THE COUNTRYMAN.
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By J. A. TURNER. “INDEPENDENT IN EVERYTHING—NEUTRAL IN NOTHING ’ ’ $5 lor Three Months.
VOL. XX.
TURN WOLD (NEAR EATONTON) GA* TUESDAY, APRIL 11, 1865.
NO. 15.
Reminiscences of the Mexican War.
Columbus, Ga., June 27, 1846.
Dear Father :—I wrote to you, after
Wt had been here a day, or two. isince
then, I have not written—thinking t v ry
day I would write ; but pressing business
would prevent me. We have now receiv
ed orders to march tomorrow morning, 6
o’clock, and I believe we shall probably
get off 1 , it being.the third time that has
been appointed for the regiment to move
Last night I returned from Sumter. My
family were moderately well—my crop
modereately promising. There was no
news, except a murder in our county—the
first committed in the county since I re
moved to it.
Today we had a flag presented to us,
by a lady of Columbus, or rather of
Wynnton, about two miles distant; and
instead of the flag being brought into Co
lumbus, the poor soldiers had to take a
tramp out there to get it, thereby consum
ing half a day, which might have been
spent, at least by me, and I have do doubt
many others, in arranging their busi
ness, and writing letters to their friends.
Such is the pomp and circumstance of
war. One day is consumed in receiving
a flag, which may, or may not be dishon
ored, and Uncle Sam has to pay for it.
Things do not move with that vigor that
I would wish, and unless things change
very much for the better, the Georgia
regiment will have no advanced position
in Taylor’s army, and the laurels we shall
win will be but few.
I have been pretty well, so far, and my
strength is daily increasing. 1 shall take
care of myself, and am in hopes Provi
dence will permit us yet to meet again.
The settlement of the Oregon question
leads many to think there will be peace.
I am in hopes so. There is also a rumor
that England has offered her mediation
between us and Mexico. If so, I am in
hopes we will have a speedy discharge.
I fully intended to have written to you
before. You must excuse me for not do
ing so. I was at home when Evelina
received a letter from both Neighbor
and brother. They certainly did not think
of the nature of things, when they wrote
to my wife. They wrote that I was cer
tainly mistaken, as regards my duty in
volunteering to go into the Mexican war.
That language, of course, threw a damper
on my wife’s feelings. They should have
written something cheering, or not have
written on that head at all.
Remember me to the old lady. I am in
hopes she will recover from her sickness.
This trip that I am taking, appears, in
deed, to be a strange one; and- when I
’a^ok at it, I must think fate his a hand in
it. Deep and inscrutable are the ways of
Prov dence. And when I look back on
my situation, with a wife and five chil
dren, and every comfort around me—to
think that I should leave them, having it,
as I had, in my power to have all the hap
piness this life could afford, I must think
that a greater Power than human, directed
my course, and must not regret a move
which cannot be taken back, but go for
ward, cheerfully, in the service of the
country, until such time as an All-wise
Providence shall direct my return. God
grant it may be done by a speedy peace.
I will write every opportunity, and am
in hopes we will yet meet, dear father. I
pray for your comfort, in your declining
yeais ; and God grant, after (he storm of
life has passed, you may take up your
abode in that bright and happy world
which you have been striving to attain.
I love you, and am yet in hopes to see
you. Your son,
J. A. S. Turner.
Yankee News. — “ Senatobia, March
29.—A Fortress Monroe telegram, of the
22d, says Grant contracted his lines, as if
preparing for a rush, and is awaiting
Thomas’s infantry, from the west.
Secretary Welles, Assistant Secretary
Fox, and Major General Anderson, are to
visit Charleston, and to raise ‘the old flag ’
over F:rt Sumter.
It is believed, at Washington, that Rich
mond has been evacuated, and only a
strong picket line left along Grant’s front.
It is rumored .that Lee, at the head of
his army, is marching, in haste, to unite
with Johnston, and fall upon Sherman.
The Washington Chronicle, of the 24th,
has another peace article, which is regard
ed as significant, in view of Forney’s inti
mate relations with the president, and the
latter’s departure for Grant’s headquarters.
It advocates a liberal policy to rebel lead
ers, to prevent further bloodshed. There
is a growing conviction that the 1 eaders on
both sides, have, now under discussion,
some project which points to a suspension
ot hostilities
The Saint LouisTlepublican, of the 25th,
says Pr. Lincoln has directed a revocation
of the order of banishment, in the case of,
Mrs. Gen. Ewell, upon her taking the am.
nesty oath. Nothing is said, in the pres
ident’s dispatch, about Mrs. Ewell’s raon- I
ey, and other property’’, seized by the pro
vost marshal, but the presumption is, that
thev will be restored to her.
The negroes of Nashville, had a cele-
bration on the 20tfi, in honor of the adop
tion, by Tennessee, of the constitutional
amend cent abolishing slavery. They had
two brass bands, and carried a considera
ble number of banners,' with mottoes.”
Didn’t knoav what hr Meant.—“A wri
ter in Blackwood’s Magazine, tells the
following joke on old Abe:
When Messrs. Preston, Randolph, and
Stuart, the deputies from Ahrjrinia, waited
on the president of the United States, and
urged him to do something to calm the ir
ritation of the people—
‘What would you have me dt>?’ said
Mr. Lincoln.
‘Mr. President,’ replied one of the dep
utation, ‘I would beg you to lend me your
finger and thumb for five minutes’—
meaning, of course, that he wished him to
write something that should allay the pre
vailing excitement. But Mr. Lincoln did
not choose to understand him.
‘My finger and thumb!’ he repeated—
‘my finger and thumb! What would you
do with them ? Blow your nose?’
The deputation retired in disgust, and
Virginia seceded.”
From Mobile.—“Mobile, March 28.—
There was heavy skirmishing at Spanish
Fort, to-day, without any advantage to
the enemy.
At four o’clock, the fleet took part. Our
troops are in the best spirits, and every
thing looks encouraging. Casualties have
been slight.
The enemy seems inclined 4o make a
regular siege, ak there has been no gener-
al assault.X^
All quiet bn this side.”
^ ... .
From Mobile.—“Mobile, March 29.—
Fighting has continued all day, in and
around Spanish Fort, the advantage being
decidedly with us. The enemy’s loss is
said to be severe—ours is very slight.
One monitor was sunk, this morning, by
a-shot from Spanish Fort.
The yankee fleet took no part in the
fight today, on the eastern shore.
The enemy's gunboats commenced shell
ing the western shore at 10 o’clock, but
were driven off by Jabine’s Missouri bat
tery. Two soldiers, and a citizen named
Frederick, were woundod.
Forty-seven vessels, of all classes, are
in sight. Everything is encouraging.
The Army.—“The Mobile News is as
sured, by an officer having the best means
of forming a correct opinion, that Gen.
Lee’s amnesty proclamation will have the
effect of returning not less thaa ten thou
sand old soldiers to their colors, from the
state of Mississippi, alone.”
‘ Religion is often a cloak for Satan.’
