Evansville weekly journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 184?-18??, 1848-08-03

RETURNING VoLUETEERs.-The following ar
ticle detailing the wrongs inflicted upon the
brave and patriotic volunteers who are now.
from the scenes of their triumph in
Mexico, we copy from the Cairo Qll.) Delta, a
neutral paper. The treatment of these brave
men by Government has been most outrageous,
and we doubt if the British convict ships could
turn out as ragged and dirty set oflooking be-
ings as those volunteers who have passed this
city on their way home. And the food that
was provided for them, we have been told by
several. was wormy, rotten and sinking, such
as would have turned the stomach of South
ern negro, and such, we venture to say, as the
British Government would not dare 10 offer its
conyicts. We learn from several of the vol
unteers who belong to our city and who served
with the Indiana and Ohio troops, that the be-
lief among the volunteers is that it was Gen.
Buffers recommendation to the War Depart
ment that induced the order toreturn the troops
TO their homes before mastering them out of
service, which not only returned them to their
friends ragged, dirty, and often naked, but de-
prived them of their mileage, about fifty del
lars each, which would have been sufficient to
have clothed them decently. Be this as it may,
we know that when Gen. Butler appeared in
one of the courts in New Orleans to plead
against some of the Ohio volunteers who claim
ed their discharge, he stated among other things
that, SIT Mould be an imposition upon the citi
GEMS of Nel0 Orleans to discharge in that COM
munity such q body of soldiers as qcas theu IN
that city" Put this and that together and we
do not wonder at the belief of the volunteers
that they owe the wrongs and contumely they
have suffered to the interference of Gen. But
Ter, who of all others should have stood their
friend. The following is the article we alfude
to:
"Boats are continually passing this point la
den with volunteers returning to their homes.
From the different cities, we hear of the warm
reception they are everywhere receiving ex-
pressive 10 the feelings of admiration and ap-
proval elected by their gallant achievements
in Mexico, which have added TO the glory of
American arms, and extended American pow
er. These volunteers have done their duty, and
the duty of an American soldier comprises all
y,
heroism and good conduct. 1t leaves them no
choice between victory and death. For doing
this duty faithfully, they do not ask any other
reward than that which the government and
their own hearts give-yet the gratitude of a
country no less should be meeted to them, at
least by welcome worthy of their services
We do not think any American soldier deserves
praise for doing his duty, for if he did not 60
it he would be unworthy the name and sta
tion--yet he does deserve some expressions
of respect for answering the call of his coun-
try, and thus placing himself in the way of that
duty.
''But the volunteers whom we have seen
pass Cairo by hundreds, do not look like the
men of whose bravery we have read with ad-
miration, and whose gallant deeds will live in
history-or as men who having fought great
fight, and gained great victories, are not return
ing triumphant TO the country and people
which sent them abroad. Splendid ''triumphs
these! Rags, filth and abomination! Their
wives or their sweethearts, would scarcely clasp
them in loves warm embrace, did these brave
soldiers seek the welcome in their present con-
dition. 1t lisa shame upon GoyerEm ant, that the
men who have preserved from shame the great
act of this administration, the present war
| should thus be permitted to seek their homes
| in rags. Toll e-sure, when these men are dis
! SuniSoo tuCy VIII NC pdlu vi, dllu III Tic llcdi
time they are compelled to live in the rags anc
filth they collected in Mexico, and with the
loss of mileage to the soldiers, probably near
ly fifty dollars to the man. We have beer
told, too, that the provisions provided for the
subsistence of these men on their way from n
Orleans to the cities above this point. wer
such as would not be touched by some of TIL
men till hunger alone compe lied them to swal
low. As we have this only on the authorit
of fifty volunteers, the public can believe a
: they please. We do know, however, that o.
the stoppage of one boat here for few hours
the ''gallant volunteers" were about town try
ing to beg their breakfast, and pleading almos
starv alton. The greatest indignation prevail
among all these volunteers in relation to thei
treatment. On our word, it is very poor poll
cy in the Administration, just before an cleo
ton. For instance, if We may mention tn
fact as neutral paper, there were $50 volur
, teers on. the steamer Missouri, of which a
: with the exception of dozen or twenty, wi
: gofor TAYLOR simply from the manner in whic
they have been treated by Government, and ur
V Outstanding that TAYLOR was favorable to the
discharge at n. Orleans"