Clinch river, but they fled and our poor horses my at Jonesville, one of my men said he was were too jaded to pursue them. The "bush- hungry. I had entirely forgotten that I had not whackers" had quite a busy time, popping at us eaten for twenty-four hours, and felt no symptoms crossing Clinch river. Rested at night for a few of hunger, and told him that we might yet have hours on a limestone mountain, and exchanged a two days' fight up the cliffs of the Cumberland a few long shots with the enemy to no purpose. mountain without coffee, and I felt as if I would Started at daybreak, without breakfast or horse- be able to stand it for three. We moved on to feed, on our last long day's march to the Cum- the foot of the mountain, and now there was the berland mountain, crossing Powell's mountain, excitement to know whose horse would reach river, and valley. The bushwhackers" here the top and whose would fail. They were all had an unusually busy day at it, even for them, very carefully handled, but many a one of them lively as they are. But they are either miser- failed, and the poor cavalryman would be seen able shots or have miserable guns, for they have breaking up his saddle with a rock and cutting not touched a man since we left the railroad, ex- up the leather with a knife to prevent secesh cept Col. Carter's orderly, shot in the hand-to- from using it. The poor horse wanted no hand fight; whereas two of the Michigan sharp-quietus; he generally dropped dead in his efforts shooters "incontinently' rolled two of them to scale a rock, and fell over out of the path, exdown the rocks at about seven hundred yards. cept one that made a convenient stepping-place While I was fording Powell's river, they were for his more fortunate fellow horse. There must darting in and out among the trees and rocky have been thirty horses fallen dead ascending hill-tops, and throwing down some lead in a very the Cumberland. The men shouldered their spiteful way, but did no damage. I concluded, blankets, gave one last look at their steed stiffafter crossing and seeing one fellow blazing away ening in the keen frosty night air, and clambered among the rocks, to try and cure him with a on over the rocks. When I reached the topmost little saltpetre, as salt was scarce, and called two crest I cried, " All hail, Kentucky!" and stretchof my lads out of the ranks. One of them drew ed out my arm as if to grasp and welcome a long a sight on him, and he cut up some very ludi- lost friend. The excitement was over, and I crous antics for a sane man. He flew round and felt faint and giddy. I scarcely know how I scrabbled about among the rocks, and then made got down; and when I reached the little valley a dart up the hill, rattling down the stones at an at the foot of the mountain, and had a fire of alarming rate; he bounced about it as if burnt rails kindled, fatigue overpowered all the animal with a hot iron, and not at all pleased with the wants and ailments, and the moment I lay down impression made. upon the frozen earth, I was fast asleep, and so continued until well shaken after sunrise. Our horses had corn here, but we were on short rations. The ground was frozen hard, and all the shoes had been put on the horses' feet, and none short of Richmond or Nicholasville. There had been no kegs of shoes brought to McKees with the corn, and the prospects ahead were dark for the men who had limping horses whose feet were worn to the quick. I saw them cut up clothes and blankets and tie them on their feet, but it did no good; nothing but iron would answer on the frozen and rocky creek beds and gullies which formed our path. We had been signally favored by Providence with unfrozen roads in the enemy's country, but now they were telling on horse-flesh. Every day a score or more of men were compelled to drop their horses and shoulder their muskets. There was no murmuring; nor did I hear a whimper from any man who marched twenty or thirty miles in a day (all unused to walking as he was), with his boots worn and torn, and his feet on the rocks and frozen ground. Two days after our arrival on Kentucky soil, we encountered a storm, which raised all the Tennessee rivers and made them unfordable. Two days after our arrival here at Nicholasville, has come upon us the heaviest snow-storm for many years. I lift my hands in praise when I think of our escape from this storm among the mountains, and shudder at the thought of what would have been the condition of man and beast there without food or forage. We should have been compelled to adopt the

At Jonesville, Va., the rebels had quite a force. After our column had passed they engaged our rear guard of the Seventh Ohio, and we were all halted, the General sending back the rifles of Co. B, Ninth Pa. Cavalry, to deploy as skirmishers and engage them in the open field, and Co. D, Ninth Pa., with sabres. It was understood that they expected to engage our attention, so long as to enable a force to move around by Poor valley, occupy the mountain pass, engage our front, and have us between two fires. We were crossing at our old gap (only twenty miles from the Cumberland Gap), contrary to their expectations. There was some little firing on our front, and quite a brisk little skirmish in the rear. As usual they kept at too great a distance for their shooting and did no harm, but there were several rebels shot down by our rear guard and skirmishers, among whom were some Michigan rifles, when they concluded to draw off and let us go on our "winding way," which we did without further molestation. We had made a very severe day's march, with a little sprinkling of fighting, and nothing to eat since the night before for man or beast, and while we were at Jonesville, there was a very fair prospect of a regular mountain battle for the possession of the pass. I had been giddy from want of food and rest, while marching down to Watauga, but did not feel it much during the excitement of the homeward march. I slept on my horse during the bushwhacking of the day; and while waiting for the rear to scatter the ene

plan Duroc proposed to Napoleon at Moscow: fried, and he ate on the principle of the Indian, to slaughter, salt, and eat his horses to save his "eat much, get strong!" The tired soldier, who

men.

