, 1863-02-16
DESERTlDNS FROM 'ElHE
ARMY,


The Matter Presented in two Letters
from Illinois Indies.
JACKSON, Tenn, Feb. Q. 1863.
Editors Chicago Tribune:
On Sunday, February 1st, several men de-
serted from my regiment, the 6ad Illinois.
Two Of these deserters are Alonzo P. Lakin,
OF Salem, Marion county, and Joseph D.
Moore, Of Jefferson county. Letters lave
come to each Of these two since their deser-
tion, and have been examined, and I
now send you copies Of each, for pub
ication. The first, to Lakin, is from
his mother, nnd, strange and unnatural
as it may seem for mother to advise her son
to bring eternal disgrace aud inf.my upon
himself and her, it is written with the DELHI
crate purpose Of suggesting and urging deser-
ton. The lady begins with graphic por-
trayal Of the horrible wickedness Of the war
''to enforce Old Abe's Proclamation,r by
which soldiers engaged in it are compelled 70
"rob and steal for q support" and goes On
with the following appeal, which I give in her
own words, and with her own rebel ortho-
graphy:
ito my son fall on your knees before the
Judge Of all the earth and pray him to deliver
you from that living hell; do my son, he
will do it if sou put your trnst in him, he
has protected you through all those troubles,
tell john to pray all the time to that god d
boye that roofs all things lie will shnrcly per-
form it you ask right. if you take that
matter in your one hands, do that with the
most caution that you ever did in Ill your
life. paw maid some arrangements with
young man for your benitit, it wouldn't do to
tell his name. MY son don't be rash in what
you do. wcy every thug vel before you take
home. don't do anything until You ask god 10
help you. if you do go he will bring you saf
home. tim frazurc has not got home yet nor
he wont until they bring him in coffin. they
took abe cnnklin to lis resement in irons.
their is souldicrs passing ill the time. We have
has bin no blud shed rs yet but look for it
scccsh. = X alopzo we have not
gained one signal victory cince this Aclish war
| comenst. their never was such Slaughter OF
men as their has bin Vixburg aud MnFfcrsbo-
row. john morgan has got twenty thousand
gurilare. his obeject is not to kill men. it is
| 10 take prisnorcs parole them and send them
| home. if you are taken prisnor don't 60 back
to your rcgcmcnt if you can help it.
This is not an isolated case. The nlails
from Illinois teem with correspondence Of
like character and purpose. But few, mails
reach my regiment which do not contain let
tcrs like tlc above, offering insult to the true
Lcarted soldier, and presenting i seductive
and dangerous lure to tile few who are weak
and cowardly. am proud to say that hith.
crto my regiment has stood nobly and maa,
fully by its integrity. 4 few towards, finding
that cowardicc has ceased to be q: disg1nce III
Illinois, and preferring the guilt Of perjury on
their souls to the terrors Of the battle field,
| have SUNK away to seek the asylum offered al
| home to towards and poltroons. But these
arc ignoblc exceptions to the general charac
ter Of thc G2d.~ llaye known men in my reg
| iment to tear with indignation, letters fror
their own fathers and brothers, which con
tained base and dishonorable proposition:
and suggestions similar 10 the above. Still
if there is any law which will reach those wllt
| i'll Illinois give mid and comfort to the enemy
and il there are enough true and loyal men il
| tho State to enforce 1t, without calling n
away fl iom the work in Which We arc engaged
! would be glad to see these infamous wretch
es, who tamrcr with the army, engaged il
fighting the country's battles, brought sum
marily to justice.
Tic other letter is from the wife Of tho dc
scrtcr Moore, and is in gratifying contr,5
with the first. 1t seems Moore lad bee,
writing home soliciting advice to desert, AMI
ii seems he don't get 1t. This lady says:
II sent myself this evening to drop you
few lines to let you know that VIC are all wei
aud hope this will find yon ~ good healtl,
~ $nt,f1
least. receivcdyonrs of the 18th, and VII
| glad to hear from yen. I was also sorry Il
hcar that you were so dissatisfied. ! want t.
know if son did not enlist for three years O
during the war. # you did may Got
give you enough stability Of purpose to ac
rcct that you will like my letter, but I wil
commit everything to God, ard have faitl
| to believe that he will do what is best.
know. my dear, that it is hard to stay ava
from those we love, pnt whcn duty commands
l AM willing to 50: 1Mill 60 myself, t nee
: But believe you arc turning ss
cesl,, or yor would not be so dissatisfied.
expect that many Of the rebel families suffer
but let them return to their allegiance, Ia
/ down their arms, and go home gnd take car
OF their wives and little ones, as people shoul
do. Do not the rebels know that, when the
take your provisions from you, yoa will hav
!. for taking what little hare if I did cry abor
1t. and MY children too. Well, I will tell 70
all have got to say about your skcdaddling. I
Congress they hare passed a bill to stTik
enough money to pay off all the soldiers. 3
+ do you stay where you are ill you get yor
and pass yourself off as one Of Prices men, s
That they will not shnn you as a desertcr, IN
then marry some rich hcircss, and lire a hi,
, ry and contentcd life. Then will sorrow Il