The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1862-07-29
&aentillt atnion.
sor Freedom AMI Nationality.
:. G. mEHCER, Editor.
TUESDAY MORNING, July %. 1862


country, in circumstances which rendee
the war an outrage Of peculiar aggrava-
ton. The Government calls for an army
to defeat the foe and vast concourse Of
patriots assemble to chastise him, aud
save the nation. Actuated by the no.
blest and most self-sacrifcing spirit, the
physician and lawyer leave their Offices,
the farmer his lovely home, the trades
man quits his shop, the mechanic his
bench, and the laborer his daily toll
forsaking home, wives, children, friends,
business, and the sweet repose Of civil
life with its swine and lgtree," to try the
hard fare, and severe exposure of the sol
dicr's life---the forced march--the
drifted snow purpled with gore--the
burning heat of summer and choking
clouds of dust---the drenching torrent of
rain-the hospital-ihe dreadful shock of
battle, All this the patriot soldier faces,
and if his heart quails it is but for a
moment for the love Of country inspires
him with more than mortal courage, and
the voice which speaks within his breast
is not uttered by earthly lips; and thus
'In spite Of surglng pillows roar
The torrd march--the deadly shore"
he marches on--on, repeating as he goes
"For thee, Cair Freedom, welcome all the past,
For thee my country, welcome even tn, last"
He resches the territory of the
enemy, eager for a conflict with the
enemy; he has no love for war
as a profession and longs to conquer
peace, that he may return to the de-
lights of his former life which no mo-
tive save that of patriotism could ever
have impelled him to forsake Weeks,
months pass away, and there is no
battle no advance is made. He is
in the midst of population, many of
whom sympathize heartily with his arm
cd enemy, and many moro of whom are
actually aiding that enemy. lie is be-
set with spies, who dog his footsteps
everywhere. A distinguished rebel Cen
eral has a fine plantation and many SER
wants near the camp; but he is ordered
not to modest them, and for fear he might
transgress orders, he is sent with some
others TO protect the plantation and ne
grOesJ The next day he is detailed to
! maud n r,k,1's orcborJ. fbo ,,~4 J,r .,
protect rebels cornfeld from the depre-
dations of some soldier who wants the
luxury of a roasting car; and on success =
siye days he is sent to protect the cotton
| gin of rebel General, to guard the
wheat pens Of rebel Colonel TO guard
the corn cribs of rebel Captain; and, to
keep his fellow soldiers away from the
spring of a rebel Commissary. When ho
has discharged these duties, his officer
sends him along with violent rebel who
has just returned from the army, and
found that one of his negroes has escaped
to the Federal camp, TO aid in arresting
the fugitive He and his messmates,
broken down by the drudgery ofIhe day,
have eaten their plain, hard fare, which
hunger made savory, and now sit before
their tents in the pleasant moonlight
summing up the events Of the day. As
they smoke their pipes he hears one OF
his comrades say: "Well, don't you think
that old rebel M, whose son shot one
of our pickets a few weeks ago, got per-
NIT to bring some goods through our
lines?' Another one speaks up; "Yes,
and our General wrote pass to-day, for
that old she rebel, Mrs. B., TO go
and visit L." Another pale-fac
boy says; "They made me stand guard
for three days because gathered some
apples in rebels orchard The takers
hush up for a moment, for the dashing
commander of the post comes sweeping
past them accompanied by gay belle Of
the neighborhood, who Is noted for her
rebel prociyitios, The cavaliers pass
and the conversation is renewed, but is
soon broken by a saddcr interruption
-Four comrades come bearing in fellow
soldier, who was shot through the head
by an assassin, while he was standing on
guard at he cornfeld TO keep soldiers
from stealing rebel roasting ears. Better
a loyal soldier be assassinated than an
ear Of traitors corn be stolcnl
and presently a messenger, gallops IN
with the news that company of guer-
rillas have captured the officer who lately
rode by the group, while he was taking
tea with the iair secessionist at her farm
house a mile distant Would il be deemed
strange if these soldiers were to say
eve had better return to our homes than
come away from our families to protect
the property Of the very men whom we
wish to fight We came to fight as soldiers
aud our officer has turned us into police
to watch over the corncribs, orchards, and
hen-roosts Of traitors. Our officers frolic
with rebel planters, and compel us TO dig
bitches and repair roads when there are
thousands Of slaves belonging to traitors
at our very doors, who are more than
willing to leave their masters who use
them toraise corn for the rebel army, and
come and work for us We enlisted as
soldiers, and the Government has made
us drudgcs.n
The ardor and energy Of the best
troops in the world would melt away In