The weekly Ottumwa courier., 1863-05-14
Army Correspondence.


- 49, =. ilelena, ARK. April 26th.
|. Isee in the last Ottumwa Mercury, a let.
ter purporting to have been written down
on the Tallihatchie river, and directed TO the
editor ofthe Chicago Times, in which the
writer assumes the responsibility of express
sing the feelings and sentiments OF the 29th
SD and 36th Iowa Regiments, to let the
folks at home know what they-the SOL
diers-think Of the present war. All I
have to say is that If there is word Of truth
in all his letter, I cannot find it, and that it
is well that be did not put his name to it,
for if he had, there is not one of the regi.
ments he named, but would have drumed
him out for nuisance as he is.
He advises our friends at home mot to
send any more troops down here to sicken
and die, for we have plenty of men now"
/ would advise his friends, if they are like
him, to stay at home for one such man is
enough for three regiments. and one more
than we want, for think him poor, dis
picable coward But zoe say to our friends,
come on, the more the better, and. the
sooner over 7 M" .E". a2%' - Hi's
As for those resolutions pass.d on dress
parade, we endorse them one and ALL and,
say we do not believe there could be five
menin regiment, that would vote against
them, and that a greater shout would go up
in favor Of them now, than did when they
passed, and as for the officers looking black
it was those Of his own kind, if any did.
He thinks it his duty to let the folks at
home know the feelings of the soldiers
Now know, as member OF the seth, that
he has he'd on the soldiers Of Iowa, and dare
not make himself known. He begs the
loyal people in behalf of us "to try aud get
some kind of settlement, for we never can
settle it by fighting" Now he shows by
this that he is poor dispicable coward, for
we, the soldiers of Iowa say that all we
want is to be led to battle, and we know
that we can settleit, and quickly too. He
says, ''all they ask is their rights" and
they who are like him, and his Southern
brethren, ought to have them,-a rope of
hemp and felon's cell, and powder and
ball, that is all the peace we want them 60
enjoy, until the stars and stripes float
proudly over every part of the country
He says. '.if any doubt what he has writ
ten let them write to their friends and see."
Yes | say write to your friends and you
will find his assertions as f,lse as hell,
and cannot find an echo in true soldiers
heart. We the soldiers of Iowa, are as de-
ternined to fight it out. a. when we left our
homes and all that was dear to us. And
We never want to see the day when peace
is made only when this rebellion is crushed
cut and we have possession of every part Of
this Union from North to South, and from
East to West.
lie says again, THAT we are heaping a
debt upon US that our children's children
will curse us for" That letter will curse
him as long as he lives. and his children
ought TO be taught to call him traitor.
| would rather work my lifetime out to
pay the debt, than to have the debt cancel
ed to- day, and give up one principle we are
fighting for, to the rebels. hope to live
to see the day, and not far distant, when
our glorious old flag will wave proudly from
every dome in this our be loved land. We
the soldiers of Iowa, ask for no other, want
no other peace than the utter annihilation
of all treason and traitors
You ask if / think this healthy place?
No. do not, for the hills around are cover
ed with soldiers graves, which show that
thousands have ended their warfare here,
and found their resting place in this spot
Some say there have been ten thousand SOL
diers buried at Helena, and the number is
daily inc, easing. There was one out of Co.
G, Of our. Regiment buried this morning.
His name was Anderson Sheurer. ,..
attended preaching last Sabbath in the
Fort, and had the pleasure Of hearing pray
er by Rev. McYale, of Oskaloosa, now chap
lin in the 30th Regiment. We have very
good preaching in the fort every Sabbath,
and preaching in the camp generally Sab
bath evening. A good many in our reg.
ment are sick, but am hearty and we'll
Indeed, feel the best have since have
been in the service. j. N.II.
-tEtf1g ..rt t@
The Soldiers Vote. att