Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-04-09
CAMP NEAR MuRFREEsBoRo Tenn
March 18th, 1868. {

CAMP NEAR MURTREEsBoRo, Tenn.
March 18th, 1868.
Hon. SIR:-I am an enlisted man in
the service Of the United States, having
volunteered frow Ohio July 18th 1861,
and have seen near twenty months hard
service-and take this method OF thank
ing you from my heart of hearts for the
fearless manner which you have endeav-
ored to have an honorable adjustment of
ou. National difficultics-and eight tenths
of this whole army (Rosccrans') join me
in doing so, in thanking you. Our Off
GERS and those who favor the war for the
money they are making out OF it, have
grossly misrcprescnted the feelings of the
men who compose the army. The ReSo
luti0ns Of the Indiana troops which the
administration papers have taken such
pains to publish to the world were all
DosH, they were conccctcd by our big Of
ficers and by them put through after
fashion-amM tie curses of tie men, who
spoke of them as id Abolition dodge.
| thought of writing to you to day, after
seeing your last speech in Congress which
a private soldier handed to me, it had been
cut out OF a paper and sent to him in
letter, it looked as if it had been read by
several Regiments as it was very much
worn, it would have done your heart good
to see the very careful manner in which
the boys handled it, fifty spot green
back could not have been handled with
more cafe and it was kept ont of sight Of
the officers as it was not good for mhae
soldiers health to be found in possess ion
of any free document, hardly Of the Dec
laration of Independence. Dear sir go on;
through you and the party alone we look
for peace-twepty months experience re-
minds me that this North American war
can never be fought out Our fighting
days for principles are over, we came out
to fight for the Constitution on} Union of
our Fathers. The administration has gross
ly DECEIVED US, and against our wills, OF
principles and every sense Of justice it has
set us to fighting for the cause o. the
cursed abolitonists alone. 1t is true we
made a big fight here but State pride
made US fight. Sir l say again go on, do
your duty! and when we come home and
can vote we will do ours! Father Abe
could not command one tenth of the votes
here. In my company are sixty five ef-
fective men. When we came into service
there were but ten of us dem mocrats, now
there are not six administration men in
the company! We acW reward you, the
MEN will stick to you but our OFF,
GERS will not. Oh if we could vote
here, and DARED to vote as we please
this war would now have been over, and
all of our enemies with whom | have con
versed have the same opinion, They do
not want to war upon us they say and |
am sure we do not want to wage war
like this upon them--"or any other man.
Sir must close; my camp fire is 60.
ing out--I can't sign my name for fear of
punishment can't send this direct to
you for fear it will be stopped in Louis
vile. God bless you as friend of hu-
manity and our country.
SOLDIER FROM PRINCIPLE.
NoTE.--My grandfather fought eight
years for the country--my father fought
in 1S12--I have been at Shiloh ! l! Per
ryville !! Stone river; for the Constitu-
tion always--for the niger never i!