Memphis Daily Appeal

Dalton, Ga, January 21st, 1864,

Patrol Detail: it is a continued episode in our

outweathered, (arias with it, faso of(piieta wury :

fresh, we have a clear sky, and golden sunshine pouring

the fields with auriferous radiance, and glittering

through the tall branches of the grand woods, like the

smile of innocence in the background of crime and

shame; and the (sun that lit, that in which I it copy

Adam Eve wore to-kmous in the sky bowers of Eden,

Taking advantage of the mild weather, the troops

have gone to work thoroughly repairing the camps

which bore imdzb.iabieovlltps: after only reign etc

Kiat Mud Ko have "impressed to" all the tents and fix

Bickrirt to the command, in order to be ready for

unencumbered work, and the men a short space of

time have erected commodious subsists in which they can

comfortably pass the winter.

Bate's brigade, our neighbors, are out on skirmish

drill this morning and notwithstanding their losses

since the strange story of Missionary Ridge, they drill

well and make a fair appearance

We have lately received general orders which, if car-

ried out—and I feel that they will be—will make the

army of Tennessee one of the best drilled bodies of

troops in this country, if in the world. I hope to see

them executed to the very letter. They will keep the

mind of the soldier fully occupied, and he will have no

time for gloomy forebodings or dastard fears

That there are some men in this command who would

desert, with favorable opportunity, cannot be succe-

ssfully denied; but such men are "few and far between."

In the warrior library in all countries of the world, de-

serters always have been in the ranks, as some are now

in ours. They were in the army of the first revolution

" These blots upon the country's escutcheon,

Were traitors then as traitors now.

To all such the man worthy of freedom may well address

the words of the immortal Wizard of the North—

'Go, let thy less than woman's hand

Assume the distaff not the brand

And now, being somewhat in the poetical mood let

me render you the following verses, written by Virginius

Hutchen, a sergeant in Company B, 4th Kentucky—

one of the most talented and promising young poets

of the South; they breathe the spirit of true poetry

and patriotic devotion:

ODE TO THE SOUTH,

BY VIRGINIUS HUTCHEN.

Clime beneath whose genial sun

Nature's victory was won,

Where the dust of Washington

Sleeps in glory's bed!

Heroes from thy scented shade

For thee have swung the battle-blade;

Holy men for thee have prayed

Patriot martyrs bled

"Wandering Juda" sinks in gloom,

Grass scarce rises from the tomb,

Rome hath lost her eagle plume.

Lost her conquering name.

Infant nation of the West!

Rise with truer greatness blest,

Saluted ones who're now at rest,

Marched thy path to fame.

Empire of the brave and free!

Thy crescent shall reach from sea to sea

Then who shall bid thee bend the knee

To a tyrant's throne!

Knowledge is thy armor bright,

Liberty thy beacon light,

God himself thy shield of might

Bow to him alone

I will close by remarking that I will occasionally

write when anything occurs that I think will be of any

interest to the readers of your excellent paper. By the

by, your Appeal is a particular favorite with our Ken-

tucky boys, and is more sought after by them than any

other paper in the South. Long may it wave, until it

can have the largest Circulation of any paper in the

Confederacy.

Yours, ever,

MANASSAS.