Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1863-03-17
Letter from lhe Twelnh RegIment.
BRAGG STATION, Tenn, Feb. 10Th.


DEAR FRIEND CovER:-As ! have a
few leisure moments, | thought | would
write a letter for the encouragement Of
friends at home. Your paper is always
welcome visitor, and we thank you for
your kindness in sending it. You must
know that the soldier has much to contend
with. Most of us have left comfortable
homes for the camp. We have hardships
to endure, we feel the loss of scores of our.
friends we left behind. But we are willing
to give up the comforts Of home, and risk
all that a man holds dear if we can only
save our country from destruction. But
while we are away from home and its
comforts, we are glad that we are not
forgotten, tiilat there are some who think Of
us and whose prayers 60 up for us and
our cause. We thank them for it. Our
minds are just the same as they were more
than year ago, when we took upon us
the oath to support the Government and
FIGHT against all her enemies. we are
very willing to bear the priyations Of camp
life, and risk our lives for the old flag
But there is nothing that nerves our arms
| like the knowledge that we are remember
cd at home, that there are hearts that beat
in unison with ours | say to you and to-
all other Of our friends, go on, you have
the thanks of grateful soldier, for | assure
YOU that soldiers can and DO feel grateful
for your kindness. But | want to say al
word 10 those who do notsympathize with
us in our cause, who are not Of is, but
who in the army are held as traitors to
their country, and enemies to those who
have taken up arms in her cause. wish
to saw to them, that they are remembered
by us. While our hearts warm with kind
" emotion towards the friends and sup
porters of our cause, for their kindness and
sympathy manifested in thousand ways,
we are reminded that we and our cause
have enemies in the North; strange as it
NAV appear, it is nevertheless fact. But
it is no less fact tEey are not forgotten
by us. We have read some Of their pro-
ceedings, and our blood boiled with indlg-
nation. We have passed resolutions In
our regiment that the Chicago Times
shall not come among lis and that any one
bringing it for sale or to give away, shall
be kicked out Of camp. | tell you now,
and think know, for | have made it my
business TO find out the feelings of soldiers,
there is nothing we hate so much as a
traitor, and I would say to those who want
to call home us soldiers and compromise
with the enemy and make dishonorableI
peace, you are undertaking task you can
not perform; we enlisted to whip out the
rebellion and we mean to do it 10 spite OF
all YOU can do. Call us home indeed
Yes call us home if you dare, and there
will be another question at issue, one you
will have no say in, but will concern you
much, and it will be whether you who
would call us home from the field Of duty
and glory shall be shot or hung. You
NAV laugh at this and call it an idle threat
but if you wish to prove it send delega-
tioa Of your peace men into any regiment
YOU hare mind to and see if they are not
treated in the manner tbey deserve, or let
some of the half secesh that are up there
come here and talk as they do at home
and see how the soldiers will reply. 1
speak the minds Of the army when say
YOU are standing over a smothered volcano
that will sooner or later burst beneath your
feet. We have no sympathy with you or
your peace measures. We look upon you
as our enemies, and enemies to the cause of
truth, right and justice throughout the
world, and you had better all leave for the
South before we get home, for there only
you will fnd sympathizing friends. Our
determination is to keep the field until the
old and honored flag shall wave over
every foot Of land that it ever did, and I'M
til every enemy North and South, East
and West, is put down; and for the en-
coura1ement Of friends. at home, let me
say that out country's cause is in good
hands. A braver, trter, or more deter
mined set of men never stepped to martial
music than our soldiery. Never despair;
we are doing all that can be done, and we
are fully able to take care Of JEFF. Davis
and his host and all the traitors at home.
We took two prisoners the other day,
one doctor from Mississippi had a
long talk with them: they said that the
northern part Of Mississippi would come
into the union almost to a man If they
had chance to vote. They think the
war nearly over, and if Vicksburg falls
they cannot get provisions, for their corn
crop was light, and they had not provisions
to last them six months. Bidding you
friend Cover, God speed close.
GEO. r. Pyle,
Co. X, 18th Regt. w. V.
Cineinnatj. March. ID.