The War.
Summary of recent Events.
from the Southern exchanges we copy the following interesting summary: The Florida Coast.
The Quincy (Fla.) Dispatch, of the 12th inst., says ‘ Two more Yankee prisoners have arrived in Tallahassee from Jacksonville. They report themselves as deserters, and say they were treated very badly, and had received no pay for a long time. The prisoners were in charge of Capt. C. A. Goe, who arrived in Quincy on Thursday night. He confirms the reported evacuation of Jacksonville and Fernandina. He states that our forces made an advance on Jacksonville on Tuesday, and challenged the enemy for a fight. The enemy refused to come to time, and the day sent a flag of truce, which was met by Col. Davis, their object being to inform us that Jacksonville and Fernandina would be evacuated at 10 o'clock that night. About 6 o'clock that evening the enemy were to rush pell-mell aboard of their boats and hastily steamed off. Our forces soon after entered the city. They found strong works which had been erected by the enemy. All the guns had been removed. The enemy carried away with them the traitors whose names we gave in a previous number of the Dispatch. Wednesday last was the day for the election of their Governor, but which we suppose, they have postponed indefinitely. The thieves carried away all the valuables they could collect, such as watches and other articles they could conveniently carry with them. ’An incident of the battle of Shiloh.
The Mobile Tribunes relates the following singular occurrence: ‘ Mr. Gordon Sheppard, brother of Lieut. Thos Sheppard of the Cadets, who was killed in the battle of Shiloh, stopped into this office last night with the military cap his brother had on at the time he received the fatal shot. Now he came by this cap is remarkably singular. During the battle the 1st Louisiana regiment was fighting over the same ground that the 21st Alabama had fought on, and it was in going over that ground that a Sergeant in one of the companies found a cap, and, seeing it was an officers, put it on and were it during the engagement and down to Mobile, he being one of the detail who escorted Gen. Gladden's remans here. Some of Sheppard's friends seeing the cap immediately recognizes it as the one worn by Lieut. Sheppard. On inquiry the Sergeant related the circumstance, and stated that he would be pleased to deliver it to any member of his family. These facts were made known to Gordon Sheppard, who afterwards received this last token of his brother; not, however, until he had made it satisfactory to the honest soldier. It is, indeed, a very lucky and singular incident. ’From the Southwest.
The following special dispatch to the New Orleans Picayune, dated Corinth, April 12th, mentions circumstances not heretofore noticed: ‘ Mutual agreements have been signed, permitting surgeons and their attendants, on both sides, to attend to the wounded who are not removable from the battle field, and to be exempt from capture as prisoners. A gentleman from Nashville says that Yankee telegrams from Pittsburg had been received there, stating their killed, wounded, and missing to be ten thousand--six thousand prisoners. Our loss in killed and wounded they state at two thousand; fifty prisoners. Direct information from Nashville, on the morning of the 6th, states that Gen. Dumont is the Military Governor of the post, with a brigade of twenty-five hundred men. Andy Johnson wanted ten thousand to protect Nashville. Fourteen thousand are sick (?) All the hospitals and many private houses are filled with them. Last Monday four thousand sick were sent to Cincinnati and Louisville — There was great demoralization in the Federal army, and thousands had deserted. Col. Buford's Kentucky regiment refused to go into Nashville. Hundreds were deserting daily, in squads of 15 or 20. The people in the vicinity of Nashville show the greatest loyalty to the Confederacy. The force at Shelbyville is twenty-five hundred. The remainder of the Federal force is stretched from Pulaski, via Columbia, towards Savannah. No troops have gone towards Chattanooga. Blue rockets were seen going up from west to east on Sunday evening--supposed to be signals for the enemy to hasten their troops. The 1st Michigan regiment has said that if the war did not cease in thirty days they would lay down their arms. Many had applied for the writ of habeas corpus to get out of the Federal army; they said that they were deceived; that they did not enter the army to fight against; a people contending for their liberties General Dumont wanted to know if they thought the writ would be respected in Nashville, as it had not been elsewhere.--He said he would shoot the first man who applied for it. The Michiganders then said that they would kill their officers in the first fight, raise the white flag, and go over to the Confederate army. One Pennsylvania and one Iowa regiment had mutinied and refused to go farther with the Federal army. Their arms were taken from them and they were sent North. Gen. Buell's entire command consisted of ninety-nine regiments, ranging from 253 to 481 men, making 35,000. Deducting the sick, the deserters, and the mutinous troops sent back, it would leave Buell's force at Savannah about 22,000. Lieutenant Crowly, of the 11th Louisiana, who lost his right hand at Belmont, lost his left hand at Shiloh. He still clings to our cause, refusing to resign. ’Letter picked up on the battle-field.
