e hard earnings of this
regiment. How many hearts will be gladdened by the receipt of the
little pittances sent, and how loth many will be to use the money when
they remember the toil endured to obtain it! But let the friends rest
assured that the _money_ was not thought of. A purer, a more noble
thought and higher aim animated the breasts, of those who have so
nobly suffered--a determination to see their country's honor
maintained.

Our pickets have scoured the country around, far and near, but no
signs of the enemy can be found. There is no doubt but that they have
retired for the winter. There will, however, be plenty left to guard
the interests of the Federal army until spring, when, no doubt, the
campaign will be opened with vigor, if not sooner settled.

In the reconnoissance by our regiment, a week since, traces of Captain
Bense and his party were found in the Secession camp; several of Hall
& Cobb's (our sutlers) checks being found in their camp, and a
prisoner, afterward brought in, said they had been forwarded to
Richmond, Va.

A rumor that this regiment is to be immediately ordered to Cincinnati
set the boys fairly dancing; but Madame Rumor is so frequent a visitor
that the more sensible scarcely noticed her arrival. The most
authentic rumor is, that Colonel Bosley is to be made a
brigadier-general. "We shall see what we shall see."

The sky is threatening, and dark as midnight, the air intensely cold,
and we are hourly expecting a regular old snow-storm. Chestnuts, fine
and ripe, are abundant; there are hundreds of bushels all over these
hills, while wild grapes are as abundant as hops in Kent.

Yesterday, a wild-cat was shot and brought into camp by one of the 3d
Ohio boys. He was about three feet in length, and a "varmint" I
shouldn't like to meet on a dark night.

Yours,

Alf.

THE WOMEN OF THE SOUTH.

A great deal has been written about them, and there is no doubt but
they are a thousandfold more bitter than the men. They were, and many
are yet, perfectly venomous; and the more ignorant, the more spiteful
they seem. The following act was blazoned forth as wonderfully heroic
in its character, just after our forces occupied Philippa, Beelington,
and Beverly:

"The two noble heroines, Misses Abbie Kerr and Mary McLeod, of
Fairmont, Marion County, who rode from their home to Philippa, a
distance of thirty-odd miles, to appr