Our most arduous and hazardous march had not seen the inside of a house for months, of five hundred miles to and fro in twenty days, rested, after six days' march and no sleep, as over an almost impracticable mountain country only such men can rest when they know the in mid-winter, has been a complete success. Of pickets are posted and the guard mounted; he one thousand men, there were only two killed, taking the Kentuckian for his guard. At suntwo wounded, and six missing-supposed to be captured.

I must relate a little incident of the march coming down the Red Bird, in a country where "corndodgers are worth a dime. A part of one I have preserved as a curiosity, for its fossil-like appearance, to show what a soldier can subsist on when he is put to it. I think I must have it engraven for Harper or Frank Leslie, with all the finger-marks on it. The "corndodger" is an institution; and he is fitly named, as any one can tell who takes him in hand; for if he is mixed up as usual with water and no salt, and well baked and thrown at you, if you do not dodge, and he hits you, his name will be remembered for many a long day, I warrant it.

rise he was wakened by the "thud, thud," of the corn-grinding machine, and presently the good dame invited him to sit at the table to the corndodgers, the bacon-scraps, and the corn-coffee, innocent of sugar or cream, so as to expedite him on his way before the children were up to have their remnants of clothes put on them. After he had eaten, not before, his host apologized for the lateness of his breakfast, saying that his corn was all eaten over night, and he had to go four miles to borrow some of his near neighbor for the soldier's breakfast. The soldier donning his load, having received no pay for more than four months, thanked him as he should have been thanked by a man ready and willing to pay, but having no money in his pocket, and with unwonted full stomach went on his way rejoicing to overtake his comrades.

In the western counties of Kentucky saw-mills and grist-mills are known to but few inhabitants. The corn is broken into coarse grains with a pes- Where indeed among the rich will such hospitle attached to a spring-pole, or grated on a piece tality, such abnegation of self be found? or of tin or iron punched out rough with a nail. The where among them the man that will contribute country is clear of wind-mills or sieves to clear it such a mite to his country? It is like the of husks; such superfluities have been played out, scriptural widow, who, out of her poverty "gave or rather they have never been played in; but even all that she had." When we arrived at hospitality has not been played out. I will relate Big Hill we were met by a wagon train ladened an incident. The horse of one of my soldiers with rations and corn that had been sent for by yielded up his life on the rugged paths this side Gen. Carter's messenger pressed on before us at of the Cumberland mountain. The soldier was Manchester, on our homeward route, to order the making his way in the rear of the column over train forward to us. When the white-topped the rocks of the Red Bird, with his pistol at his wagons were seen by our men, one universal belt and his trusty rifle, which had done him such shout went up as a glorification for the hard good service at Watauga river (his " Betsy Ann," bread they knew them to contain. To men who as he called it), on one shoulder and his, blankets had been roasting lumps of corn meal or of on the other, trudging along at sunset for the wheat flour in the ashes for days, the transition camp, miles ahead of him, and "whistling as he was great indeed, and ere dark the "slow went for want of thought," when a native over- enough" coffee was boiling, the bacon toasting on took him. "Stranger," said he, "you have a the sticks, and "there was a great feast of fat heavy load; give me your blankets" (and he things" that night. Resting at Big Hill a few took them off his shoulder). "You must come hours, with the cares and perplexities of the and stay with me to-night down to my house at march off my shoulders, I had time to look back the Big Rocks." So soldier, nothing loth, acqui- at the beauties of the place, which I had not esced, and they trudged through mud and over done when we moved forward. Here is a tablerocks, and in the bed of the creek for some land four hundred feet high, which was once the miles, and arrived at his clay-chinked cabin, shore of the great lake of which the "blue grass where were his "household gods" in form of region" is the bottom. The sand-stone strata of a wife and a host of children, such as are to be seventy feet crowning this table land has been found in every poor man's cabin in Kentucky. washed into many singular and unique forms, You will almost see the exact counterpart of the each cliff so unlike the other that each would primer-book picture of John Rogers' wife, ex- make a separate picture. In one place there is cepting there will be ten, eleven, or twelve children a genuine mountain, apart as it were. who can just peep over each others' heads in ter had washed entirely around it. The soft regular gradation beside "the one at the breast." under strata giving way was only saved by the The host says, "Mary Ann, can you get supper capping, which, covered with some earth and for this tired soldier?" Yes," says the wife, trees, once formed an island in the lake some "if you pound the corn," and she handed him distance from shore. Moving along for several four ears, which he soon manipulated with his miles these sand-stone cap rocks are seen in spring pole and pestle in the yard. The supper fantastic array succeeding each other, and you was soon prepared of the corn mixed with water are astonished at the varied forms of them and (no salt, for they had none), and scraps of bacon at the sudden change in the form of each as you

