Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1861-10-24

LING Oui ldliIOlS III tiIeiI StIuSSle,
these men have come from quiet
homes, where to-day are gathered
those who are tenderly loved, who
in the morning and evening pray
that His arm may support those
far away, and who every hour
stop to say, God keep you, my
husband, or my brother. And,
like our fathers, they have taken
up the musket only because a
great principle is at stake; they
will strike only for that principle;
and when it shall be vindicated,
they will return with the halIow-
ed consciousness that they have
done their duty.
There will be as little demoral-
ization connected with the war as
is possible with any war. Never
have | in my life witnessed such
a great tide of feeling, approach
ing the highest patriotism, as |
have seen among those who have
gone from our midst. | do not
believe that soldier there is sub
iected to one half the temptations
which beset him here. | do be-
lieve that many of our men have
shown more manliness since they
left the State, than their comrades
thought them capable of. And |
am very sure that in a common
Massachusetts, muster, lasting but
three days, there is more lntoXIca-
ton and more crime than there
has been in any regiment of vol
unteerS in the last six weeks
These facts, and my own obser-
vation Qor have pursued this
part of my Investigation with
some degree of care) lead me to
believe that the demoralizing in
fluences are fewer In nuu. Der than
might be expected.
Brethren, | am glad to be able
to make this report, for know
the interest you all take in these
things. / went among the sol
dlers freely, conversing with them
in the most familiar way, in the
hope of finding out their true con
dition. | do not mean that my
object was to discover the amount
OF their clothing, or the quality
of their food; these were but the
incidents of my journey. But |
went as a minister, one who feels
that what we are doing is the on
ly thing to be done; and | desired
to know for myself what kind OF
men, spiritually and Intellectual.
ly, we have sent away. And |
confess to being moved as | have
seldom been, when, sitting at my
table in Washington, | saw a
whole regiment standing at their
morning meal, with hats off, and
heads bent, while the commander
looked up to Heaven and asked a
blessing. | felt that the office oI
CHAPLAIN was a mere slnecure.
was sure that the right element
was in the officers and in the men,
felt that we at home could trust
such men to fight our battles foI
us. They are not brutes; they are
not the dogs of society; they are
your brethren and mine, who have
gone of their own accord, anc
who, in going, have simply per
formed their duty. Who come:
to conquer them must first have a
home better schools than ours
and better churches and more ele
waiting influences than those which
give an impulse to all classes o
society here.
And when it was my privilege
to take the hand of him who, IL
his old age, is willing to sacrifice
his few remaining days for hl'
country's welfare, sure that tht
moment the excitement ceases, 1t
indeed, it do not happen before
the golden cord will be broken,
could not but feel that God wa'
with US, and | inv ardly prayed
that our great leader, the Moses
who is to guide US through th'
trough of our affilction, may b'
spared till we pass Jordan, anC
stand on the sacred soil OF tn
Promised Land. And when
, noted his feeble step, and marked
the ravages which time has made
| feared lest, ere the banks OF tn
, liver are gained, he pass FORWARD
to the Holier Land, and fall int
that sleep from which even hi
country's call can not wake him
Here ends my report. 1t re
mains for us 10 be steadfast il
we'll doing at home. Let on
r sympathy be felt everywhere. |
the time of sacrifice comes, let u
5 bend willingly. 1t is not on