The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-05-14
Helena, Ark, April 3Oth, 1s'

A Lie Refuted.
Helena, Ark, April 3Oth, 1853.
DEAR COURIER II noticed piece in the
"Secesh Mercury" of your place of April
18th, purporting to be an extract from the
no less Secesh Times Of Chicago, which is
given to the public through these mouth
pieces Of JEFF Davis, as being the the true
sentiments ofthe REivates Of the 29th, Esd,
and seth Iowa Regiments.
We feel it to be our duty, as an act of
justice to the public, to our friends at home
and to ourselves, to publically declare that
the representation IS Unjust and basely false
gotten up by some ''scauawag," and con-
temphble villain, who hopes by;it to deceive
the people in reference to the feelings of the
soldiers now in the field, and to put'a stop
to any further enlistments. He says we
"believe war to be disunion, and never can
be settled oy fighting" We deny this, and
say this war is only an attempt at disunion,
and we believe that il can be put down We
ct dc ornsis, in very short time without .
final dissolution. And instead of condemn
ing, we all, may say, heartily endorse the
present policy Of carrying on the war. We
all Of US, or at least have not heard dis
senting voice, to the proposition, and have
been in company with the above named
regiments for the last eight weeks continu-
ally, and have heard the policy talked of
frequently both by privates and officers,
and all agree in the belief that the negroes
if freed, and armed, will make brave and ef-
ficient soldiers submissive to their com.
manding officers easily disciplined, and
will prove great help to the cause of the
Union, by greatly weakening the rebellion
and largely increasing our armies.
The resolutions spoken of as being forced
through, are far from being now condemned
They are more heartily endorsed now than
then.
The above named resolutions were read
to the three regiments while on dress parade
and UNANIMOUSLY adopted. The s6th voted
on then, afterwards by company. They
were then adopted, with, believe, one or
two dissenting voices, but have not heard
one syllable against the resolutions since,
nor against the way in which they were
adopted.
Ifany one doubts that those resolutions
express the true sentiments Of the soldiers
of Iowa, here we are to-day, ready and
willing to adopt new sec of resolves more
expressive Of our determination to prose.
cute the war with more vigor until this re.
bellion is put down, and of the undying
hate we entertain Of those emmisaries oi
JEFF Davis, who are prowling about the
country crying for peace when there is no
peace. We hold them as being greater en-
emies 10 our country than all the armed
rebels in the field, and we. haYe tenfold
m0rs respect for armed traitors in our front
than we have for the sneaking, cowardly
traitors in our rear.
1t was also represented that said commu-
nication was publicly read to the privates
of tie three above named regiments, while
on dress parade, before il was sent to the
Times for publication, and unanimously
endorsed, which is base, mean and con-
temptible lie,
The said communication was never read
besides the author dares not let the boys
know his name, or he will receive the 70.
reward which We believe he and oil other
traitors deserve, which is to swing to the
nearest limb TO the place where he is caught.
The appearance Of such communica-
tion here, purporting to to be the sentiment
Of the iowa soldiers, caused great deal of
excitement in oHr camp. and many and Bit
ter were the denunciations heaped upon the
author Of such bare faced falseheod.-
Some expressed desire to see him hung,
others more excited to see him burned at
the stake, neither Of which would be more
than he justly deserves.
A Member ofthe 36th.