Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1863-08-15
co. A, 18TH REGIMENT ::
Communication from Capt. Maxson.
WHAT THE SOLDIERS THINE OF
COPPERHEADS!

EDITOR JOURNAL AS many Of your
readers have friends in Company A, of
the 18th Wisconsin Infantry. and all are
anxious to know of the health aud situa-
ton of their friends. | will, through your
permission, make a statement of the con
dition Of the company up to August ID.
at the time ne passed down the Mis-
sissippi river to join Gen. Grant, in his
campaign for the capture of Vicksturg,
May 10th, the company numbered 80
enlisted men. all for duty except Corp.
Meacham, who VAS left in hospital at
Memphis, aud has not joined his cdii'-
pany since.
AT the close Of the siege and Jackson
campaign we had lost by death, Jas. Mi
ley, S. NJ. Russell, VIM. L. IL. Pump
lin and ID. B. Northrup.
We have North in hospitals, ii. Lo-
ring, John Mcmillan. n. X. Hammer,
II. Barlow, Jas. Ward, ]. IL. Holman,
A. N. DIN, A. j. Waltz, j. I. Gibbs,
G. H. Ticknof, Jas. Nichols, JAS. Nc
George, L. Tubbman, Frank Young,
Fred. GarlIt, j. T. Hey, John Quirke,
and VIM. S. Dennison. Of the remain.
ing with the company, four were on de-
tached service in the Reg. and Division,
thirty to thirty five could be mustered
for dress parade; the balance belonged
to tho Quinine Brigade.
The last few days Of the siege | was
compelled to put men in the trenches and
pits that would have an agus fit while on
their post, in order to get twenty-five to
thirty men for duty. About fifty men
is reasonable hope for the company for
a falls campaign.
Excessive labor during the siege, Dig
ging all night in the trenches, and then
laying in the heat of d burning sun du-
ring the day in the works, together with
poor water, are the causes Of SO many
of the men failing to be able for duty.
l nm asked by many, allow do the
boys feel?" / will answer this 50 thas |
believe ninety in every hundred of
the army will say, Amen; that is, That
the traitors with arms in their hands are
far more respected by the army. consid-
ed less dangerous 10 the Government,
and would be far better treated in our
camps, than the mean coward, who fear
ing to fight for the country that has CIV
en- him home and protection, shouted us
"God Speed" when we left all earthly
endearments ''save country" and with
our hfes in our hands, went forth to bat
tie for the free institutions which have
marked us more noble race than the
subjects of despotic and aristocratic Gov
ernments, since which time he has block.
ed the wheels of Government at every
point where he could. He has written
letters to our soldiers offering to protect
them from arrest if they would desert.
Money, besides free transportation home
has been offered 90 men in our ranks
if they would blacken their souls BY de-
serting our country whom the ship of
State was supposed to be sinking. They
have given every encouragement TO IA
enemy that had not only sunk its vene-
nous fangs into che very throat of the
Government for its overthrow, but had
murdered thousands Of persons of all
ages, from the grey haired old man and
woman, to the innocence of youth, for
no other offence than love for the coun-
try that made them all they were and
hoped for.
While sympathy and material aid was
Given these murderers and assassns, they
turned upon those whom they had so re
Gently cheered from home, and said the
Government for which we were fighting
was merging into a "despotism more
intoierable than that inaugurated by the
House of Hapsburg."
Now as to how the boys feel, | will
will say, they are a unit in the opinion
that these Coppcrheads who say Const'-
tuition, Law and Order, and then encour-
age mobs for pluAder and murder; talks
of political rights and parties, and then
give aid to traitors to their country, are
meaner mon than jeff Davis has in his
whole crowd of whipped ragmuffins, and
by far more dangerous to the question,
as to the success of free institutions, than
any one to be found in the seeded States.
Tile army is ready to treat them as such.
o. T. MAxsoN.
Prescott, August IA, 1868.