Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-08-08

Atarecent war meeting held In Egin, Illinois,
very spirited and significant letter was read
from Col. J. s. Wilcox of the Illinois Sod Reg
iment. Col. Wilcox was a conservative Demo-
crat" when at home. His experience in rebel
dom has decidedly changed his mind as to the
proper war policy now to be pursued. The let
ter is dated at Camp Montgomery, near Corinth,
July 18th. We have only room for extracts.--
Read them:
Nothing Of interest transpires in this branch
oil the great Union army. To-day is a copy of
yesterday, and tomorrow will probably be
Jdc stDlitc OF TO day.
There seems to be lull in the bloody strife
Of war, since the terrible battles before Rich
mond, yet IN the seeming calm, both parties are
but pausing to regain breath and grid their lions
for fierccr strife Circumstances constantly
changing the relative positions of men and
things, frequently require that the policy of men
and governments should be correspondingly
changed; and believe the time has come now,
(perhaps it came long ago,) when the policy Of
our government toward these damnable rebels
should be materially changed While the
strife was going ON in the border States, where
there were undoubtedly quite number ofreal-
ly loyal men, it was well enough TO guard and
reconstruct their railways, and to protect per-
sons and property; but now we stand upon the
-
their miserable arrogant, vicious ignorance are
all rebels. Here / think the policy should
change. If they saw fit to destroy their rail-
loads, would not interfere, but on the contrary
ifnot thoroughly done, would finish the work
If they wished to burn their cotton, / would
use their corn and bacon for my army, leaving
them entirely destitute. Instead of feeding
these wretched women and children who use
the feed we give them, in carrying to their hus-
bands and fathers in the rebel army intelligence
of our strength and position, gathered while
reaching their hands TO receive our bounty,
would tell them to look for food and shelter TO
those same husbands and fathers. l tell you
these men chuckle with derisive laughter to
think they can leave their families and property
safe in our hands, and have us feed the one and
guard the other have done with that policy
which, by placing guards over every farm house
village and city, and along the lines of every
railway, has so weakened the fighting front o
our army that in every encounter these accurseC
rebels have numerically superior force, com.
pelling our brave boys to fight against fearful
| odds
Such slaughter as we suffered before Rich
mond, makes the heart sick. / say let these
guards be withdrawn. If the rebel property
may, by any possibility be liable to become
useful TO the rebels in prolouging this unholy
STRIFE burn it, destroy it. Let our men join their
comrades with the main army, and in battles
let us have force equal, at least if not superior
TO that of the enemy, and then if widows and
orphans must weep the loss of husbands and
fathers slain in battle, let them be widows and
orphans of dead rebels. If homes must be made
desolate, let the hearthstones of rebels be cold.
We pass over their country and leave it produce
ing more food for rebel support than when we
came. would leave it blackened waste-
We have men enough in the army to do it. Sup
pose we march to the gulf, carrying ruin and
desolation wherever We went; when the tale was
told to Georgia, that the Union army had really
devastated the State of Mississippi, and was up
on their border to utterly uprOot and destroy
everything upon which rebellion could exist
how long would they be in returning to obed
fence to the lawP tell you not long. They
in their british ignorance, cannot comprehen,
the meaning of the term magnanmity Ou
mildness they believe TO be the result of coward
ice. You dare not treat us otherwise, say they
| We have too long supported and pampereC
them with our right hand while we warded of
their blows and softly admonished with our left
| l believe i'll giving 1t to them with both hand
and foot, tooth and nail. We need larger army
and hear n call for more troops has been is
sued by the President. Now think and know
| that this army can be increased from fifteen I,
twenty per cent. very easily, cost nothing bu
| be Il saving to government Take my regimen
for instance; we have about 459 men for duty, o.
these over sixty men are constantly employed
on extra and daily duty, in driving teams load
! ing and unloading wagons cooking, DC. Plen-
| ty of negroes offer their services (and in these
capacities would do as good service) for the ex-
ira duty, pay these teamsters DC, draw from
| the government.
By employing the negroes, these sixty OF
seventy men could resume tie muSket. l as
sure you, am most heartily sick of the senti.
mental tenderness we have shown these misera.
BILE wretches. A truly noble intelligent. mar
can respect another without fearing him. but
| these people are not of that stamp, they have
been taught differently from their infancy. -
They have with the lash beat respect for them
selves into the outward action of the slave, and
with the grinding heel of aristocratc despotism
the rich have forced the poor into like manifes-
tations of esteem. The heart catches something
of the feeling manifested outwardly, and they re-
spect that which they fear. When we have
visited them with terrible punishment, they
will fear, and respect and obey the law, and no
until then will they do so. You have no ade
quate conception of the ignorant british stu
didity of these rebels. They are slaves. South
ern Chivalryl Great Heavens what a stupen
dous humbug. The ehvalry of the sneakine
cold blooded migrate, who, partaking of his hos
pitality, would plunge the assassn's dagger in
to the heart of his host am getting so mali
cious towards these wretches, whose dovilis
work is making so many hitherto happy home
sad and desolate; who are madly striving {
tear down the fairest fabric of republican gov
ernment the wisdom of man ever devised; VIII
are profaning everything sacred aud holy; VIII
are destroying everything noble, generous an,
good; who are trampling upon every principl
Of rectitude and honor that do not often speal
or write of them. l would not willingly b
vindictive or malicious, but their hands are re-
with the blood of innocent men. They dreV