The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-04-30
this may find yourself and family ENJOYING

this may find yourself and family enjovin,
4 good health. av r,arnd nrei
| You stated in your letter, that il It is tn,
Union IS it was, ard the Constitution as i
is, you glory in my cause if not, you wa;
my enemy. can just say to you { hat WI
are lighting to put down this cursed Re.
bellion, and restore peace to this once hap
py but now troubled nation. We are fight
ing under the old Stars and Stripes and the
Constitution Of the United States of Ameri.
ca, and the Presidents Proclamation which
is one Of the best moves that have beer
during the progress Of the rebellion. 1t is
the intention of the soldiers TO put down
this rebellion, let it be North or South -
Let the cost be what il may, we will settle
the bill after the rebellion is put down
There is property enough in Northern trait
ors hands. to settle heavy war debt Sir,
you stated you were no Lincoln Unien man
that you were Constitutional Union
man. | canjust say to you that all who
oppose the present Administration, and the
Proclamation, and work against the present
war policy, are traitors in their hearts, and
only wait for an opportunityto to fall into th Q
ranks aud assist in the hellish work of re.
bellion. You say that yog year q butter.
nut suit of clothes, but that does not aske
you disloyal. | viii just say to you that
that the suit you speak of and the doctrine
you advocate, makes yon or any other man,
q fit subject for the Southern ranks, for
you are in full uniform with them. both in
dress and in spirit,
You say that Lincoln has done more TO.
benefit the rebellion than he has to put it
down /; that he has united the South to a
man, and divided the North. You say look
at the division and dissatisfaction that he
has created in the Northern army by his
proclamation. You say that | am aware of
thousands deserting our ranks, who refuse
to fight any longer under the Presidents
Proclamation, and the boys from, your
neighborhood are tired Of fighting under the
the Proclamation snd are coming home
You well know how they stood before they
enlisted last fall. They were opposed to the
Government. and only enlisted to escape
the draft. Thess are the K G. g's that
yon spoke Of being in the army. As 70.
Lincoln uniting the South to man is not
the truth. It is heleaders of the South
that have forced every able-boded man into
their ranks, and infiict heavy punishment
on all who speak against the cause II, which
they are engaged. Ifaman in the South
speaks against his government, ss you do
in the North, death would be his DOOM
And as for the division of the North, il they
follow their course much longer, the time is
near at hand when all northern rebels will
have to go to the South. for protection. %
You say that am aware of thousands
deserving our lines. Twill just say to you,
and all who tell SUCH stuff. that it is mo-
totrious lie of their own make. There has
been no such desertions in the army of the
Southwest, and very few in any other por-
ton Of our army. and those who have deser-
ted will have to Join their command imme.
diately, or they will get deserter's reward,
which will be inflicted without mercy. The
Copperheads may promise them protection
but they cannot give it. I would advise
you as friend to beware Of the course that
you are pursuing, least death overtakes you
on the way You say that there is less
Union feeling about Ioka than you ever saw
in that part. Ido not saSerstand Why
you look for Union feeling where il never
existed. All the Union feeling in that part
is to unite agsinst the present Administra-
ton and encourage soldiers to desert the
army. Thank God, Such men have no in
auencc whore the Union feeling exists. L
will just say to you As = friend, that il your
party does kick up h--li. as you expressed
yourself, 10 that part Of the country, beware
of Che consequences, for there is nothing
short Of the hand of the Almighty that can
keep the Iowa soldiers out of there if you
;cslf them home to protect their families and
friends. Woe be unto the ccpperheads, for
they all carry the mark Of treason upon
their countenaSces, 80 there will be no
no trouble in finding them. You said 10
me. that when I come home to see my fam
lily, that / had hetter watch least some of
the K. @ C's would get after me and hurry
me away. Ifyou alluded to yourself, there
is no danger, for you have not heart enough
tomeetmo with weapons Of your own choice
Ifyou did aliyde toYoureelfjust meet me on
the opposite side in the Southern army. and
am your man, or whoever you alludo to, I
care not who they are, consider myself
enough for any Northern traitor. ! caicu-
late to fght for this Government as long as
there are traitors in arms sgainst Il, if'I am
permitted 70 live so long, let them be North
or South. lam willing to fght It through
" It takes the last man and last dollar to
doit. y, u. L'59a'sae = ~ ~" {
You said to me that the soldiers write
kome that the green backs and negro are
worshipped mere than this Union You
well know that il is base falsehood, for
there is no man that win make a target of
himself for . soldiers wages or the negroes.
We hayono such msn incur Ines. jf you
have such men up there send them down
and will give five dollars shot at them,
at three hundred yards. You know that