The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1862-11-29

~
from Washington: s-y
''Thanksfo Senator Grimes, who arrived here
last night, oil the Iowa prisoners we're declared
exchanged to day. including not only those now
at Benton Barracks and Annspoiis, but also
those who, worn out With the ennui of camp
life, absented themselves without leave Ali
will be furnished transportation BY the Govern.
ment from the place ct which they happen to
DO when the order reaches them to rendezvous
at st. Louis, Whsse they will to Immediately
mustered for active service" 80
The Gallanssy of che PT1Vate Soldiers.
The following extract from the Cincinnati
Commefcisl's Lagrange Correspondence, con-
tains some pertinent comments on the facility of
the promotion Of officers, and the too general
disregard of the merits Of the private in tho
ranks, many Of whom are doubtless better and
atler men and soldiers than the great majority
Of those whom accident has placed above them.
But Il is alwaysso. 2ae So @s tR
The friends Of Bisadisr General Oglesby, of
Illinois, are zealously pressing his claims for pro.
popular and very efficient officer, and will, no
doubt, receive the additional star But, yhiIe
the rage for prouotion 10 % great would L not
be we'll to look for few worthy subjects among
men who have never been honored with COM
mission, but have, from motives Of purest patri-
otism, borne the pfivations and su6erings Of
soldiers life since the commencement of the
war, and have distinguished themselves BY acts
Of heroism and courage upon half dozen battle
fields? There are more than thousand such
men in the Army Of the Southwest to-day
Their deeds seldom get the publicity of print
Official reports of battles never mention them,
and they pass into oblivion, remembered only BY
the few who witnessed them and the actions
themselves. Al Perryville, Gen. Rousseau won
laurels for bravery; but there were private SOL
diers in his command who overstepped the mere
requirements of duty far more than he did,
Rousseau received Major Generals commission
as the reward of his merit; the gallant deeds of
his men we're left to form part of the unwritten
history of the war for the Union. The heroism
of few was observed in the official report, in
the general good condsct of the troops of my
comma and" The bravery of every officer at
Donelson must pale before the intrepidity Of g
common seaman, who, when the terrific FIRE
upon the gunboats was heaviest, stood upon the
deck Of the st. Louis and nailed the stars and
stripes to the flag staff, from which they had
just been shot, And 80 it i, of every battle that
has yet been fought If we're searching for
deeds of valor worthy place in the pages Of
history, as exemplifying to what an extent the
cause Of justice and constitutional liberty may
nerve the soldiers arm, would not expect to
find them in official reports, where the actions
of those low in position are ignored Altogether,
but would hear Of them Is they are talked over
by comrades in camp, or written home to the
few immediate friends of the hero. One Of the
mistakes of the war has been that, while the
transition from Colonel to General has been
comnaratively easy, few have been able to pass
the wide gulf between private aud Lieutenant.
The merest amateur may rise from the position
Of feId-oficer. Napoleon himself might pass
,h,ee wears in frutless effort to have his ser vices
recognized BY promotion from the ranks.