Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-03-07


rebel prisoners Of war from Fort Donelson
now quartered at that Camp to the num-
Der Of between six and seven thousand,
gives the following as the result of his per
sopal observation:
Most Of them have been in service for
five or six months, during which time, they
assure US, they have endured much hard
ship, exposure and bad treatment, but re-
ceived not cent Of their promised pay
Their clothing is sparse and badly worn,
and scarcely two men in any one company
or regiment are dressed alike. The yellow
brown cloth, Of the texture Of "Kentucky
jean," which is so common among farmers
and country people at the South, is the
predominatiDg material of the coats and
pantaloons Some Of the regiments they
tell us, were finely uniformed when they
first went into the service, but the wear and
tear of marching and hard work at the en-
trenchments soon rendered their Soldier
clothes" ragged and useless. They have
had much tough work, and have been gen.
orally treated more as slaves than as free
white men by their officers. Many of them
express themselves sick and disguised with
the war, and long for the return of peace,
no matter on what terms, SO that they may
60 home, which they have not seen or even
heard from for months. The married men
among them, who left wives and children
behind them, are specially anxious for peace
and a reunion with their families. ave
have been forced into this scrape," said
one tall, wiry Tennessee farmer, ''and now
all we want is to go back to our homes and
stay there. We thought you Northerners
meant us mischief, but we know better now,
l reckon, and don't see the use Of this fight !
ing" Another-an Alabamian-said: -
"You folks up var treat us a mighty sight
better than our own folks have treated us
down thar, and when our people down
thar find out the honest truth, thar's right |
smart chance of this war stopping short
and l hope to God it will, for want to go
home."
This is tho way a good many of them
talk-especially the Tennesseeans, Ken
tuckians and some of the Alabamians.--
The Mississippans and Texans are general
ly more belligerant. They would rather
fight than eat. They are reckless and
cheerful, but deeply set in their prejudices.
There are exceptions even in these regi-
ments, but they are exceptions to the rule.
But whether hostile or friendly-whether
desirous of peace or eager to go back into
rebel army-all alike appear TO be cheerful
and express themselves grateful for the
good treatment they have invariably met
ruff iho Tntn -, h..
capture. Only two things they complain
of--that the Union soldiers pundered them
of their clothing and other private baggage
at Fort Donelson, leaving them with not a
stitch Of any kind of clothing besides what
they have on, and that their officers have
nearly all been taken from them and sent
elsewhere. However, when they speak of
these grievances, they take it phiIosphically,
declaring that they have been and are fully
prepared 70 share all the fortunes Of war,
whether good or bad, and acknowledging
that they have received much better treat
ment since their capture than they had a
right 70 expect Of us. They expected to
be jeered and insulted on every side, and
dreaded that more than all else, and have
been so agreesbly disappointed, that they
now feel like brothers towards those whom
they recently regarded as their deadly enc
mics.
There is quite number Of mere bows in
some Of the regiments, and but few men
who are over thirty years of age. We did
not see solitary gray head among them
all The wild young fellows are the most
reckless and warlike. One Of them ex-
pressed their disposition exactly, when he
said, II dor't keer copper whether school
keeps or notp
II is difficult to convince these misled
men that tho object of this war is not to
free the slaves, or that President Lincoln is
not an Abolitionist. These and similar alb
surd notions appear to have been so deeply
impressed upon their minds by lying poll
ticians and leaders 'down thar" that they
eannot be readily persuaded that they have
been deceived. One Tennesseean told us
the reason why be enlisted was the suppos.
ition that the Hortherners were coming down
there to free all their slaves, and "a big pile
of as went into the war thinking so; but il
this is all a lie, why for my part, am sor
~ WI oH't = AA0ohNb ~ au1 " 1OuE fOlhS
for | have nothing agin EN-
Some Of them supposed that they arc
fghling for the old Union, and that the
NortheFners wanted 10 break It up so as "a
abolish slasoFy-@and they hardly believe
yod when you tel them that the Northern,
ere are lighting % preserve the Union, and
that ell that Presidsnt Liacolu or'auy of as
ask Of the South Is that they shall respect
the Constitution, the laws and the Cover.
mental authotity Of the old Union Of Wash.
ington, Jefferson, and jackson, under which
we have lived and prospered 30 long. In.
deed, very few of these men can tell n
definitely what they have been lighting for
Some Of them went into tho rebel army
"lof the fun Of the thing others because
they were forced into il, and not foW be
cause they supposed that they were going
10 keep the Abolitionists from Invading th4
South for the puposs Of freeing the "nig
gers pIandefing their homes, and desolat
ing sheir county.
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