I roll.
Tlie First Day's Eight.
Battle-Field of “Shiloh,” )
(Seventeen miles east of Corinth,)
Sunday night, April (sth, 1802.
I reached Corinth yesterday, but found it
impossible to get a horse to dime out to the
army, then encamped fourteen mites e:t t of
that place, on the road leading to I’iLtcbur -
Lauding. This lauding is four miles below
Hamburg on the Tennessee river. I was
more foituuate at 10 o’clock this morning,
however, and succeeded in procuring a mule
and a hard Mexican saddle without auy pud
ding in the seat. Iu this way I reached the
field a little after noon.
It was known that the enemy had a heavy
force on this side the river, and that Buell
was advancing overland from Columbia with
a large reinforcing column. In view of these
facts, Gens. Johnston and Beau, -rd deter
mined to give battle before Ruell .should
come up. The army was put in motion U u
J liursday, and by Saturday’ evening our en
tire force was got info position. It was the
Intention of our officers to have given battle
on yesterday, but some oi the regiments
were raw, and there was some delay in <>vf
ting them ready.
\\ e commenced the attack at sunrise this
morning. Our order ot battle is said to be
the strongest known to military sou-nee. We
advance in three parallel lines or corps, each
one in line of battle. The first or front
corps was led by Major General Hardee
Immediately behind him came a full com
plement of artillery. A thousand yards in
iiis rear followed the second corps or line,
led by Major General Bragg. Immediately
in his rear came more artillery, and behind
them came the third corps, being our reserve,
commanded by Major General Roll;. Gen
eral Johnston was in supreme command, no
bly assisted by General Reauregard.
The artillery was commanded by Brig.
Lien. Trudeall, under the orders of General
Bragg. <len. 'l'. distributed his batteries
along the roads and upon such open eleva
tions as lie could find. The batteries have
been handled with consummate skill and
effect throughout the day by their respective
officers.
The nature of the ground is exceedingly
unfavorable for field operations. With the
exception of two or three small fields of
eight or ten acres each, the battle has been
fought wholly in the woods. The woods are
quite open, however, much more so than
they arc in Georgia; but they nevertheless
interfered very much with the evolutions of
the army. The ground is rotting, and in
many places quite wet and boggy- near the
water courses, several of which cross the
field, and still farther impeded the operations
of the day.
Rut Gen. Hardee has encountered the en
emy in front. The sun is just rising as his
division is hurled against them like a thun
derbolt. r l he enemy was not expecting an
attack, us was evident from the condition in
which he received us. Indeed, lie was not
aware of our near presence; he never ex
pected us to attack him, and was doubtful
whether wc would ever allow him to get
near enough to attack us. Hardee “set his
squadron in the field” with great judgment,
aud led them most gallantly throughout the
day r . I have not been able to come up with
him, but hear that he escaped without a
scratch.
The enemy was at length driven from his
first line of encampments. Meanwhile lie
recovered from his surprise, and met our on
set with firmness and resolution. The light
ing now indeed became hot aud close, and
raged with great violence and fury along our
entire front, The right and left wings as
well as our centre were engaged, and the
roar of artillery and the rattle of musketry
fairly shook the earth. Rut oil llurdee
presses, backed up by Bragg and followed
by Folk—each corps rolling onward like
succeeding waves of the storm-lashed sea.
Haidee s corps advances, but it is done slow
ly; for the enemy has rallied his forces and
is handling them with coolness and spirit,
\\ e. moved forward as it were by inches, but
still wc did move; and never at any time
during the day did we lose one foot of the
ground wc gained.
o n
At length we readied the centre of the
enemy’s encampment, He yielded his home
in the woods with much reluctance, and dis
puted every foot of ground with courage and
resolution. Thus far vve have advanced
throughout the woods, which are almost des
titute of under-growth. Every where the
trees bear the marks of the. terrible eouilict.
