Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-03-02
letter from the nth Regiment.
CAMP AT MURFREEsBoRo, TENN,

February 4, 1868 (
Dear Sir: take this opportunity
to write you a few lines in regard to matters and
things down here, SO far as | have been able TO
make discoveries. The first thing / shall notice
is, the manner in which voting among the regi-
ments here has been cOnducted-the means by
which the officers obtained the sense of this army
in favor of the further prosecution of this black.
contemplate Administration warfare against the
domestic Institutions OF the South. in opposition
to the avOwed policy of Lincoln at the com
mencement of this, now, unhOly war. You are
no doubt acquainted with the fact that memoir
ais have been sent out from Indianapolis, and
elsewhere, to commanders of regiments, request
ing them to take The votes their respective regi-
ments, TO obtain the opinion of the men in regard
to sustaining the present Administration in its
views of conducting the war. Now this has been
done. And in taking the votes, greater act of
Injustice. in nv opinion could not have been done.
A large majority, and, indeed, / may say four
fiths of the soldiers did not, nor do thew vet I'M
derstand what these memorials contained, as they
did not hear them read. And il they had, the
obscurity in which they were gotten up would
have left them in doubt as 70 what was the real
object sought The name of Gov. Morton was
blended with them, I'm order to give them
strength, and the vote was taken in haste, and
reported to be unanimous as the view of the sol
diers now in the field, showing that they were in
favor of continuance of the war, and for no
compromise. This is not the fact; but they-the
soldiers, of all parties-are looking forward with
anxious hearts TO the Democratic party at home
to boldly step forth and put an end to this
accused war, and stop the further effusion OF
blood. And we look to them as the only and as
the last vestige Of hope to save the country from
the foul scOurge that is sweeping and spreading
desOlatiOn throughout the land and we, the
soldiers, being now, as it were, with our lives in
our hands, undergoing privatons such as no civ
ilized people on the globe should do, and all to
free the niger. If it were possible to get theiI
true sentiments before you, they would send ~
united petition which would speak in tones oil
thunder to those hot headed AbOltionsts in the
North. and tell them that they are the guilty per
sons who have been the cause of this calamity
and are still seeking to prolong the
l suppose it would be of no use TO add any
thing in regard to the battle here, as you have
long since seen the account, perhaps far better
than | could give it. But one thing is certain
those who were in it, know that gained the
battle By the hardest blows, AMI /, for one, DC
not wish to be placed in any such position again
A word in regard TO pay. We were told
when we volunteered that we were TO be paid reg
ularly every month; but have not received one
red since i left indianapolis. The Government
now owe me five months pay aud yet it expects
;.so soldier TO fight with willing heart under sucl
circumstances while his family and little one
may be starving at home. unheeded by the orig
inators Of this fraricda strife, who prefer rathe
to bestow their means on the blacks whom
they have stolen or enticed fromxhappy homes
The soldiers patience has been worn out, an'
they have no confidence in the Administration
in the way the war is being carried on, and un
less thew are paid of, very soon there will be re
voting in the ranks: the soldier will not Away
quietly submit to be ruled by those pompou