The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1863-09-25
Soldiers and Citizens, Readl
A Veteran Soldier on CurtinI

The following letter, written by as brave q
soldier, as ever charged bayonets, has been hand
ed US for publication by citizen Of this place.
CAMP NEAR WAREENroS, Va.
Sept. 18th, 1853.
DEAR FRIEND:
You will excuse me for my long delay
in writing TO you. promised you, when was
IN pennsylvania on a furlough, that would
write to you Immediately, but circumstances al,
ter cases here in great many points. had
commenced last April, to write you letter.
no sooner had l taken the pen in my hand, than
the ORDER was given to proceed across the Rap
pahannock. Therefore, l had to lay my pen
aside and cross that uncutivated river (as can
call it nothing else( We have crossed that riv-
er In succession, 3 times, and each time we had
to leave with loss of thousands of men. al,
ways through bad generalship For from my
experience OF the commanders here, have nev--
er seen man capable Of taking command Of
the army, only Gen. Mcclellan. He is the on,
~ man that could make anything off the rebelA
and until such time as he takes command again.
there will be but very little done with the army.
wish that every man in the North would turn.
out to man, and have him reinstated back a.
gain Until that is done the army of the Po-.
tomac will never conquer the rebels He wasa
general and an engineer, but being Democrat.
the radicals in Washington would have aim re-.
moved. They knew perfectly we'll that he would
be the conqueror. Nothing would do for them
but have him out. They went to work and
gave Burnside command. What did he do9-
Nothing, but got 20 or 30 thousand men killed
But then he is not to be blamed. He told the
President, and also the radicals in Washington.
that he was not capable of taking command Of
the Army OF the Potomac He said Mcclellan
was the only man qualified to do it. Of course
that would not be heard. Then they went to
work and superseded Burnside by Hooker.
what did he do! A confounded sight worse
than Banks, when Jackson chased him. the same
as pack OF hounds would chase a fox, across
the Potomac Ice chased him across the Rap
pahannock, and he having at the same time over
lUo,0O0 men. If he had been a General at
that time, he might have Virginia cleared to-
| day OF the rebels. He had men and means to
do it; both he and Burnside more so than eyer
Mcclellan had But if they had the men and
means, they did not know how to apply them
IN their proper place. That is what is general
ship, having every man in his proper place.
Hooker, at the battle of Chanceorsville. got
the half of his men killed, and the other half
not engaged at all. He did not know where to
put them We will all see what Meade does
now There is another great battle raging at
present. 1t commenced this morning at 4 A.
M, but the result of it, can't tell you at pres-
ent. We are not engaged yet, but we expect
hourly to be called on. l will let you know all
the particulars as soon as it IS over.
Dear friend, you will let me know whether
curtin IS going to run again. l want you, if
he is to have him beaten if it is possible.
think 1t is nearly time, now, for him to, leave,
and give some other man chance. He and
his friends have made as much now as they want.
Have a Democrat in this time, if you possibly,
can. say have the Black Republicans CON-
pletey out. think they would be out if Lin
coins term had expired. 1t will be sson hers.
and then l say good bye to the blacks. Lex.
pect you are as good Democrat now as over.
l know l am. You will send mea Bedford ps.
per as soon as you can. have not seen one
since came out here. You will give rny best
respects to all inquiring friends and neighbour.
| remain yours truly,
JEREMIAH BROWN
Battery +, 5th U. S. Artillery, Army of tho
Potomac, Washington, ID. c.