The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1861-11-10
EXPERIENCES OF A REPENTANT REBEL
SOLDIER.
TO TIE EDITOR OF TIE HERALD


RAlrraoRE, Nov. 9, 1851.
SRI am Of many unfortunate young men v ho
LEFT their homes aud hres'es only last May join the
southern army, and to assist the rebels in prosecuting
their lary schemes seduced BY the promises
Of unprne pied friends in the employ Of Jea Davis and
others instructed - leave nothing untnrned-
the vcst mcansto wdscori aud turmoil through
out Maryland and tho border States in order TO enlist
the sympathies Of the peope in their behalf aud thus
the services u the bone and snew Of the land
havo just returned home from raid Or may be allowed
term it) through the western part Of Virginia. and
now employed mostly in acts of pcnance and sor-
rowfu lamentations my foli!es and youthful ex
tIava ,anccs.
How | once moro got home !, would be long
AMI sud story to relate, and were to describe
how | deserted the ranks of those misguided men
who suffered the trials with perhaps you
woaid hardly credit my story.s Suffice II To say, how
ever. that having watched an opportunity, when
on PICKET duty, threw away my muskct and started
oil through Wild region, with days ratons to take
my chances Maryland soil. / 30
fortunate Ineet crossing the Potomac several
officers in Maryland regiment, who, with all the hui
m,ny Of pa. ont, received prohisal ard as
sisted my way home. Since my ARRIVAL have had
opportunity reading your valuable oarnal several
lot,crs from persons in Virginia the south having
comlIand, n15Yeinenis contemplated by HE govern
niont tc believe NEST OF these letters arc cor
rect in he main: but yet have seen aud read
n thin tha, gives apytAi Ike trne descrp tion Of
the nn disorders prevailing in the CoDtedo
Amy. WIS t:es5 things are so lite known cianot
explaa, il be that laH is enforced among ths
rebel soldefs msking IL death opnhhsh IL Nrta,
or to acn.nn s,se N any way news or aavices DIS
yaraging TO tho government branch tn cot Some
OF my own companions IN artns--among whom would
inc George Jonkias, Peter Arnold and Henry Scott
most crte.y haadld by their oiicrrs IN command,
and Afterwards secretly shot for merely attempting
write u certain complaints of the Mss ria5
cral weeks stationed ct Manassas but after
the fight AZ J. ~ rcn my company was vs"red on in
August las to oln part ~ Gen Lee fore So that INV
experience IN regari the decentralization existing
Is All the Ioth OF August bit II Their
Improvement on what saw ana heard daring my
plment rnder Hearegard aDd johnston no language
convey lair description OF the sad condition OF
utie affairs we'll the trials and sai.t SIS Of
poor doudcd soldiers. have good many olccis
ana psiyates VINO We're IN camp AT fAitIax anu tho
surro Ing nexhbpf hopn LATE The 10th October
ailof whom have nsnuaed to mo the same imp ess,Dn
IN gtd to the state OF affairs throughout the army
from which gather that tcsc is Improvement. Now
it wo!ld lie Almost useless for mo to ATTEMPT to specify
all the Evils VIII alluded, and 10 give Ia deta ali
the cimp.aints which en,nate from the saplr
ntiing Of thosan hl-het rs they by tn iron
hand o mill ary d.spo5 sn The Richmond lapcrs W no
FOE long .biant the ab,rtiyc Efforts Of the
abolition lists to make u the hac If prepared for
tho rebel cale ana cfce.s, t.eil way to Bull
But tie oct p-eous c-uey AMI severity not OF discpinc
b'i Of tyry, exercised In The rebel cam far
than gOu 1ai.Gci s Tarrf 10 b. sre sort
iay0 IL! Nn.ch csteuCS % cw mes. by Wbch ~ y
| enaeavcr SUPP faitiny lis bosdnation; b Il
tie ci3ws, VII, ENJOY certain privileges are theworst
spcpels u hum ,nity, and wh Ut ,iase ray oChfis
iAi sentiment /, iinipc the dark SPOTS ia hcir pr
ve.ei aad bIrke rs. The consequence IS, that oct
tesimeht. aboGt two three conpa-
| MOS tire well equipped, while the Dalaac. are TART y
without hats or caps, obliged ola cl3thng, cast
OF ovcrcoats an ,egSed shoes OF little use ia
| paigring.
