The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1863-02-06
What the Soldiers think of the War


The Providence Pos. prints extracts
from several letters written by soldiers now
IN the Army Of the Potomac which are
very significant. One writer, who has
been connected with the army almost
from its organization and who has never
uttered a word Of complaint until now,
writes.
Dear c.; lam sich Of this war-so
sick that DO not care upon what terms
1t is settled. | have seen thousands OF
men lying mangled on fifteen or sixteen
different batte-ields all for nothing
Wives. sisters, mothers, and children
losing their husbands, brothers, sons, and
fathers, Sail for nothing! For here We
nave been fighting over year and half,
and we have not gained one point We
have lived and are now living on nine or
ten crackers, a piece of raw pork, and
some miserable coppcfas wafer called cof-
fee. ner day, all to fill the pockets of a
lot Of thieves, who are tying 10 make all
they can out of the people and tie govern
lnen.. The soldiers ere all discouraged,
and viii not fight as they would once on
tie Peninsula All we hear from
Washington is the niger, the nigger,
he--black, GIthy nigger. One nigger
is thought more cf than twenty white men
who hare left home and all that's worth
living for to come and lay down their
lives, if need be, to save their country.
while the leaders are dong their utmost
to ruin 1t. /; is not because we can't
beat the rebels, that the war is not over
" tLs fime ; tor We can beat ihen.-
Bat it is because the government is too
busy thinking Of the nigger, to see that
the men are whore they ought to be " hen
they are wanted. You most not set me
down as growIer. | have good reason
toc 10Y growing. Utmost crcry nan IN
the Army thirks as | do. If Job had
served in The Army Of the Potomac, be
would have sinned, and n2st teaIfuIy too
The following extract is from a letter
written on the 23i of December near
Falmouth, by member of one of the
regiments raised in 1862 The writer
ba7 been known for several years in the
village of Woonsocket as a., actice Re
publican politician aud was vote distri-
busor at the polls at the last town meet
ing which he attended:
Had known as much of ihe manages
ment of things six months ago as know
now, fifty yoke OF oxen could not lave
drawn me cut here. It is all ID
political humbug, and got up to make
offices for lazy office seekers. I wish the
leaders were Is far the other side of 1urgl
tory as hey are his side. II has i1cyn-
cd oHt to De an abolition uor, aal ui1aety
njae soldiers om . one huadreI say Mut If
TIE abolttioniats are going TO curry on tie
car thcy ,ciN haze 10 get a neaO qyay =
HEY say they came out hete to fight for
the Union, and not Tor pack Of id
nigge,s. These ni4geFs are lazy and dir,
ty; they will lie and steal and tLey are
saucy where they dare to lie. If soldier
touches an ofticer's nigger, he will Get
court ~marialed and lose months pay.
\ nigger is thought more of By the gov
ernInent than the soldiers are. They get
rs much or more to eat, get as much pay
and don't have to fight any. A course on
such things. | hope something will
turn mp before to morrw night that vii
settle this war We got whipped at
Fredericksburg, and aoe shall get mhipped
every tSnae aoe fghtin Vryiniai don't
think the North is right, any more than
the South