A correspondent writing from Corinth, Mississippi, sends the following in relation to the Commander in Chief of the Western armies:
There is yet no sign of an immediate intention of General Halleck to leave Corinth. But with him what is apparently improbable today may be certain tomorrow. Events may forecast their shadows but the move ments of General Halleck do not. His plans lie always buried in that safest of repositories—his own head—until the hour for their execution has arrived. Not even the members of his staff, holding the most confidential positions, share their burden until then. Independence of conception seems one of the main characteristics of his mind.
The commander in chief still has his headquarters upon the premises first occupied by him after entering Corinth. The mansion is stately in proportions compared to the generality of buildings in Corinth, but the General had the rooms occupied as offices and contented himself with a plain wall tent pitched in the yard.
No one approaching the general headquarters would suppose, from their quiet appearance, that here dwelled the central authority, ruling with immense military power and almost absolute prerogatives over an extent of territory as vast as the greatest European empire. There is no noise, no bustle, no commotion of any kind. There is more fuss in camp about the quarters of a colonel, and the quietest in all this quietude is General Halleck himself. He reads quietly he talks quietly, he smokes quietly, he walks quietly. Yet, in spite of want of martial animation about his abode, there is life, incessantly active life, under this even surface. Whatever his qualifications as a leader of armies in the field may be, it must be acknowledged that he discharges the general supervisory duties of his position with the utmost faithfulness, and exacts the same of all his immediate subordinates. He receives all visitors on business, examines all reports, writes all important orders, and so quiet and quick is his way of disposing of the immense business daily crowded upon him, that he finds time enough to look after details. Thus he can be seen almost every morning wandering leisurely about the streets, with a cigar in his mouth, and looking into the enforcement of the police regulations established by him for the town, the condition of things at the railroad depot, in the public store houses, etc., etc. Many a negligent commissary, quartermaster and provost marshal have already felt the effect of these morning walks.
The Weekly Pioneer and Democrat, Saint Paul, MN