upo farm houses and peaceful citizens, We're MT A. for
| aGcg
The f,ct is that tn, generals Of the South have from
tms 70 mt becn bosterng up the expectations Of tho
so e hy yigg cmnts Of No.ihc.n pb.ic s,ntia ut
y promises OF great ana unlimited booty AMI bounty
Washington was t1kon as well as b. a thoasi.ll
coa.ns, which find lust chm sslcal as farming the
Of tho Mississippi up stream They have all nj NJ
uclajI that te would las. long. and that a
little Patience their sie wouid place them il oss
so of tto des rci They have, moreover published
to the M my false peaceful ovcriufes tn
them by the eJerai government which coald not DO
accepted sufficiently hono able satiiac!ory nsarc
rn.nont settlement Of affairs in the South Another
powerful incentive made Il by OF the lcadors
sc tie hope Of those who dos re submit ~ honorab
to their peace with the federal government
Is that rntsr any circumstance they Cannot trust In
the justice or magnaiimy OF their Northern iocs AMI
that the stigma OF rcbeion viii forever adhere to tn
thereby reducing them TO the cndiion Of SAY or Grim
nas, wherefore they argue would be better 10 fight 1t
out to desperation than 10 Weld - any terms ohor than
| unconditi nal I'd 'rendcncS.
have regret the loss Of small journal which
riei 10 ut me for tho purpose Of noting the mpor
tart incidents transpi m II The emp and On tn oh
some o viii ii would be wof tn reat tg md highly later
cstng youtns who wish gain experience in
that mode o lie. En-. unfortunately (pcrLaps you will
not believe nc) the knowing OF the agmy-ceas9rs
cal theln-wsle in the habit OF searching the and
examining thf written affairs in any shape, ami il the
slightest word therein initiated against the immaculate
purity Of secession forthwith, the offenders cCnsgn
cd 10 cogaiga and terrible punishment; that
shrcwd caos2h 20 anticipate any sgch in my cas-.
and dc try what little had committed to paper.
Now, believe me when tell yon what one Of objects
IN addressing You Is 10 make little aolein mt fol
tn wrsg have done to myself and others In bsing iet
away having spent my substance and gcd sell witt
husks Of swine. should have made the public
! acknowledgement here the spot, bat for tho fac
| tiat most OF NY kindred and friends ar
strong synpa,hiscrs with the South and would pcrsecu
extremes II they could saccccd IA tracing the
OF such lafcrmat The Union papcs ready to b
lsh my story Of Wrongs and sorrows. but that
hey promise secrecy yet h y viii vouch save
from the consequences Of discovery the machna,on
OF southern spiis give you my in full from wnicl
yen VIII tha am related closely TO one Of the odas
and most respectable families Of this State and
both In the male and fctc line, from the signers OF tn
Dec aration Of Independence. My ancestors fought am
bed in the oi lre dun and preserving as hav
always done the sifil which actfatrd them took 81 e
with the Soath nder tie lae impression that their right
were irvried and tcf nntitatins threatened with dcs
! tr elton.
", therefore, ~ hing to counteract the crec.
o. ny IA shnc AMI n caaps, VIII not hesitate tiloae
! woui IKE 10 % tnllt appearing on the publi
st SC uati Ei1,c bnft'i .ecasim. Bot IL my shnr
atve viii 4, al aiyaE u the carsc of tr0th ustc
and humanity sou en- sl i IN way you thiaN pre-
| Ter.
SON, n cAncl.-i l i.t l3r saya wori in rrfcscnrc
t4 l M