Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1847-03-04
CAMP BELKNAP, Texas,
November IL. 1916.


DEAR SIR: There is nothing which all persons, and
particularly editors Of newspapers, should be more
careful Of than believing and giving circulation to
various reports over fictitious and real signatures,
concerning the reputation of individuals who are
absent from home in the army. With some, few
who vet remain here and many others who have gone
home. (being discharged under some pretence or
another this system of SANDER has prevailed to an
outrageous degree, and many good and valuable
soldier has been very seriously injured both in reputa
ton and feelings, by the secret malice of some coward
" enemy who writes letter home, when here he would
not dare to utter word of his infamous lies.
Many ISLANDERS have been circulated and published
to the world, concerning the different Indiana Regi-
mens and about many of the officers connected with
them: and amongst others. the 1st Regimen has
come in for its full share. One of these contemplate
miscreans for fancied wrong, few days since,
detected in writing letter for publication IN the
New Orleans Delta in which he described that Regi-
ment and particularly the Marion Guards, sci
of complete and perfect robbers, charging that they
plundered the wreck of the steamboat Col. Harvey,
(Which recently wrecked at the mouth of the river
and that they robbed boxes trunks and casks of goods
and appropriated them to their own use, all OF which
was as false as III, and he knew 1T. This letter he
was taking measures to have published, not only in
the papers in New Orleans, but in the Louisville
Journal and in >other papers in the United States.
Having been detected in this infa act before the
letter was sent, he taken before the proper au-
tOrtY and required 10 state under OGh, an me JdctS
tcic he knetc connected with the wreck of that unfor
tunate boat and of the alleged plundering and
robbing. His statement when on oath gave the lie
in toio to his whole letter; and after subscribing to
his affidavit he was suffered to go at large. am OF
the opinion that he should have been shot, although
would probably be difficult to fud the law for his
executions but any one who will, under such circum-
stances, SANDER innocent men fouy, and in way.
when the chances of detection and of contradiction
are SO few, and when the injury is vital and per-
mancnt certainly does not deserve TO live. To the
spirit and energy of the officers of that company,
Capt McDougal and Lieut.. Wallace, we indebted
for exposing the vile and miserable liar, and for
crushing this infamous conspiracy in the bud, before
il had spread its deadly influence. The Indiana
Brigade has the reputation of being the most orderly
men in the army, and regiment is more so than the
lst This regiment although it has done no fighting,
has been posted where there more real aanger,
than in any battle which has yet been fought during
the war Men under excitement can fight, nay, all
men, under the ordinary circumstances of battle.
tciR fght-eren cordrds; but TO place men where the
LIST regiment have been posted for the last three
MONTHS ,rifhout ercifeent but where they daily
their comrades wasting away and falling around them
by the slow hand of disease; when the dead march
is heard almost every day, and the slow solitary file
of men 90 out day by day to bury their dead COM
panions, sohen all is gloom and desolaion, see men
bear all this without nr1rnur, and you have the
lofest species of courage which men capable off
all this the LIST gegnsnt has endured, but am happy
to inform you their health IS now rapidly improving.
In the next active service this brigade will be
placed in the van. Truly yours,
g tc VOLUNTEER.