From Southern Missouri

DESOLATION OF THE COUNTRY.

(Special Cor. To the Missouri Dem.)

Rock House Creek, Mo., April 6.

The advance guard of our army, under Gen. Osterhaus, camped at this point last evening, having marched twenty miles from their old camp at Cross Timbers. – The people in this vicinity are mostly Union, there being but three secessionists on this road from Cassville to Flat Creek. I stopped with a good Union man last night and found several of his neighbors present, all anxious to be informed whether our army was going to leave them to the tender mercies of the secessionists. – They said no money could hire them to endure the constant annoyance submitted to last summer. They were obliged to leave their families and crops suffering, and shelter themselves for days and weeks in the bush to get out of reach of the rebels. Bands of outlaws frequently came down from Cassville and would rob Union men of everything in their houses; blankets, bread, bacon, &c., and if they caught the owner he would be taken to Cassville under a strong guard. In consequence of uncertainties of the future and unquiet state of the country, but a few are making any preparations to put in crops. Farms are laid waste and fences burned up along the main road, and Union men are discouraged. The secessionists have mostly gone South with their negroes. Some Union people have not only abandoned the idea of making crops, but are setting there waiting, intending to forsake all and emigrate to a place of safety.

The wounded are doing well at Cassville. The Court House and all prominent stores are being used as hospitals, it being a fortunate circumstance for them that the owners of the principal buildings had stampeded from the town.

On the 30th and expedition consisting of cavalry and two mountain howitzers reconnoitered the country about Huntsville. At the latter place it was found that a force of rebel cavalry, whom we intended to bag, had made good their retreat.

The flag planted by Gen. Curtis at Keitsville was ruthlessly torn down, but was recently brought in, and when last seen was floating over the Provost Marshall’s office at Cassville.

– Published in The Gate City, Keokuk, Iowa, Tuesday, April 15, 1862