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view it from another point. They are all well worth transferring to canvas, and as they have been somewhat noted in these wars, they should be placed with its illustrations. The quiet" blue grass region" possessed a great charm to our worn and anxious minds longing for rest, and the old walnut-trees near Richmond, covered with mistletoe until they looked like pine-trees, had a charm of still life in them that was very soothing, lulling the mind into dreams of the Druids and of that olden time when rushing, fiery modern wars were unknown.

Perish party-perish clan;
Strike together while you can,
Like the strong arm of one man.

Like the angels' voice sublime,
Heard above a world of crime,
Crying for the end of Time.

With one heart and with one mouth,
Let the North speak to the South;
Speak the word befitting both.

"Fellow Soldiers of the Sebenth Regiment: I is mighty glad to enjoy dis portunity for enjoying dis fust free Christmas in dis world what we live in. A year ago, where was we? We was down in de dark land of slavery. And now where are we? We are free men, and soldiers of the United States. And what have we to do? We have to fight de rebels so dat we never more be slaves. When de day of battle come what will we do? I speak for me, and I say for myself, I go and fight de rebels till de last man die. Yes, under de flags what was presented to us from New York, we fight till de last man die; and if I be de last man, what will I do? I hold up de flags, and if I die, den I go to my grave consified for doing my duty. De President of de United States is one great man what has done more good dan any oder man what ever was borned. I bless de Lord we fight for so good Commander. I have no more to say now and evermore Amen."

CONSCRIPT QUAKERS. - An amusing incident occurred at the Provost Marshal's office at Gen. Lee's head-quarters at Orange Court House, Va. Four Quakers were brought in as conscripts from Loudon. They were ordered to fall in the ranks, in order to be marched to the command to which they were to be assigned. They refused, saying, "We will not fall in, but will follow whithersoever thou leadest." A few persuasive arguments, however, in the shape of thrusts with bayonets, changed their opinions, and they fell in and marched off to camp.

THE PRESIDENT AND THE PAYMASTER. One of the numerous paymasters at Washington sought an introduction to Mr. Lincoln. He arrived at the White House quite opportunely, and was introduced to the President by the United States Marshal, with his blandest smile. While shaking hands with the President the paymaster remarked, "I have no official business with you, Mr. President, I only called to pay my compliments." "I understand," replied honest Abe," "and from the complaints of the soldiers, I think that is all you do pay."

AN INCIDENT OF VICKSBURG.-A correspondent relates the following: :- A wife who dwelt in the West, beyond the lakes, whose husCHRISTMAS AMONG THE FREEDMEN. - It is band is an officer in the army, had not heard well understood that Christmas was the grand from him for some weeks. Two small boys holiday of the slaves on the southern planta- were with him, - their only ones. While she sat tions. In some parts of the South, the colored at home, reading a paper, her eyes fell upon a people have this year, 1863, celebrated it with notice of the death of her husband. All the unusual zest. A correspondent writes home about tenderness of a mother's love, all the strength of one celebration by the soldiers of the Ninth Lou- a wife's devotion, nerved her to start immediately isiana Regiment, corps d' Afrique, and tells how they met and gave expression to their feelings, on Christmas day their first free Christmas. After prayer, and speeches were in order, one man, says the correspondent, spoke about as follows:

for her children, and clasp them to a widowed heart. Day after day passed; how slowly let a mother tell; how tedious let a widow speak who knows her idol broken in a distant land. Two weeks were past ere she reached Vicksburg

Three days a sand bar! What torture! At gret at the neglect of those at home took posseslast she reached the hoped-for city. As the boat sion of him. Happy are they who have homes neared the wharf one looked at the crowd, and and loved ones to hear from! While it is the saw her two boys upon ponies, and beside them cruelest of all neglect not to write to those relathe father and husband. One long, piercing cry tives in the army; if it makes them sad and unof joy filled the air; the husband flew, rather happy, how much more must those feel whose than ran, and took the lifeless form in his arms. homes are in possession of the enemy, and they It was too much of joy for a heart overcharged cannot hear from their relatives." with grief. The strings snapped and reason tottered for a time, to fall, in two days, to the sleep of death.