The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1862-11-26


had an undisputed title fee simple 10 his
time and labor, his cote and his person.
OF such Is the bone and sinew of the
rebel arm. Do you ask, Twill those men
6ght?' Certainly they will! Instigated
to deeds Of barbarous cruelty by crafty
leaders, excited to almost frensy by the
vilainous lies so constantly circulated by
rebel officers and sympathisers, thesr brain
on fire with gunpowder and whisky-they
will fight. Pirates, bandits and highway
men do the same. During an imprison-
ment Of nearly year I saw enough Of the
character Of rebel soldiers, to convince any
sane man that, as class, they don't know
enough to treat prisoner Of war decently,
and il they did know they are so superla.
lively mean that they would not The
writer Of this has seen evidences of their
cruelty to convict them Of all that pertains
to the vilest of savag.s. It often seemed
as If they put themselves to extra trouble
to do some act to make US more miserable
and our condition more unbearable. They
treated US worse than an Iowa farmer
would use his dog. We had not food
enough to eat, clothes enough to keep US
warm or cover our nakcdness, and neither
medicines or attendance for the sick,
wounded and dying The food provided
was often vf such character that to starve
on, nothing was preferable TO dying by
inches on such diet. The food given us
was often Of such character that decent
hog might smell of, but nsver eat. A trial
OF prson-fare in Memphis, Tuscaloosa,
Montgomery, Macon and Richmond, would
satisfy the most incredulous of one Of two
things; either that the southern conthieve-
racy has not the ability to treat prisoners
Of war decently. or its managers are too
informally mean to do so. 81. #
1t is not designed to attempt picture Of
'our treatment, for, like the Albany drayman
who refused to swear when his dray upset,
there is no use Of it, for can't do the
subject justice" Sometimes when viewing
the horrible sufferings Of the poor fellows
who were absolutel, starving to death in
southern hospitals, (slaushterhouse is the
more proper nsme,) I've wished that the
hellish conspirators who are at the head
and front Of this rebellion, could be made
to suffer likewise If you desire to form a
tolerably fair idea of the horrors of prison
hospital in the south, just imagine the case
as bad as you deem possible for human
kind to bear, then multiply the result an
hundred fold and you will approximate the
truth. But your readers have enough. of
this for once and I'll drop the subject, at
least for the present
Why in the name Of the past hav'nt you
sent me copy of the TINES? How do
you suppose I'm ing to get well without
the aid of its cheering face each week to
give me renewed lie and hope. didn't
know where you were." Indeed that's q
pretty excuse; why, I supposed you edi.
tors knew everything. Well, Mr.. TINES
please don't "fail to connect" he,eafter.-
Do you know when I went on the field at
Belmont, copy Of your paper was in my
pocket, and after the battle, being some.
what atunceremoniously introduced to 'south.
crn society,"" the TINES was my bosom
companion. finally learned I was among
heathens and turned colporteur, and gave
the paper to rabia Kentucky rebel, in
hopes OF converting him from the error of
his ways by furnishing him with the word
of truth. l guess it did improve him some
what, for the next day he was christian
enough to bring me very excellent dinner
for that country.
Lo, after all the blowing Of those weak
kneed, tender backed fellows who call
themselves conservative, our noble Prcsi.
dent has had nerve enough to issue proc.
lamation looking the rebellion square in the
face. |, for one, am most profoundly
grateful to Mr.. Lincoln for this, and all |
want now is to see Linn maintain his posi-,
ton. But the proclamation must be
promptly backed by bayonets or it will
prove dead letter. -~.
There is strong Union sentiment in
some portions Of the south, but it is entirely
latent and really Of no earthly, practical
benefit to the Federal army. The iron hand
Of the Richmond Dynasty is lain heavily
on all sections Of the south, and the few
Union men scattered over the country must
be strictly silent, or profess open allegiance
to the confederate authorities, else they are
thrown into loathsomc prisons. their fani.
lies outraged or murdered, and their prop
erty destroyed or converted to the use OF
jeff Davis contheiveracy.
There has evidently been very mistaken
idea with many people at the north relative
to this question. The sooner the Admins.
tration at Washington. and the people Of
the north, look this matter fairly and
squarely in the face, the better it will be for
all concerned. The war has been conduct
cd on the kid'glove plan too long already.
Our generals have made themselves the
laughing stock Of nearly all creation by
treating an armed foe of half million des.
perate men, as If it were mere boys play, a
family wrangle, tempest in teapot
sort Of affair which could be settled in
thirty, sixty or ninety days. and then
shake hands all round and be good friends
again. We might as we'll look at the whole
truth in all its hideousness first as last
the southernsrs are IN de.lly earnest, and
they will fight as long as there is any show
for SucceSSf;ll resistance We ar. NJ WAR,