Correspondence of the Richmond Dispatch.
letter from Mississippi.
Holly Spring, Marshall Co., Miss., June 1st, 1861.
Say to the citizens of our old mother Virginia, not only the sons and true descendants of those noble patriots of Seventy-six, but the whole population of the sunny South, feel deeply the insult offered her, and the trespass committed on her sacred soil of liberty by that despotic tyrant and his Cabinet at Washington — marching their mercenary cohorts and taking possession of her soil.
Every man and boy, from the age of fifteen to sixty years, are ready at a moment's call to rush to her rescue.
This county, with a voting population of 2,400, have equipped and sent off ten companies to the tented field, and have ten more companies now organized and ready to march.
Our whole population are in a military blaze.
The old men of seventy and boys of ten years are drilling and organizing for the protection of firesides and home altars.
Our ladies are organizing in Military Aid Societies — getting up funds, buying materials, and making up clothing for our soldiers; practicing loading and shooting guns and pistols.
They say every man and boy may go to the tented field that are able to bear arms and fight our battles; that they can, with the old men and little boys, manage our negroes, and make cotton and raise provisions to feed and cloth our soldiers while they fight our battles and gain our independence, (and they will do it should the crisis require it.) That fanatical despot and his minions may threaten and attempt to conquer and subjugate us. If he had twenty times his numbers he could not do it.
We expect to hear shortly some stirring news from your section, as our noble statesman and warrior, President Davis, is now in your city.
We know him well in Mississippi, and all consider him the man for the occasion, and have the utmost confidence he will guide us through this our struggle for liberty and independence successfully, and with honor and glory. M.