Limbs were carried away, and in some places
trees a foot in diameter were cut off. In a
tew instances, the long, sharp rifled cannon
balls passed entirely through the tree. The
traces of the musketry tire are to be seen
everywhere upon the trees and bushes, aud
also in the numbers of the dead and wound
ed over whom we advanced.
At two o’clock the resistance had increas
ed, and become more obstinate than at any
time during the day. Gen. Johnston, in
order to make a sure tiling of it, placed him
self at the head of our attacking force, aud
led the charge in person. How unfortunate
that he should have done so! for at half
past. 2 lie received a minnie ball in his breast,
and had his leg badly torn bv a shell. He
fell, and died soon afterwards, but not until
the enemy had again given way all along the
lines. He died in the arms of Col. Wm.
Preston, of Kentucky, his aid and brother
in-law, aud former U. 8. Minister to Spain,
while Gov. Harris, of Tennessee, another
aid, supported his head.
Thus a brave soldier and skillful officer
has gone down before the red tide of battle,
lie tell in the very arms of victory, with our
flag up-raised aud advancing under the migh
ty impetus given to our attack by his own
own individual heroism aud daring. Let
the Republic do justice to his memory, and
repair the grievous wrongs which have of
iate been heaped upon him.
The fall of Gen. Johnston did not in the
least discourage our men; for they knew
the gallant Beauregard was still left to them,
with many other officers of skill and courage.
On they press, therefore. Bragg has long
since brought up his corps, composed tor the
most part of his seasoned Pensacola troops,
and most admirably has he handled them
throughout the entire day. Gallant and
chivalric, yet cool and sagacious, he knows
when aud where to plant his terrible blows.
Gen. Polk also was many times in the thick
est of the Iffilit, and bore himself throughout
Cj 7 <
the battle, whether in the immediate front
of the enemy or iu bringing up his reserves,
with the calm courage and serene spirit of a
Christian warrior. Only a portion of our
roerves were ever brought into action, there
being no necessity for it.
At half past five o’clock the enemy was
in lull retreat, aud hotly pursued by the
victorious Confederates, lie tied hack to
the Tenuessee, and took shelter under his
guuboats and river works, the tire from
which was too heavy for our light tield bat
terms, Night too had come ou, and our ar
my returned to the enemy’s camp, and are
now occupying it. The Fcderals left their
L*uts standing, together with all their camp
equipage, quartermaster and commissary
stores, private baggage, medical supplies and
considerable ammunition. The attack was
sii fffrious—it came so much like the first
clap of thunder when the storm begins—
and the pursuit so close and unrelenting,
that they had not time to remove anything,
not even to gather up their records and half
finished letters. The amount of properts
taken is immense. Our men are now re^al-.
n
ing themselves upon the ample supplies of
excellent food everywhere to he found.
I am unable to speak with certainty of
tin* number of the enemy’s forces. One of
the first prisoners 1 encountered (a lieuten
ant, who formerly belonged to the old ar
my ), estimated them at 120.0H0 men. Oth
ers put them down at 100.POO; others,
again, at 75.000, and some at 50.000.
(Jen. Prentiss, whit was captured about 5
o’clock, says the Federal army on this side
of the river was composed of six divisions,
of about 7,500 each, which would make the
forces of the enemy engaged about 15.000.
l'hey probably exceeded this number, with
out, including the forces on the other side
of the river. At no time had we as many
engaged as the enemy.
Nor cun i speak with certainty of the
number of batteries or prisoners we have
captured, it is too early filter the battle,
and too much confusion prevails, for me to
get at the precise facts. The number of
prisoners is variously estimated ; some say
*2,000 and others 4.0()0 ; one report has it
that one entire brigade has been captured.—
This is, doubtless, a mistake. Among the
prisoners are many officers, and t lie greater
part of the Seventh lowa Regiment, who
lately petitioned the Federal Congress fur
permission to inscribe upon their banner the
victories*of Belmont and Donelson.
