The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-08-02
H1OR GIN. DURLL,D DBRARTMENT.
Csnsspondsnee q ~ Cinstnnsa oassste.

"a OSteSpoooeooe q No Om00nou 0esesse.
HvxrsvnLs, Ala, July 30.
A few days ego citizen of Alabama, residing
among the mountains south of Decatur, distant
some thirty to forty miles. found his way to the
camp Of the Twentieth Brigade and made know1
the fact that In the vicinity Of bis homo there
were many men who were anxious to enlist and
fight for the Union, under the good old flag.
The representations made resulted in sending
Colonsl Straight, With the Fifty first regiment
Indiana Volunteers down into the region named,
With view Of offering protection to any who
might desire 70 enlist. s.s.r.
Z After On absence Of four dsys, Col. Straight
returned 70 camp, bringing with him nearly two
hundred able.bodied and earnest men. When
Colonel Straight nrst reached their homes in
the hill country, not man could BE- found At
his houss, oil Of them being obliged 70 conceal
themselves in the forests OF among the hiding
places Of the mountains, lest they b obliged 70
enter the rebel army BY the hated conscript Law,
or be shot down like Wild beasts for being Union
men. A soon, however, % the Colonel made
known his mission TO the wives and daughters Of
these hardy mountaineers, they were ON the
move to communicate with tho fagitivss; and
within forty eight hours the Colonel was ready
to return with the recruits above named.
= One woman alone mounted horse and scour.
Cd the gorges and de6les for distance Of sixty
miles, and brought into Colonel Straight's camp
twenty-five % brave and true men % the sun
and labor ever Drowned. Scores Of these Pc.
triotic women came to camp with baskets Ol
corn bread and such other edibles q they could
muster, evidently anxious to do all in theil
power to help on the good cause. When the
and sisters Of these selfsacri6cing soldiers bsds
&hAvn ID hha ga en- <hA
stoutess heart. Tears coursed down many Z
manly cheek q the hearty farewell was wrune
out, but with the true womanly spirit, despit.
their own tears, did these patriotic wives tel
their husbands to 60 and fight for the Stars and
Stripes, saying that although restitution and
privation was all that they could expect while
those on whom they should naturally depend
we're away, yet nothing better could be expect
ed should they remain, because for weeks and
months their labor was entirely destroyed BY
the gangs whose business it was to force them to
to fight for cause they could not but hate
When these noble volunteers came into camp,
had the pleasure Of taking scores of them BY the
hand and giving them all word Of cheer. One
noble old man, Is years Of age, Colonel
Davis, came with the party, too old and too
feeble to fight, . fact much regretted by him,
but who had to flee to find protection from the
Rebels, who don't fail to shoot down any one
VINO will stand straight for the good old flag.
In answer to my inquiries, he informed me
that, in the section of country in which he had
lived, and all through North Alabama, they had
three classes, viz the rich or aristocratic class,
all of whom are shareholders; then q poor
class, those who have no visible meas of sup.
port, but who fawn and cringe to the aristo-
cratic class. shat Thrift may follow fawning :"
besides which there is middling class, men Of
small farms and rather limited means, not slave.
holders, linen who earn an honest living with
their own hands," to use the words of the old
man; and, said he, with the fire of youth once
more flashing in his eye, and his bent form
Strengthening to his full hight, this middling
class all 60 for the old flag, the other two are
all rebels with US; to which the listening group
with one accord calculated, "that's So"
By order Of Gen. Buell., these men are to be
mustered, equipped armed and drilled by one
Of his own staff Col. Straight is of the opin.
ion that full three or four regiments of the
same kind Of men could be recruited in the
same region of country. @
will not endeavor to descant upon the facts
narrated above, but will leave each of your rea.
ders to ponder we'll upon what appears to me
to be of great significance.