Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1862-07-28
Extract from "a letter found on Ihe body
Of dead Yankee, after the battle ~
Gaines lIiIi.
NORTH MIDDLEBOBO, June 18th, 1862.
FRIEND BEALE:
FRIEND BEALE

Do you not see a foreshadowing of Lincoln's
ultimate designs, in references to slavery, in nis
proposal to purchase and free tho slaves7 And
/ let US thank God, and honor those members Of
| Congress who so cordially seconded the prOPO-
siEiOn, that the suggestion was not allowed to
waste itself on the desert aiT.
Thus, in my feeble way, 10 7 attempt to turn
over our national affairs, and, for the tine being,
to adopt the most favorable conclusions 1 can
not, however, fully penetrate the mist which en-
VelOps every ray Of light emenatlng from cur
western and southern horizon, so as 70 distinctly
see the rising star OF hope. Oar achievements
in Missouri, Tennessee, Western Virginia.
Louisiana, Mississippi, South and North Caro-
lima, Florida, etc, are all very good as tar Gs
they 90 but alas where do we find that
amount Of staunch Unionism which viii pre-
Glade the necessity of utter subjagation, and
| the establishment OF a military dictaton
Il cannot yet fully sympathizs with your ap-
prshensions Of the re-sstsbllshment Of the slave
| power on a frmer basis than ever before, unless
our Western States form q coalition with the
| South for the sake Of a free Southern commerce.
I somewhat fear this result, since an Eastern and
/ Western collision seems TO have shown itself IN
| our Congress. There is probably, less symps-
/ thy for the slave at the West than in New Eng
land, from the fact that the capabilities Ui black
men, in a state Of abjeet servitude, are better
| known there than among US, and that the West
eru people know less and think less Of the ele-
waiting power Of freedom and Of education, IN
/ the negro race than We do who estimate men ac-
cording to mental rather than according to their
] me e animal powers. II We can aid IN opening
/ the Mississippi to Western trade, this may be-
| all some of our Western demag0gUes want Of us,
and they may then cast Us of. hope this is
/ but imaginary and that our Western brethren
will aid US in establishing the freest government
| the sun ever Illuminated.
By the way, how do you Ike squint-eyed
Butler? Isn't he q whole taami' Didn't he
relieve the New Orleans Mayor Of his pOnderous
weight of responsibility, IN q manner we csll
/ " e caution to magistrates q Didn't he pull
/ the New Orleans ladies " Cd cunohne over
/ their sensual. develish" eyes, IN a fashion to
guarantee to them leg 6al as lheT PES. PES
security? Ha-ha-HAl Go it. Butler thou
/ shalt be our next governor, if thou wilt become
| A Republican, and protect thy neck trOm New
| Orleans lamp post court of inquiry.
/ Didn't our feet, at Memphis, pitch in, tooth
aud nail, neck and heels giving the rebels FITS,
and then restoring portion Of them by Mis-
sissipUi bath That's the way to show them
the s'lsst ditch which they find so difficult t0
DESIGNATE. They have called for Z" war to the
/ knife " war to the bitter end, and hope,
/ ike tavern waiting men, our soldiers viii give
them what they have called for SO many tmess
and so loudly and pOmPOusly.
Thus Tar allow me to exult over some things
which have been done and further let me
charge my pet regiment, from the old colony,
never to shame their sires and other relatives
and friends, by any dislOyal or eOwardlY act.
/ Especially do we eye company D.
| Learn, however, TO distinguish between e0ur-
| age and presumption. True courage is often
consistent with hssty and even prscipitate re-
| treat while 10 stand yOur ground would be the
| hight of presumption " The prudent man for
sesth an evil and hideth himself, but the simple
| pass on and are punished Prov.
This principle needs neither definition nor
/ illustration. Your own sagacity must decide
when caution is the better part Of vslor.