Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-02-05
Write More Letters to the Soldiers.


hearts ALL, let me entreat you as soldle
and as friend of soldiers, to write us NOR
letters. You have no idea how much goot
they do US, nor in how many ways the.
do US good. Let me instruct you little
WHY SOLDIERS WANT LETTERS.
We are men, individual, self-forming free
men. The tendency of army life and dis
ciplne is to make us forget this. ltmerge
the individual in the mass; it makes u
only parts of one great living. moyln;
whole; we learn to feel that we belong u
our superiors that we are only govern
mental targets to be placed here and ther'
at convenience, to be shot at. About al
the recognition of our humanity that W.
can see in many of our officers is the fac
that we are given guns to shoot back with
but even here we are drilled to bellev'
that we can't ram cartridge, nor place
q cap, nor even dodge a ball, unless W.
get message along the line from the op
orators in epaulets at the different sta
tions above us. But these letters REMIND
us of our manhood, of our birthright, in
dividuality and freedom. What though
they be directed simply to John Smith oil
the outside, with the names of generals
brigadiers- colonels, captains, ETC., used a
guideboards to our obscurity they tell u
that at home at least we are not overlook
ed, and we perhaps recollect ourselves a:
Mr.. Smith, or Smith, ESQ.,. or Rev. Smith
and the intellect and sensibilities all com
mence moving, and the machine become:
a proud, self-conscious, Godlike work o.
God.
Tur coon Yrrrrpc No re ~ Tur CAMP
They make us better soldiers, too. We
get the blues sometimes we feel just like
going to the dogs. Perhaps we are worn
out with duty, or are all wet and muddy
and the fire won't do anything but smoke
and the wind changes as often as we dc
and blows the smoke right in our eyes
And then the coffee is bad and the crack
ers are worse, and all this Just when we
are as hungry as wolves. Or it may be
that we are lying sick in the cold, damp,
hospital, while druggy nurses haunt US
day and night with their nasty old pewter
spoons, as if we were nothing but troughs
to mix up oils and powders in. But the
mail-boy hands us letter-a good long
one from home, or from-ahl you won I
get Us to tell her name, though it did come
to our teeth; so we'll just let it fly around
and sing while within US, and then let
it go back to its cozy nest away down in
our warm hearts. We are not tired now,
the fire has quit smoking, and leaps and
dances just like our spirits. The old mus
ty, rusty crackers and bacon are decidedly
better, and if we shut our eyes and hold
our noses, we can imagine that the coffee
is poured from the bright sunny-faced old
coffee pot at home, enriched with the rich
est kind of cream from the milk old Brin-
die gave last night Or if we are in the
the dull eye begins to sparkle,
l. head cont ache so badly, the fever
nils and =. nine cases out of ten, the Doc
or or, com;ng mn III in N pronounce US better,
ust as if his nasty me,'cines i''O uore oaraJ ~
md not the precious little letter CrNeioO
Up in the blankets.
Yes and they make us better Christians
90. War IS atheistic, heathenish, devil
sh. Qualify it as you may, with all that
utilization and Christianity can do. it is |
et the mightiest reaping-machine in the
arvest of hell. l don't say that God has
othing to do with this machine, but l !
eGeve that hid behind the veil of human |
-rath, He directs every movement to his |
wn glory. But we who drive and pull |
nd feed the mad instrument, are very |
pit to get very much hkeit. Many man |
nters the army almost a saint, but leaves |
almost devil. Many a pure-minded, |
ood boy, when carried away by it be- |
ond home influences and restraints, |
carried further away from home char
cter and reputation, and isruined for
yer. But these letters are the strings
which our hearts are the instru-
tents, and you can play just the kind of
Inc you want to on them. That boy
ho was drunk and swore so shockingly
esterday, took good repenting cry last
ight under his blankets. And the rea-
N was, that he got letter in the after
Don from home, and it reminded him of
is church (perhaps of his church profes-
ons) and the Sabbath-school, and PRAYER
eetings, and it may be that memory
linted the loving picture of the family
tar and he remembers how his fathers /
oice trembled, and how they all wept the
st time he knelt there. o, how he wish
he was there tonight. and a boy again
be taught to pray, and put to bed and
Icked in by his mother. And he goes to
eep crying (soldiers cry, | saw one today I:
Id praying, and he awakes in. the morn
g better man. He reads his Testament ,
wv 1.-THE one with his mothers name in
and goes to the meetings; and Chris (
ins in the regiment whisper it about I
at he Is converted, and thank God and
Ike courage" ., these home influences!
wv they do tie themselves about our
,artsl Cut them off and unless fortified
the stoutest bulwarks of grace, we will /
lose our characters as Christians, gem l
emen and men. {
WHAT SORT OF LETTERS TO WRITE.
And now in conclusion, let me give you
few ideas as to how you should write.-l !
rite cheerfully. Don't enter into long !
about the miseries of the poor
ldier," for we know what these miser- {
are and are not, far better than you do. I
would not check the expression of I
oper sympathy, but we are disposed to t
line too much anyhow, and when Won {
rt the tune at home, we are sure to join
full chorus.
Write long letters and don't leave any {
ID blank spots on the sheet, like little 1
tches Of snow. Interline and crossline I
rs much as you please, so that when we Q
through the regular course of the d
eet we will have some nice titbits for e
Ssert. e
Write about particulars, we have enough o
neraLs-here. Tell us how many kittens
nble over the floor, how many calves
vi at the barn; whether Towser's sore
It IS well yet or not; what kind of :,
ess little Mary has got who took sis n
Ann sleighing last snow, and above all, = !,
o goes home from singing-sehool with II
=, OF course, we won't mention her 4
ne; but you ought to do so, Just as if r.
l didn't know anything about it. And +
At forget to speak of Church and Sab n
n school, prayer-meetings and what
talk about Sabbath evenings, and
at hymns you sing.
Ind thus, having furnished the colors, te
imagination takes her brush and goes Of
painting, and her finishing stroke is n
ays a returning soldier boy all covered N
b scars and glory, and who has laid in
y her brush, sleep unpins the curtain
covers up the picture Of the Dear Old q,
me. q n = +
GRrrr1 -