The number of batteries taken is said to
be eighteen, which, allowing six pieces to
the battery, would make one hundred and
eight guus. It is more probable that parts
of eighteen batteries were taken. Several
stands of colois were also captured—three
by the first Louisiana Regiment alone. I
have seen two of them myself, and was pres
ent when they were brought iu and deliver
ed to Ben. Beauregard. I witnessed, also,
rhe arrival and presentation of General
Prentiss, who was taken by a staff officer or
officers ot Gen. Polk, aud conducted to the
latter, who sent him, with his compliments,
immediately to Gen. Beauregard. The fol
lowing is the substance of conversation that
ensued after they had shaken hands :
Prentiss. —Well, sir, we have felt your
power to-day, aud have had to yield.
Beauregard.—That is natural, sir. You
could not expect it to be otherwise. We
are fighting for our homes, for our wives and
children, for generations to come after us,
and for liberty itself. Why does your gov
ernment thus war upon us, and seek us up
on our own soil ?
Prentiss —Oar people have never yet been
able to bring themselves to consent to see
the Union broken up. Such a tiling has not
entered into our calculations, and cannot.
Beauregard.--The Inion is already broken,
and the last man, woman and child in the
South will willingly perish before it shall be
restored. \\ hat force have you had oimaged
to-day ? &
Prentiss.—Six divisions numbering a lit
tle over 7,000 each —the whole not amount
ing to more than 40,000. Grant commands,
assisted by Gens. Sherman, MeOlernard,
Hulburt, Wallace, and myself Gen. Smith
is sick, and has not been upon the field
My division was the first to receive your
attack, and we were not properly supported;
it we had been, the day might have gone
otherwise. There lias been mismanagement
somewhere. Ilad 1 been supported in time,
we should have broken your centre at the
time we stopped your advance.
Beauregard.—You are mistaken, General.
My order of battle was such, that if you had
even penetrated the centre of our front line,
it would have been to encounter certain des
truction : we would have cut you to pieces.
Has Gen. Buell arrived and what are his
forces ?
Prentiss, (hesitation.) —I do not know
where Gen. Buell is, or the number of his
forces. I have heard lie was at Columbia,
and also that he was on the road. We do
not look for him under forty eight hours.—
I fear you will capture the greater part of
our army on this side of the river. You have
met and overcome to-day the best troops we
have.
Beauregard.—l am glad to hear it, and
trust that the result of this day's work may
bring your government to a frame of mind
more favoiable to peace.
Prentiss.—That can hardly be, sir. If
your army had pushed ou after the battle of
Manassas, it might have taken Washington,
and overrun the North, and brought us to
peace. We had an insufficient supply of
arms then, and were not prepared. The
muskets purchased iu Belgium by Fremont
were of but little account; you could turn
your thumb in the muzzle, the bore was so
large. W T e also procured from England the
old arms that have been stored away as use
less in London Tower ever since the war with
Napoleon in 1M.5. They are of no value
whatever. It is ouly within the last sixty
days that we have become thoroughly and
efficiently armed. Our supply is now ample,
and we cannot be overcome. Your govern
ment lias made two mistakes—first, in not
availing itself of the fruits of the battle of
Manassas ; and secondly, in waiting until we
had become well untied and organized. We
have now 250,000 men in camps of instruc
tion, who will be brought upon the field as thei
may be needed. We do not doubt the tina
result.
Beauregard —Nor do we. Our cause i
just, and God will yet give us the victory.
Prentiss. —We know you have able officer
and a spirited army to hack them, hut ou
confidence is fir in. And permit me to add
General that among all the Confederate oth
eers, no one is so great a favorite with us a:
yourself. Such is my own feeling, and tbal
of our army and people.
B«-aiuegaitb \ou are very kind, sir; Put w»
have hiueli lie!ter officer* than 1 am. (ten. Siilnet
Johnston ami Gen. Joseph Juliuslon art* both im
superiors in ability as well as iu rauk. 1 have
served under boili of them most cheerfully, nmi
know them well. 1 care nothing for rank; the
good of mv country is wliat 1 look to.
