MEMPHIS DAILY APPEAL [ATLANTA, GA], December 24, 1863, p. 2, c. 3

Letter from Mississippi.

Special Correspondence of the Memphis Appeal.]

Jackson, December 17, 1863.

Since my last, I have had nothing of importance to communicate from this benighted region. Through the kindness of an officer at this place, I am permitted to extract the following from a letter written by a sister, (a Miss of fourteen years), living in New Orleans, giving a description of the Confederate grave yard in that city; also a list of all Confederate soldiers buried there, up to the 4th of November last. The description and appearance of this sacred place on "All Soul's Day," will no doubt be interesting to your readers. . . After a description of her visit to the place, she says: "The Confederate graves were beautifully decorated, not one neglected. The presented a glorious contrast to the graves of the Federals, some of which were covered with weeds that made it almost impossible to see the head-boards. Where the Union ladies were we should like to know. In the center of the Confederate burial ground (which is in Cypress Grove) there is a cross about seven feet high, covered with black velvet, and spangled with gold. In golden letters inscribed on the front of the cross, are these words, 'To our Southern brothers, by the ladies of New Orleans.' On the other side, on the cross piece, are three wreaths, the one on each end being red, and the one in the center white--which gives the red, white and red of our flag--while the top of the cross is surmounted with a wreath of olive. The name, regiment, and place of death is inscribed on each head-board. There is not a blade of grass an inch high to be seen about them. Each head-board is entwined with a wreath of evergreen, interspersed with white flowers, fit emblems of the hearts of our dead heroes, while the graves themselves were planted with red and white flowers. . . .