Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1862-05-12
Special Correspondence Of the Chicago Times.
From Pftfsburg. =

The Name phich should be given TO the Recent
Banie-Disgfecfion IN the Army. curing TO the
abolition of Slavery in the District Of Columbia
Waste of the Army
SAVANNAH, April 26.
i see that our somewhat euphonious title, which
has been attached to the field of the late battle,
is not generally accepted at the North. Whether
it be from a conflict of authority, we, at this dis
lance are not able to judge: but the fact evidently
exists Now, as il is a matter of some import
ance, so tar as history is concerned, / think it
should be settled; and, between the two titles,
we all incline, in this locality, to the more eupho
NOUS one, and having the military authorities of
both sides in our favor, have universally adopted
it. The battlefield of Shiloh is the title of the
spot which is to become famous in the annals Of
futurity as the scene of the most desperate and
bloody conflict of the civil war of America. All
the army documents and papers, even to the
written orders issued to regiments and compa-
MES, bear that title, and | have no doubt that it
will be generally accepted in time as the true des-
~ignation. r
The title arises from the presence on the bat
tlefeld, in close proximity to the point of the
first attack, of a little church of unpretending
appearance and considerable antiquity. 1t was
the place Of worship, where the few inhabitantso of
the surrounding country assembled to hear the
Gospel expounded, and it is TO be hoped, to bet
ter by precept and example, their morals and pol
itics. On the latter head, however, there is strong
doubt, as the Southern church has long been
foremost in upholding what is called Southern
rights. The Methodist church, especially, has
been rampant on this score. and has done as
much injury as some determinations which
have made themselves intensely abolition
at the North. To this little church,
there is a history attached. 1t was built
about fifty years ago by a French Huguenot,
who, being an enthusiast, and something of an
anchorite, left his lone and sought to found, in
the wilderness of Lower Tennessee, a community
of his sect, whose influence should in time ak
tend over the limits OF the New World, and, ina
measure, defy its progebitor. He lived in soli-
tude, his humble church being his home, and the
little field beyond the means of his subsistence.
With a granary filed with corn, and the rough
hewn floor of his church for a bed, he was con-
tent TO live-a wonder to his Pensioners, a
seeming marvel of humanity, yet, in truth, a
second Mahomet in his wild ambitions of the flu
ture. In this way he lived u few years, apart
from the world, and TO all appearances dead to
its sympathies. Yet in time the flesh prevailed.
He met his destiny in the form of a woman, and
his high Intentions went down before the stronger
inclinations of nature. The little church became
an unlawful trysting place, and one morning he
was found weltering in his blood, the victim of a
husbands vengeance. Border blood was quick
and reckless, and bis punishment came speedily.
For years afterwards the untutored inhabitants
looked at the blood stain which mark ed the spot
where he fell in superstitious awe, but time wash
ed if out, and the church of Shiloh again became
the place of worship Its destiny was linked
with blood and violence, and it now stands a
monument of carnage, the center of a great
cemetery, where lie buried nearly seven thousand
men.
The reception of the intelligence BY late pa
pers of the emancipation of slavery in the Dis
trict OF Columbia is having its legitimate effect in
the army. i do not exaggerate in the least when
L say that a large proportion of the army has be-
come disaffected thereby. 1t is impossible to shut
out the signs which are manifested at every point
and in every casual conversation. Even rampant
Republicans do not, as a general thing, uphold
the measure, while among Democrats-and they
are in a vast Observation-Disclosures is excessive.
To belle, in so barefaced a manner, all our pro-
LESSONS of war waged for the Union alone, they
say Is shameful and treacherOus. Among the
soldiers the sentiment is no less freely understood
and discussed, and il is not for men TO
say that they never would have stirred a step in
the direction of the South had this matter been
understood long ago. The Kentucky regiments,
OF which we have a great many, are very much
a%gitated. Men have already deserted and gone
home to their families. where they have slave
property to protect. Officers talk openly of res
i~gnation, and if this course is persisted in will
beyond a doubt carry out their intention. 1t is
not too much to say that the Administration is
doing that which will result in irreparable injury.
The step already taken is as good as a victory for
the encouragement t. of the rebels. and further pro-
greSs in that direction will annihilate every hope
OF bringing them to terms except by brute force.
And yet. while our army is willingly endeavoring
to furnish even that, Congress and the Presidens
are doing the very thing to weaken its physical
.N-a--fl .e .- H. 4-t-.-.
which is of the slightest consequence one way or
the other, but as the almost universal expression
of army men. The fact can not be denied.
To realize the amount consumed by an army
OF the size OF the one now on this ground one
must be on the spot and see what is wasted. The
whole extent of country occupied by our forces
is strewed with property that has gone to waste
without fulfilling in the least its legitimate pur-
poses. Wagons, harness. forage, provisions,
clothing, and all the accessories OF camp life are
strewed over the ground in reckless profusion.
The soldiers throw away everything that becomes
burdensome, and in this manner immense amounts
of property are destroyed. / think that two
thirds of them have thrown away their overcoats.
l could pick up a hundred any day by going
through the woods, and that without going very
far. Of other garments the number is beyond
computation. One can hardly turn round with
out running across some article of clothing. The
overcOats which have thus been abandoned cost
the Government seven and eight dollars apiece,
and must be replaced next fall. Large numbers
of them are bought by the suffers and shipped
north, where they are sold to Jew dealers. The
soldiers realize from ten cents to halt a dollar by
the trade. l knew of an instance where a sutler
collected seventy-fye overcoats on the march
from Nashville here, all of which we're picked up
by a negro in one reighborhood. 1t is quite
common for Quartermasters to collect them at
rates equivalent to the above, and reissue them
on acquisitions at Government prices, thus reali-
zing hundreds and perhaps thousands of dollars
at a single stroke.