Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1863-03-06
Correspondence OF tho Journal
Letter from tho T2d ohio ncgImens.

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Letter from tho T2d Ohio RegIniene.
WHITE STAr:oS, Tenn Feb. is, 1863.
OF news here there is none. The regiment is
lying quietly in camp at White Station, also
Waterhouse's Illinois Battery, guarding some
three miles Of the Railroad. The remainder Of
Col. Buckland's Brigade stretches away toward
Memphis. The condition Of the roads is such
that travel is nearly out of the question: aud the
movement Of troops wholly impossible Hard
ly a day passes without more or less rain. TIE
weather is as warm as rainy.
Rations for the troops are brought by rail, hence
TO usihe mud is no disadvantage To the be-
nighted people Of this rebellious region, this
mud is black starvation. Some Of these early
proselytes to treason, but who now profess, per-
haps sincerely, devotion to the Union, have to
go now forty, fifty, and even seventy miles
through mud aud rain with their cotton or
(rarely) other produce, running the risk of get
ting through army lines and having their cotton
destroyed by thieying guerrilas, to Memphis to
exchange their produce for food and raiment.--
Thisthey must do or starve in nakedness Could
you see these iaded, fleshless teams,-mules,
horses oxen and calycs,-mixed up in promis-
cuous order, with old crazy wagons, you would
realize that war, TO this people is any thing ra-
ther than poetry or glory. l begin to believe
there is on earth visitation upon individuals
and peoples for sins committed. And it would
seem that the very people Of whom / speak
would soon acknowledge if they do not now,
their great sin in rebelling against their coun-
try, aud repent and reform before it is too late.
They have certainly nothing but misery to look
for i'll continuing as they began.
EVsning: Dear JOURNAL readers, Seventy
Six is seated in his tent, by table of soldiers
make, while the rain patters lovingly upon the
cotton roof above him, trying to write some
thing that may be readable. Nothing occurs to
him worthy of relation, hence must travel out.
side the limits of news-wrting, and say a little
concerning the war, the prospect, and the duty
Of the people. As soldier have right to be
heard, and may be pardoned for Offering my
fellow cOuntrymen some advice, whether they
heed or scout it, if .4aH l ]1rll
To begin, then, by answering some questions:
First-HOw do the soldiers fare2 answer tceH
Few at home fare better. They are much bet
ter clothed than is usually represented. They
have in short, all they want and at vastly chea-
are well fed, get more rations than they use, and
of excellent quality. True, more vegetables
would be desirable but we get along very well
without them. We are true pioneers and when
short of tents we improvise snug huts or cab.
ins which keep US dry and comfortable. But
some malignant partisan weak woman cries
out, S0h, they march the soldiers to DEATH -
That is all a mistake. We have marched much,
but have always been better, healthier, and hap
pier when marching than at any other times.-I
While we were encamped in Fort Pickering the
men were continually falling sick, dying, almost
ope each week. With all our marching since
leaving Memphis, and we tramped full three
hundred miles, and what is the resultf Butone
man has died, and not more than twelve are now
in hospital;-only one death in nearly three
months. Marching, action is the life Of the SOL
dier. New regiments suffer more mortality,
but even thy are getting along well.
Second. Are they not tired of the war? No
sir. THEY are men, and Indignantly spurn the
idea that they wish to leave half done the work
they solemnly vowed to do. Good people, l say
to you plainly that we came forth from. our
homes to subdue traitors, and we do not wish
to disgrace ourselves by leaving the work un-
done, and turning our backs upon the well nigh
conquered foe. ...
Third What do the soldiers think of the war
and the prospect? Just this: That the rebell-
ion is on its last legs, that the rebels are despon-
ding; we know their whole force is in the field,
and their armies are daily growing less. We
know they are very destitute, and great dscon-
tent prevails everywhere They acknowledge
that il the Yankees" hold the country they now
possess for one year, the Confederate cause is
lost. We believe we are able to speedily sub
due the rebels. The tOork be done, if he peo-
pie Of The North but do their duty, IN a feic months
Vigorous, united action, patriotic action, from
the people Of the North, will make short work
of the rebellion.
Fourth. What do the soldiers think of the
course of those men, styling themselves Demo-
crats, at home, who are opposing the war, and
denOuncing the Administration Well reader,
they despise and denounce them. They regard
them as the vilest enemies of the country. No
thing is more frequent than the expression OF
the desire to go home and punish these misera-
! BILE vipers who are at once the treacherous enc
mics Of the government that protects them, and
of the soldiers whom they urged to enter the
country's service, The Indignation of the en-
tire soldiery is most deep and bitter at the
reasonable and damnable course of these par
tisans, who arc aoU giving encouragement to reb-
els, by their inscriptions opposition to the Adj
ADMINISTRATION. g
| You will all have seen the resolutions adopted
by Illinois soldiers at Corinth. Those resolu-
tions express the calm deliberate sense Of ninety
men of one hundred soldiers of the National
/
ty tell you that ifyou persist in the course you
are now persung, you will make for yourselves
names that will go down to future generations
the synonyms of infamy and double treason.
Stand up, you men who style yourselves
Democrats, and let soldier, who has seen,
and has a chance 10 know, this rebellion talk to
you for moment You cry out that the war is
not waged for the object for which it was begun.
You all know better, this is only TO win the
support of tilnd, ignorant people. You are
Iunceasing in your prattle about the negro.
Now did any Of you ever hear one single soldier
complain because negroes were employed to
build the Notifications at Me,nphis or elsewhere,
during the sweltering months of the past sum
mer Do you suppose any soldier in the whole
army would complain il seine negro soldiers
would shoot and kill rebel soldiers who are
seeking our lives 7 Would any of you com-
plain II anegro garrison at Louisville or Oincin-
natl should defeat an invading army of rebels,
aud thus save your property aud your houses 2
Would any of you think IL an outrageous act il,
when you were set upon by robbers, a negro
should slay or disperse them and so save your
life? Why dOn'ty you entwine the name of HOld
Hickory" in wreath of infamy, for calling in
black men TO help whip the Britons in 1915
Why don't you damn the name of Washington
for accepting negro soldiers Gentlemen you
outrage common sense by the vaporing Stiffness
of your haranguing. You defaIne the name 0i
the dead by your blatant denunciations Of acts
Just like these. You give the lie to y0uf own
ACTS and speeches. This, only a few months