Memphis Daily Appeal CS
FROM THE MISSISSIPPI RIVER.
Sunflower River, Nov. 22, 1862.

EDITORS APPEAL: The enemy went down the river on Monday last as low as the mouth of White river, one gun boat, convoying about twenty transports supposed to carry 12,000 men It was thought they were aiming to go up White river, (as they did some twelve or fifteen miles, for we could hear their cannon shelling the banks of the river, as we supposed, on Tuesday evening,) for the purpose of gaining a short route to the Post of Arkansas. I got to my plantation, below Laconia, Ark., on Sunday last. On Monday I was on the bank of the river, and saw the gunboat and transports pass my place. They ran close to the Mississippi shore. One thousand men with artillery could have sunk the steamboats, and killed more men than fell at Manassas. Oh, why were they not there? I waited in breathless anxiety to hear them open on the enemy, not knowing then we had no men on this side to defend the river. One thousand cavalry could protect the river from the mouth of White river to Helena, and the same thing may be said of the Mississippi shore.

Two boats landed one mile below my place on Monday night. On Tuesday they went to my place and took possession, robbing me of two horses, two mules and one negro. On Wednesday they killed nearly all of my stock hogs and cattle, the whole supply I had to support my negroes, carried off eleven negroes, and all my mules hut two, and burnt my steam gin house; nearly all my farming utensils and all my fodder, my engine saw, two gin stands, one saw mill and one corn mill. My neighbors estimate the damage done me at $30,000.

They seemed to have a great desire to capture me. I narrowly evaded them, and came across the river to this side, when I learned the enemy were on Miles McGhee's plantation, doing great mischief there, and at Mr Kirk's and Colonel Hudson's.

They now occupy both banks of the river unopposed by a single soldier of the Confederacy, when one thousand men on either shore would have given ample protection to our property, and secured a vast supply of corn to our army, which otherwise will fall into the hands of the enemy. It Is bad enough for us to lose it, but mortifying beyond description to know that the proceeds of our labor is appropriated by the enemy to feed the hireling tools of despotism.

There is corn enough on the river, which we are giving up to the enemy, to support our army for twelve months. Is it not worth the struggle to preserve it? Gen. Holmes seems to be content to stay forever at Little Rock, far away from the enemy, and totally forgetful that it is
necessary or important to defend the river at all, where the enemy are, and where they are committing outrages upon persons and property unmolested. One thousand of his large army, who are lying idle at Little Rock, would protect the valley of the Mississippi on the Arkansas shore, where supplies could be had to support his army for any reasonable length of time.

It cannot be possible we contemplate giving up the river. Let the press utter its indignant protest. If the river were defended nothing but gunboats could pass. The history of Vicksburg shows they are not dangerous. Every transport could be sunk by artillery on shore. The river must be defended. H.