Oilier observations a* re made, but the forego
ing embraces the chief points of the intervi«-». -
(Jen. Prentiss was easy ami pleasant, ami not ut
all depressed. Apparently, too, he was quite can
did ; and vet I thought i delected a disjxaeilion iu
evade, it not to deceive, in his reply an to the
whereabouts and forces of Buell. 1 believe that
Buell is near at hand. It is to be hoped that lam
mistaken, and that our men, v»ho have ahead*
ton ht twelve long hours, may not have to encoitu
ter a fresh force to morrow.
I am unable to approximate the number killed
ami wounded on either side. The loss upon the
part ot both must tie verv heavy, though not so
great as it would hare been but for the promotion
afforded by the trees.
Among our wounded tre (Jens, ('healham, Bush
rod Johnson, Bowen, ('lark ami Gladden- the first
live not seiiouslv. Gen. Gladden who commanded
ini- right wing ot Hardee’s coi p J , lost his lett arm.
Gen. Gheatham received a bull in the shoulder,
and Gen. Bushrod Johnson one iu the side. Gen
Bowen was wounded iu the neck, and doing well
at last accounts. ( 01. Adams of the Ist Louisiana
regulars, succeeded Gen. Gladden in command ot
the right wing, and was soon after shot, the ball
sulking him just above the eve and coming out
behind the ear. ( 01. Kitt Williams, ot Memphis,
ami i 01. Blythe, of Mississippi, formerly ('onsul to
Havana, were killed. Many other officers were
wounded and killed, but my knowledge of tlu
regunents is too limited, and the confusion too
great to procure reliable details. The Mississip
[nans, Tenuesseans and Louisianians suffered ter
riblv. All the troops behaved most gallantly.—
Never did men fight better ; and yet many of them
were raw troops fresh from their homes. " The 21st
Alabama regimen*, took two batteries, and the Ist
Louisiana a section of artillery ; other regiments
did equally well.
The battle was fought around Shilnfl Church,
tin* place of worship ol the surrounding country,
ami will be known in history as the battle of Shi
1011.
i write in ( apt. !■ niton’s tent, Quartermaster of
the oJil Ohio regiment, which (Jen. Beauregard
lias kindly assigned to two friends and mvself.—
Gapt. F. wa-s good enough to leave an ample sup
ply °1 paper which I have been using freely.—
Ihe tent was perforated bv twenty-one musket
balls.
It is now raining very hard. Fp to sunset, the
day was lovely. The change ie the result, doubt
less, of the heavy cannonading kept up since early
morning. Ihe enemy is still throwing shells from
his gunboats, and some of.them fall uncomfortably
near our tent. Whether he fears a night attack,
or is seeking to cover the transfer of his army to
the other bank of the river, it were impossible to!
say.
Will Buell come? I have my fears. But let us!
leave the morrow to tell its own tale. Meanwhile
I shall court the sweet embrace of Sonin us upon
Capt Fulton’s camp cot. There is many a weary
soldier lying on the wet ground to-night, who is
ready to join with Sancho Panza, and say, “blessed
be the man who first invented sleep.”
r. w. a.
's'bt‘ Pulaski I*risoii<*i‘s Ac.
AN o have thus far not a wold officially
from Fort Pulaski, yet all, except a few very
incredulous individuals, have yielded the
point of its fall. The Confederate authorities
have declined all applications for a flag of
truce, and we shall probably be kept in sus
pense until the New York or Boston papers,
accidentally spirited over the line, shall en
lighten us. AVe cannot appreciate the wisdom
of the policy, though perhaps, we are not in
a position to judge impartially.
The garrison was 413 strong, officers and
men. Thirty have been detached, leaving
the number at the time of the surrender 383,
or 24 officers and 359 men.
Lts. Cule, of the Oglethorpes, and Bush
ier, of the German Volunteers, were in the
city.
Reports from below state that the enemy are
removing their battery from Jones’s Island,
near Venus’s Point, we presume, a Jitfle
higher up the river. If it be possible to pre
vent such encroachments, it should be done,;
and few things are impossible if we but use
the means and energy at oun command.
