but, "cuss me" if I haven't hunted in vain for
the article during the past two weeks, and, with no exception
whatever, save among the laboring class, have I found an out-and-out
Union man. They answer with a "double meaning," when questioned, and
are _professed_ Union men while the army is here, and strong
Secessionists when the rebel army can protect them.

The fact is, all the true Union men have been driven by the merciless
foe into the woods--at any rate from their homes. Acts of the most
fiendish barbarity have been committed, and the aiders and abettors
are within a few miles of this camp, unmolested, enjoying the comforts
of a home, while the true patriot, driven from his family to the hills
of his native State, is

"Unsheltered by night, and unrested by day;
The heath for his barracks--revenge for his pay."

An incident occurred in General Fry's division a few days since. Two
of the 2d Minnesota Regiment, John A. Smith and Mr. Mervis, both of
St. Paul, went out, by permission of their captain, in search of
butter and eggs. They took two good horses with them, and although a
week has passed, neither men nor horses have returned. The sequel
proves that these men were captured by armed residents of this
neighborhood, as yesterday a company were sent out for forage, and
with them a number of servants were sent for eatables. Arriving at the
house of 'Squire McMurray, a well-known Secessionist, who has two sons
in the rebel army, the boys made inquiries of the servants in regard
to their missing comrades, and found out they had been taken by a
party of guerrillas from near this very house. The old scoundrel
McMurray openly exulted over the fact, and thought it very comical to
have the "Yankees" jerked up once in awhile. "It will teach them,"
said he, "to stay at home." The boys wanted to purchase some chickens
and turkeys, but he refused to sell to "Yanks," swearing his turkeys
were not fattened for "Down-easters." Mrs. McMurray hurriedly came
out, and ordered all her black servants in the house, as she said she
didn't want her niggers contaminated with "sich white trash."

About two hours after this conversation the brigade teams _drove up_,
and soon _drove off_ with ten loads of corn and oats, amounting to
sixty dollars. 'Squire McMurray refused to receive a voucher offered
by the Quarter-master, and said they were of no account to him--it was
only a trick of the Abolition Government to rob the farmers; they