Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1863-02-17

BY leave we publish the following letter
from Capt. Palmer Of the 10th WIS.,, to
his wife:
MURFREsBoRo. TENN
Jan. 10th 1868.
DEAR WIFE 1t is dark, damp, chill.
y day; no l.ews, no mail, shut up in the
narrow limits of our camp on muddy
ground. The wind shaking the tent as if
to blow it over. So | thought | would
sit down and write line home; my
health is quite good, much better than
could be expected. guess | shall be able
to stand it till the whole Of the 10th Wis.
plays out. We have only 100 privates
for service in the Regiment now, and a
great many of them are nearly not fit for
duty, Diarrhea and camp Fever is get
ting prevalent in nearly all the Regiments
Don't think that | am troubled with the
blues, not bit Of it; | was only think
ing if the trials of Jobs Patience, extended
TO putting him il the army on short ra-
tons, tor none at ally in an active cam
paign in the winter season, fighting such
desperate men as the rebels are. If so /
think the trial must have been complete.
We get no Northern papers as yet since
the battle, but hear that the reports are
that the rebels were perfectly inhuman to
our wounded and robbed our dead. But
justice demands that the devil even should
have his due; as general thug oul
wounded that fell into their hands were
well used. On Wednesday forenoon, Dec
3lst, our brigade fought to occupy piece
of woods; we fought over the same ground
three times and / saw our wounded that
! the rebels had covered with their own (the
rebePs) blankets, and left canteens of water
beside them. The rebels here did not hult
our wounded men, but the papers are re-
ported as saying that thej robbed our dead /;
true, they took the best clothes and the
valuables from all our dead that they could
get at. But they did the same with their
own dead, reasoning that dead men had
no use for shoes and overcoats. Our men
as a general thing were just as bad as the
rebels, though | did not take anything
from the battlefield that did not belong 10
me. Perhaps you will hear that the reb-
els fired at our Hospitals and at our am
balances and took some of our Surgeons
provisions. But some of our hospitals
were on the field out Of sight of the reb-
ell batteries but not out of reach of their
shells; some shots might bit some of our
hospitals in that way. | don't write this to
offer any apology for The Internal natural
loon meanness OF the dirty scoundrels; but
simply to show that they are mean enough
in all conscience without our correspond
ents lying so about them.
1t begins to rain now and looks dreary
enough; our tent will soon be wet inside
as well as out, for it leaks very bad |
will have to stop writing soon, and when il
clears off and all is bright and cheerful,
| get letters from home then | will write
again, don't think that this war is not COM
ing out all right for it is.
Politicians may howl, Editors scolc,
Lawyers swear, Merchants look blue. Far
mers grumble about taxes, Ministers pray
for peace without caring about justice and
still the world will move on and the war
continue until peace is established on a ba-
sis of Justice. But the war will not be OF
long durati now, though we cannot tell
Just how and where it will be closed; we
ought to have faith enough in truth and
justice, and confidence enough in the PROV
idence of God to believe that all will soon
be well. We hea. that Bragg has been
reinforced with fifty-three Regiments from
the Potomac; don't know anything about
the truth Of it, fine has we will soon have
the honor of whipping part Of the rebel ar
my Of the Potomac. for Rosecrans' army
will never leave the field as long as he will
stay with them. But | hope and believe
that there will not be another battle this
side of the Tennessee River; it rains hard
er still | guess it will turn to snow. am
warm in the clothes you brought and |
will try and keep dry when can and will
be as careful Of my health as can, hope
ing may soon see you all.
Good hv all VIM. TT PALMER.