Two vessels—a brig and schooner—were
lying at Venus’s Point yesterday, and a num
ber in the vicinity of Fort Pulaski. Satur
day last a steamer was seen to pass from the'
Fort to the fleet, off Tybee, and some suppose
she was faking off the prisoners for shipment
to headquarters, or to some northern place
of incarceration.—A *.fpublican of Tnesdai/.
A Mining IGliiotic A<l<lre**—Gen-
Jolinsinn to 1 in* Army oi tli«*
49 GsisipjH.
The heroic Johnston is no more; but the
following stirring address’speaks volumes
for It is patriotic devotion to his country, and
which he has sealed with his heart’s blood :
Headquarters Army of the Miss., )
Corinth, Miss., April 3, 1802. ’ {
Soldiers of the Army of the Mississippi,
I have put you in motion, to offer battle to
the invaders of your country. AYith resolu
tion and disciplined valor becoming men
fighting as you are for all that is worth liv
ing or dying for, you can but march to de
cisive victory over the agrarian mercenaries
who have been sent to despoil you of your
liberties, your prosperity and your honor.
Remember the precious stake that is in
volved in this contest; remember the de
pendence of your mothers, your wives, your
sisters, and your children, is upon the result.
Rememlcr the fair, broad, abounding
laud, the happy homes and the ties that
would be dissolved and desolated by your
defeat.
The eyes and hopes of eight million of
people rest upon you. Y’ou are expected to
show yourselves worthy of your race, and
your lineage ; worthy of the women of the
feoutb, who&e noble devotion iu this war has
never been exceeded at any time.
A\ ith such incentives to brave deeds, and
iu the trust that God is with us, your gen
raL will lead you confidently to the combat,
fully assured of ultimate and glorious suc
cess.
Signed] A. S. Johnston, Gen. Com’g
[Official.] Jno. M. Otey, Jr.,
A. A. General.
Gom the *»*=„,„ a |, - I
i:\tortionerft-vi t,<> . * n
1 There is much random a,*?’ ,h **r
nouuciation against extortion,. '* CP Bn : p I
sjseldom stop to inquire iJ a’ a “' 1 b • I
the charge. If a merchant !,V *, I
( 1 0 ceuts for a pound of 0f ,r k, H P-n w ft
* sack of salt, ho is set <Ju*7 o ' 0<? ’ ° r tt\ ■
. and a swindler by the p Ull p aQ ex, °rtiuQer
■Jfi*r is not apt to enquire \ ( r Ut.
i| things cost the merchant, a f*. B
the whtle character of the J U^‘Q f>
j pv»»d*. If Ihe coffee cost him -|‘ Sa '' t ‘on ,j„ ■
*••*$18 or 919, iti, evidenM I
no extortioner—the profit in eac j, . * * mm
a reasonable one on his capital W f,. * S
talk about extortioners, we should * 9
to bear in mind this important item \ S
A merchant buys tor the ;neonuim,! • *
his customers as well as tor hid >w X
ami it he has to pay high prices, it j, If
to attack his character lbr honesty anG ■
dealing simply because he charm If
prices. B
That extortioners cxi<t, there can b. if
doubt ; but we should be careful to 11
the right hor-c—to discriminate Wtwc
innocent aud guilty. Wo arc not « . 1
but that some people who uie ion,j >s . JR
their denunciation ot extortioners,aiv, tk, M
, selves, receiving as huge profits ou tj B
capital and labor as anybody else.