The following copy of a letter from an Ohio soldier, picked up on the battle-field of Shiloh, will be perused with much interest: --After some time and various wanderings your kind letter, of the 26th ult., reached me at this place yesterday. As we are in hourly expectation of an advance movement or an attack, I will answer immediately, presuming, from what you said in your letter, it will be none the less welcome on account of being answered promptly. It pleases me exceedingly to think you have not forgotten me, and that my letters are received in the same spirit as formerly, and hope they may always continue so. As for your sister Mary, I thank her very much for her good opinion of me, a stranger, and should I ever be so fortunate as to see you all, may she not be deceived in me, but her good opinion rather improve on acquaintance. As you wish to be posted in my moves, I will attempt to give you some of them. We left Paducah March the 8th, in consort with some 80 steamboats filled with troops, which, by the way, was the grandest sight I ever saw — and why not? That number of boats, crowded with uniformed men, flags flying and bands playing, must surely have been grand. It were impossible for me to attempt a description. We all remained together until we reached Savannah, where our division, under Gen. W. T. Sherman, was ordered up on the river to attack a rebel battery. When we reached it, finding them entirely too formidable, were forced to retire.--We dropped back to this place, where orders came for us to go into camp, much to our joy, having been aboard of boats 13 days. Here we have been enjoying the beauties of a Southern campaign undisturbed, with the exception of two marches and attacks the last two days. Our present camp is some 230 miles up the Tennessee river, and 18 miles from Corinth, Miss, the next great battle ground. Twice we made armed reconnaissances in the direction of Corinth, and the last time came near being ‘"gobbled up,"’ as the boys call it. We found ourselves in an ambuscade, but from some unaccountable reason, with their usual chivalric spirit, ‘"ran"’ From that time we have been living with all peacefulness until yesterday, when a large force of theirs attacked, a small one of ours, and were driven back. As this was the first time I had ever been near a battle, it made me feel ‘"kinder phony."’ The rattling of musketry sounded splendid, but perhaps it would not have sounded so well had we been engaged. We remained drawn up in line of battle some hours, when orders came for us to go to camp and sleep on our arms. We were not disturbed any more that night, but to-day again our pickets were attacked, resulting the same as yesterday. The army assembled here is but little inferior to the Potomac army, and when they do move, you may expect to hear stirring news. The rebels themselves admit the hopelessness of their cause in case of a defeat at Corinth. With us, it is victory or death Should they whip us out there, with the Tennessee river at our backs, escape would be impossible, and would end in our destruction. With this in view, we know what to expect. But, pshaw! the Idea of a defeat must not be harbored for a minute. How much longer our services will be required, is impossible to say; but one thing, the army do not care how soon it will end. A great many place the 4th of July as the day when we will be mustered out, but it appears to me that is too soon; not that the war will last longer than that, but our services will be required for some time after cessation of hostilities. One thing certain, Tittle, as soon as it is over and I have seen my mother, the next place will be Terre Haute, so that your curiosity as well as my own may be relieved. But when you do see me, may it not be possible you will be disappointed? Perhaps you may expect to see a nice, handsome intelligent, affable young man, without spot or blemish. In either event, you will be gravely disappointed. What opinions have been formed of you, I will tell when we first meet, but I know there will be no disappointment with me. Do you recollect, some two or three years since, you gave me your picture? I have safely kept it till this time, and have it with me at present. Through trials and afflictions, it shall serve for a talisman. You ask me about Mary Murrey. I do not correspond with her, but heard of her through my mother, (both being great friends) in my last letter. She was very well, but was making preparations to move into town.--Moll has a brother, sergeant in the 33d Ohio regiment, row serving under Gen Buell. I have been expecting to see him for some time but have not as yet. Moll is a good girl, and I think a great deal of her. You must know her intimately to know her worth. May Daws was in Portsmouth visiting a short time before our regiment left Ohio. She is the same old Mag as when you knew her at school. Kate Robinson is still there. Her father commands a battery of artillery in Eastern Virginia, under General Shields, and was in the late action at Winchester. Lou. is at home now, having just returned from a long visit to Minnesota. Hettle ailer is at home. The rest of your girls I know nothing about. Tattco has just sounded, and ‘"taps"’ will soon be, when all lights in camp must go out. Hoping you may consider this worth answering, and that soon, I remain, as ever, yours, Will B. S.
You need not be alarmed about your letters, as I barn all up as soon as read. I do not want the Secesh to get hold of them and sent South as a relic, the way we do theirs.
Direct your letters, "Sergeant Major William B. Stephenson, General Sherman's Division, Fifty-third Ohio Regiment. Paducah, Kentucky. Forward to regiment."
You need not be alarmed about your letters, as I barn all up as soon as read. I do not want the Secesh to get hold of them and sent South as a relic, the way we do theirs.
Direct your letters, "Sergeant Major William B. Stephenson, General Sherman's Division, Fifty-third Ohio Regiment. Paducah, Kentucky. Forward to regiment."
