The Lansing state Republican. [volume] (Lansing, Mich.) 1855-1874, 1862-12-31

Fl. DoxKLsoN, rExN, Dec Is, 1852.

on the south ~ est bank o. the Cumberland River,
stands th. renowned Fort Donelson. IL is not
. structure Of mug ste pile: o, upon another
with turre,s a.. tower, vide mouth cannoAs a.
port holes, AID embrazaIes. bat simply al exten
sive earth rork e.noankmeat, with vide ditch
on she outside, enclosing probably two hundred
| acres OF hilly GROUND. Around this Ia every dit
rec,ioE, trees we're felIed with their tops out
| ward. This with the surrounding rifle pits,
| steep hills and formidable wat,r batteries,
makes Us wonder hos It ~as evertaken. The fort
itself, is now abandoned, but one mile Up the
river il the town Of Dover, whoa place ~e
now hold with the Esd IL, Floods battery,
and one company OF the 5th Iowa cavalry
This place was the county seat OF Stewar, Co.,
and numbered before the war, probably thou
sand inhabitants. The most @. i! is nos L.
ashes. Stone foundations and black.ned orlch
sails marx the place where the Court House,
and many a fDe mansion stood Such - war.
Nav il never reach our pleasant homes in this
shape. The Cumberland river is very INV, no
boats having been up here tor six months. Al
our army stores hauled over land. by muie
1
miles over the worst roads ever travelled by hu-
man beings, up great hills covered With rocks,
and down into deep ho!io.s, ~hsre the SUI
never shines. The whole of this country on
each side, and between the Cumberland and
Tennessee rivers, is & hiIls, rocky, and densel,
wooded country. abounding in immense beds Of
iron ore. All on: intrenchments and tortifcs
tons are red with it, and present curious ap-
pearance 10 the new conner.
All around US are the graves OF the ''brsve
thousands, who sleep here their last sleep, ana
who fought here their last battle"
"No sound shall awake them TO glory again"
Not a day passes, but We tread the spot where
lies a HERo. Many buried here, without q
slab or mark to snow their resting place. You
NAV zee a little morni Of earth, or a little hoL
low, but even these are iAs; becoming obI;erated
On yonder hill, surrounded by rude paling %,
sticks, stands q common wooden head board, on
~hch is printed the names OF the brave llth
Illinois, who here won immortal glory. Over
their graves, like weeping willows, hang the
limbs OF trees, that have been partially cut CA
oy the passing balls and shells. Ga the left, ana
ret more than ten feet distant is a long mound
of earth Hs-a la 49, --L~i 'iesd-traitors TO
Earth to earth, and dust TO eus,
i Here the evil ami the just,
| Here the youthful and the old
| Here the fearful ana the bold
Here the patriot and BETRAYED
! In one common grave laid
Mothers and father. OF our land, yet weep for
The lose of their sons. No more will they s
together by the social board, and pleasant hearth
stone. The bodies OF their loved ones lie here
all around us-on yonder h-in Wonder hollow
under our very feet. And here are We fight
ing on, for cur constitution, our country, and
our homes. Fighting the rebe.Iious South, while
Great Britain aud France, and many ciul
zens OF the free North-soiue of them our fathers
and brothers, are holding out encouragement att
sympathy to our enemies Here are We the
solder OF the Union, lighting for the Union, with
Il fire in front, ard - fire in the rear" Coco
.od how long, On! how long is this to last !?
Euglsnd talks about her want OF cotton, ana
points to her starving millions. II she had said
TO the South, in the outset "you are traitors
and rebels, and we will have nothing to DO with
you-if the North bad been perfectly united
not sparing the divine institution" do you
think We would have TO be here fighting this
day. No This rebellion would have been en-
ded long ago. God only knows where this thing
is to end. But we know 81 He rules in the arm
les of Heaven and among the inhabitants of the
Earth" Oh! you people of the North, who
sympaihise with traitors, aud are SO sensitive on
the niger question, come down here where
your SOD. are, and if you do not become aboli
.ionist.-yes, oboiitioni,ts, in less than week.
will give you over to "bardness OF heart and
blindness of mind" We soldiers are all sboIi-
tionists, Republicans, Democrats, and all And
Why not? Go where will through this coun
try, and We see the rebellion supported and Kept
upon lie legs by slave labor.
"Dsrkey, what you doing heres"
working de plantation. ard taking care Of
nissus and de chillen.'
Where lie your ms=fer.'
"Os, he and young masss Dick. done gone to
ole virginny, to fight de dam Yankees, and !
hope dey'i git huff Of it fore dey gits back Use
glad de dam Yankees has come III co Norf now y
Whats that you cav, you black rascal /.
You wont 90 North. You be a good g.igger,
stay where you are; take good care Of missus
and the plantation, and raise all the corn ano
bacon you for your master. Yoa are best
IF where you are"
This practically has been the language OF our
generals, to the loyal iaoorers of the Sou;h,
Who have supplied the rebel army with food
This is Sighting Al enemy With a vengeance
Tais instiiation OF slavery which man, Northern
men are carefully protecting. is indeed lovely
and divine Institution" An institution uude'
~hich men sell their o~n flesh and blood-thei,
, sons to bondage, and their daughters to infaD,y
This is DO idle tax. Come here and ! will shou
i. rou. Well We will son -. 80 .haii -oe
J on the first of January We can never end tbi:
! var under heaven until slavery il abolished Ths
moment you pitch this institution overheard
The rebellion ia gone Up. Bat enough Of this
/, believe God has charge of this work, and b.
! Gill not suffer the wrong to triumph.
II Yours for the Cuion,
SOLDIER LADDIE
4 Mr.. SEWARD and the Proeia m ton.
In his Official corresponSepce With Mr. ADAM