Our con tempi iratory of the Atlanta F
j tederaey has a proposition which puN;p i( I
matter in its true light. A writer overtj I
signature of “Reason,” in the Intel! i ■
pours a broadside into the provision n, -. I
| chants of that city ; whereupon the ( |
l entci/ makes the following fair proposiri n
iu order to arrive at the justice of the
, It is applicable everywhere :
“The spirit manifested by this huujua
is, in our judgment, anything but a prop .r
one; but we most respectfully make .
propositoti to Reason. If he will cull
1 our office on Monday at S o’clock, we will
take our note book and pencil, and with 1, ■
j visit every wholesale provision e;table,hm*-’
in Atlanta, and price together, bacon, | M ik
beef, flour corn meal, potatoes, peas, a
We will then go together and take each
the main streets by which marketuien and
dealers iu country produce approach ourcit>
stop every wagon and cart coming in, aid
price the same articles. If by this exp,*;
ment w’C do not convince Reason that he Lai
done the grocery and provision merchants
great injustice, it there is left a sufficient
margin to pay the merchant’s house rent,
clerk-hire, store expenses, taxes, Ye., .id
10 per cent, per annum upon the capital
invested, we will obligate ourselves to fur
nish the family of Reason with bacon, ffi-ur
and meal, (/ratis for the next twelve tumulo,
and give him an accepted bank obligati
to insure the performance of his engagement
We will engage that the profits of the far
mer on his produce at present prices, upon
the cost of making it, are five times that of
the merchant ou the cost of purchasing it.
“Now come, fricud Reason, this is practi
cable aud fair; and we respectfully invite
you to the trial.
“Further: We think we can safely guar
antee to you 8190,(100 worth of groceries
that have been brought aud paid for by
merchants in Atlanta, and shipped from
New Orleans, but which have not arrived
and are now somewhere on the way, which
you can have by your paying the original
New Orleans cost and the actual cash ex
penses upon them up to this day, without
any interest on the money laid out, or charge
tor time and trouble. If we find this to b«
so, of which we have no doubt, then “rea
son” will show you that your statements are
incorrect, mischievous, and dangerous in
their tendency. You may be patriotic aid
honest in your motives ; but you are utterly
at sea without chart or compass upon this
subject.”
Tlie Federaris i\i Huntsville.
Sergeant K. E. Pritchard, of the Wash
ington Artillery, arrived here last evening
and gives us further particulars of the occu
pation of Huntsville. He was on his way
to join his company at Corinth, hut was
turned back at Stevenson by the intelligence
that rhe Federals had possession of Hunts
ville and had cut off the Railroad communi
cation with Corinth. Mr. P. informs us
that he had a conversation with an Engineer
who succeeded in running the “gauntlet”
and who gave him the following statement:
He said that early on Friday morning h
came up the road from Decatur, that on ar
riving at Huntsville he found the Telegraph
operator in waiting, who threw his apparatus
on board and informed him that the Feder
alists were just coming into the town. The
Engineer then started his train, hut before
getting through the town he was fired ujmu
by the Federal force and a shell was al>J
fired at the train hut did not succeed in lot
ting it. His brother, also an engineer, wm
just, behind him, with a long train of empt)
ears, which was returning from carrying
troops to Corinth. The Federal infantry
fired a volley into the cab on the engine and
it was supposed killed the Engineer the
train was stopped aud had not been heard
from at Stevenson. The sth Georgia regi
ment had passed over the road a short time
previous and were all safely beyond Hunt
ville, except some few who were detailed to
bring in the baggage.
Passengers by the Georgia Rail Road last
night report that Huntsville has been occu
pied by eleven thousand Federal troops
Iwo locomotives and trains of cars, loaded
with troops going to reinforce Beauregard,
were captured. All communication, except
by way of Mobile, is cut oil, if the report is
true.
Rice Cakes.—As rice is the cheapest
kind of food we have, as well as the most
uutricious, the following from a correspon
dent of the Fold Notes, will be read by eve
ry good house-keeper with interest:
While visiting the West India Island, I
became very foud of rice cooked after this
fashion ; they boil the rice in the usual man
ner aud let it cool, then add a little water or
milk to it, making it about the consistency
of common buckwheat cakes. Add to this
a little salt and a handful of flour, and bake
on a griddle as you would batter cakes and
buckwheat. An egg will help some by ma
king them bake quicker. Try it housekeep
ers; I think you will find it an excellent dish*
Any dyspeptic can eat these rice eakes*