, 1862-07-28
A G. KTERTED DEMOCRAT,
4 Letter from Col J. s. Wilcox Of
the sd Ill. Vol.

n AttASA II Vm NV1 80 ~ W AlCVA VI |
the sd Ill. Vol.
HON THE REBE Is SHOULD BE TREATED.
The following letter from Col ]. 8. Wilcox
Of the Illinois 52d regiment was read at war
meetipg held in Elgin last Monday. Colonel
Wilcox Was conservative" Democrat when
at home. Read what he Says,
HEADqrRrEns ED RECT. Ill. Vol.
CAMP AosroosERr, near torinth,
FRIEND RAYMOND Nothing Of interest
tranepires in this branch Of the great Union
army. To-day is copy Of yesterdsy, and to-
day:
There seems to be a lun In the bloody strife
of War, slnce the terrible battles before Rich
mond, yet in the seeming calm, both parties
are but pa9sing to regain breath and grid their
stantly changing the relative positions Of men
and things, frequently requires that the policy
OF men and governments should be correspol-
diDgly changed; and believe the time has
come nov, {perhaps 1t came long ago,) when
damnable rebels should be materially changed
While the strife was going on in the bo:der
States, where there we're undoubtedly quite q
number Of really loyal men, it was well enough
to guard and reconstruct their railways, and
to protect persons and property; but nov we
stand upon the Northern line Of q State whose
Inhabitants, IN their miserable, arrogant,
vicious ignorance, are al rebels. Here I think
the policy should change II they saw fit to
destroy their railroads, ! would not interfere.
would fnish the work. If they wished to
burn their cotton, would use their corn and
entirely enTs ID destit1te a Instead st of fssding @
these Wretched women and children who
use the food we give them. in carrying to
intelligence Of our strength and position,
gathered while reaching their hands to receive
our bounty, would tell them to lock for food
and shelter to-" those same husbands and
fathers I tell you these men chuckse with
derisive laughter, to think they can leave their
| families and property safely IN cur hands, and
bave us feed the one and guard the other. I
! have done with that policy which, By plncfug
| guards over every farm house, villageand city,
and along the lines Of every railway, has SO
weakened the fighting front Of our army thatin
every encounter these aceursed rebels have au-
me1ically superior force, compelling our brave
boys to fight against odds. Such slaughter as
| Eeeufe1ed before Richmond, makes the heart
sick. I say let these guards be withdrawn.
# the rebel property may, by any possibility,
| Ut 4Au1t u UtEuluG u3tIut 10 Tile Te0elB Ii
prolonging this unholy strife, burn it, destroy
It. Let our men join their comrades with
the main army, ana In battles let us have 9
! force EQUAL, at least, if not superior to that
Of the enemy, and then if widows and orphans
must weep the loss Of husbands and fatherE
slain in battle, let them be widows aud or
phans Of dead rebels: II homes must bs
made desolate, let the hearthstones Of rabelt
be cold. We pass over their country anG
leave it producing more food for rebel sup
port than when we came. would leave it
blackened Wastel We hare men enough il
this army to do it. Suppose We shonld marc1
to the gu1f, carrying ruin and desolatio1
wherever We vent; when the tale was told tx
Georgia, that the Union army had really de
Wasted the State Of Mississippi, and was upo1
their border to utterly uproot and destroy
everything upon which rebellion could exist
ence to the Law? I tell you not long. They
IN their british i.norauce, cannot comprehen.
The meaning of the term m1gnauimity. Gu
mlldness they believe to be the result of COW
arGice. You dare not treat US otherwise, 6a,
they.
We have too long supported and pampere,
them with cur right hand while We warded ot
their blows and softly admonished with on
left believe in giving it to them with boz.
hands and foot, tooth and nail. We need
larger army, and 1hear call for more troop
has been issued by the president. Now
|
creased from fifteen to twenty per cent yer
easily, cost nothing, but be saving to gov
| ernment. Take my regiment for instance; "
taVe about $50 men for duty, Of these owe
sixty are constantly employed on extra an
aaily duty, in driving teams, loading and ur
negroes offer their services (and In these caps
cities would do good service) for the ex5r
duty, pay these tcamsters, ETC., draw fror
government.
By employing the negroes, these sixty o
sure you, am most heartily sick Of the SET
timenta1 tenderness we have shown thes
miserable wretches. a truly noble, inten
gent man can respect another without fearin
him, but these people are not Of that Stang
infancy. They have with the lash beat respee
| for themselves into the outward action of th
; slave, and with the grinding heel {
: aristocratic despotism, the rich hay
forced the poor into like manifestation
Cling se Of Tie ai meant iatfnos se@
and they respect that which they fear. Whe
VIC have visited them with terrible punisl
{ Insnt, mey wll ns.I Y anu r. rEspecI and obey Il
} have no adequate conception Of the ignoran
: british stupidity Of these rebels. They Al
slaves. Southern Cbivalry! Great HEAVIER
!; what stupendous humbug. The chivalry
i the sneaking, cold blooded migrate, who pa
s taklng o1 1ls hospitality, would plunge tt
i, asEassin's dagger into the heart Of his hos
am getting malicious toward these wretche
e whose deVilish work is making Eo many hit
c ertO happy homes sad and desolate, who a
3 madly striving to tear down the fairest hb1
j. of republican government the wisdom of nj
It ever devised, who are profaning evecythil
d sacred and holy, who are destroying evezythi.
,- noble, generous and good, who are trampli1
$ upon every principle OF Eectitude aud hone
IS that I do not often speak or write Of them
o would not willingly be vindictive or ma1icior
| Init their hanna nrt7 rad rr{fh fha h1oni