Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-12-11
Letter from the 98th Reg't.

ed here on Saturday little after noon
having marched 40 miles in fraction over
two days. H..
Our stay at Lebanon was rather pleasant
for soldiers life, and we at the time regret
cd, for several reasons, the necessity that
required us to move. One Of these reasons
was that we, with prospect that we might
stay all, or at least a part of the winter
there, had taken soma piins to 80 regulate
and fix up our camp as to make it quite
comfortable. Another was that the citi
zens appeared anxious to have the regiment
remain, and had done everything thsy
could do to keep it there. They applied by
petition to Gen. Gilbert. They sent a
Committee with petition, to Louisville,
to be forwarded by Gen Boyle to General
Wright, asking that the oSth might be left
at Lebanon on post duty--assigning as their
principal reason, that the regiment had done
more to Jreah up the straggling and stealia0
and destruction of property IN the neightor-
hooi haa any regiment hat had ever been
stationed there. The various acts of kind
ness received by the regiment at the hands
of the citizens gave assurance that they
really had warm feeling for the regiment,
and honestly wished it to remain; but tho
34th brigade was orderA TO Columbia and
the 9sth belonged to the brigade, and, as
matter Of course, had to move with it. We,
however, shall always remember Lebanon,
as one Of the bright spots in Loydl Ken
htchy class it with Shelbyvile, where
loyalty exists not merely in name, but in
deeds that speak louder thm words, aud
where Unionism is of that true, genuine
character, and so thoroughly implanted in
the patriotic heart of the people that it
cannot be swayed from its devotion to the
Government, even by the raw-hend and
bloody bones cry of ''nigger," "nigger,"
and where the people are so attached to the
"Old Government" and the "Old Flag"
that they are willing they shouli be preserved
whether slavery goes up or slavery goes
down.
We have heard great deal through n
certain class Of papers and speakers at the
North about the ''nigger' about negro
labor competing with white labor AMI about
negro equality, &c. We would just say 10
these specially men," you had better
come down here and learn something about
the importance and the value of the ''col-
ored individual. Here he is everything
the wealth, the commerce, and the principle
production. The foundation, tho super
structure, and the furniture. The producer,
the preserver, and the consumer. The
object Of traffic, the cause of lawsuits, and
the principal subject of conversation. Ho
nurses, feeds, keeps and raises the white
race and is fast transforming their langu-
age by the introduction of the poculiarities
Of his own: and the de, dis, and dat over
dah, lookey heah, and the done aud gone
in all their broad accent are as common in
the conversation of the master or mistress
and their families, as in the cabins of the
slave. He is the everything, the every.
where, and the all and in ALL No matter
which way you turn, or whore you CO., the
omnipresent, the all-pervading 'individu
al, !" i n some shape or other, stares you in
the face. You find him on the block in
front of the court house, with nice sleek
deputy sheriff along side of him, and quite
crowd of the 'mtelAgent White race"
around him. The salesman begins, "What
do hear for this likely looking boy. Only
80 years Of age--good eyes-- good teeth
sound limbs-and an excellent farm hand:
What do hear Tor him ?--going, going,
gone-and that is, apparently, the end of
the individual" You step into the court
house, the court is in session, the judge is
on the bench looking seven times wiser than
the sages Of Greece, his whole attention
apparently occupied with some great, grave
question. You listen to the learned COUNSEL
at the bar as he argues his application for q
new trial on the grounds that the suit-that
had been decided against him and which
occupied tho court for several days--had
not been brought il the name of the real
party in interest. On inquiry you find that
the "iadiralual," had .been sold and
warranted sound, and that he proved to be
unsound in limb and wind, and that the
court had been engaged in tho trial of a
suit on false warrantee. You leave the
court house and start for the camp. The
sidew walks are filed by the individuals, :"
with buckets Of water on their heads or
baskets on their arms, the street to the
camp is thronged with wagons filled with
provisions and produce, each having an
individual" or two in tho centre surround
ed by pics or s.h-ortcake and corn bread =,
or perhaps roasted turkey, chicken or duck
or potatoes, apples and onions-- all engaged
in driving sharp trades with the soldiers for
the benefit Of their masters, and manifest
ing degree ofshrewdness they have never
been credited with--taking good care never
to have any change for bill--no matter
how much silver they get-unless they
happen to have a supply Of postage our
rency. You get into the camp and think,
well now am certainly clear Of tho staple, T"