The Hillsdale Standard

LETTER FROM KENTUCKY.

Bardstown, Ky., Dec. 23, '61.

ED. STANDARD: Here we are, forty miles

from Louisville, on the Louisville and Nash-

ville turnpike, and so many miles nearer to

the front of our lines, which hold in check

Buckner, Zollikofer, Humphrey Marshall, and

the rebels under them; many of whom, espe-

cially under Buckner, are from this part of the

State.

We left Louisville on Wednesday of last

week and camped the first night on Fern

Creek, ten miles distant. This being the first

of our experience in "striking tents,"

breaking up camp, and marching, we were longer

in starting and more easily tired than after-

wards; besides, the weather was uncomforta-

bly warm for us Northerners. The second

day we breakfasted by candle and camp fire

light, and commencing our march at half past

eight, we traveled fifteen miles and pitched

our tents at Salt River about three o'clock P.

M. Whether this is the Salt River so often

traveled by disappointed politicians, or not, I

am unable to say. Getting an early start on

Friday, we came to our present camping

ground in good season, making, I am told,

the best time of any of the five regiments

now here. I have thus briefly gone over the

march from Louisville to Bardstown, leaving

the incidents and observations of the trip for

record by themselves.

The weather since we crossed the Ohio.

until yesterday, has been delightful. During

Saturday night it commenced raining and

continued exceedingly unpleasant and blus-

tering until this morning, when it commenced

clearing off and now promises another spell

of pleasant weather. Frequently on the march

I heard it remarked that it seemed just like

corn planting weather. The nights have been

uniformly cold, even to freezing.

The turnpike connecting Louisville with

Nashville, upon which Bardstown is located,

is one of the finest roads I ever traveled, be-

ing thoroughly macadamized and having no

heavy grades. One peculiarity, however, at-

tracts the attention of the traveler. For sev-

eral miles in this vicinity, and along the banks

of Salt River, the country is very broken, in-

tersected frequently by ravines and mountain

water courses. Traversing this section of

country, the turnpike winds up and around

the hill sides, so that in several places the reg-

iment had the appearance of countermarching

only that the head of the regiment would be

perhaps forty feet higher than the rear guard

-probably a mile apart by road, and not

more than forty rods distant from each oth-

er on a direct line. Having turned one of

these elbows (or ox bows) and ascended a few

rods on the countermarch to a point present-

ing a picturesque view of the surrounding

hills, valleys, and the river bottom, with the

regiment winding up the opposite side of the

ravine, the rear guard just emerging from the

covered bridge which spans the river in the

distance. I was filled with peculiar emotions:

charmed with the scenery and the living tab-

leau, and yet constrained to wonder that the

necessity was laid upon the Government to

marshal its hosts in defence of the Constitu-

tion and the Union. If a single regiment can

make an impression of military prowess, what

must have been the grandeur of the GREAT

Review on the Potomac! And it is not to be

wondered at that the people (especially the

rebel sympathizers) of Northern Kentucky,

who have seen regiment after regiment cross-

ing their borders until now the troops in this

Department exceed, it is believed, 100,000

men, should be filled with wonder and anxie-

ty for their friends in the rebel ranks. Sev-

eral incidents exhibiting this anxiety fell un-

der my notice. One of our soldiers passing

down Broadway, Louisville, was stopped as

he approached a gate where three ladies were

standing—two apparently visitors and sympa-

thizers. One of the ladies asked him how

many federal soldiers there were in Kentucky.

After a moment's reflection he replied that

according to his best information there were

over 100,000, and more coming daily. Im-

mediately the lady within the gate bursting

into tears, exclaimed, "Oh, that I could get

my son away from Buckner."

Not far from the point where I had this

view of the regiment, as above alluded to,

Capt. Hackstaff, of Coldwater, who, on ac-

count of his health, was allowed to march at

will, and myself, stopped at a dwelling to

rest; and in conversation with the lady and

daughter, learned from the daughter that her

brother was in Buckner's army; that he was

over-persuaded and enlisted contrary to their

wishes and feelings, the family being, as she

said, warm Union people. They felt great

anxiety for him; yet when we left, bid us God

speed and success to our arms, with hopes

that it be accomplished with little sacrifice of

life. Another family we are told of where

one son was in Buckner's army and the other in

Rosseau's; another family, where a son joined

Buckner's army against the wishes of his

friends, who, after wearing out the clothes he

took with him, not being able to procure new,

and not liking the treatment, being placed on

picket guard one night, deserted to Rosseau,

much to the satisfaction of his friends. Thus

I might go on relating incidents of this char-

acter that have come to my knowledge, show-

ing the deep Secession or Union feeling that

prevails in this State, and the trials and anx-

ieties that are endured and felt; such as you

in Hillsdale County, even though you may

have friends in the federal army, know little

or nothing of. H. M. G.

UNION.

Jeff. Davis is reported to have remarked

that the blockade incommoded the rebels

somewhat, but he was confident that the Trent

affair would result in a war with England, in

which case it would be raised. Some promi-

ent Southerner are so rampant that they de-

clare the South is willing to become a colony

of Great Britain, but not a part of the Union.