Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-02-26
How IL Couple OF Column, bI;,ln
County Soldiers Talk about the

How IL Couple OF Co.un, bI:,nn
County soldiers Talk about the
War.
Joseph NJ. Ward, of the 10Th Ohio, and
a citizen of Columbiana County, this
State, who is now in the army of the
South West, thus writes to his uncle
Charles Maus Of that county. The Now
Lisbon Patriot says that Mr.. Ward left
home flaming Republican. What he now
thinks Of the war, and the present Admin
straticn, may be learned by reading the
following extract from his letter;
My sentiments ] must own have
changed considerably, and am not alone.
The whole Army Of the Southwest are
down on the Administration and the ne
gro Emancipation Proclamation. When
we weie enlisted we were sworn 10 support
the Constitution, and have only to ask
if we are doing it when we strike directly
at an institution protected by it? The
war is now simply scheme for stealing
niggers and specializing in contrabald
property. tell you the, cause will never
prosper when such ends are made the issue
of the war. The policy pursued by the
Administration since last August has
done everything toward demoraliziug this
portion of the army. Scores of officers
are rcsigning and Others will do SO as
soon as possible, | he truth of the mat
ter s no sensible white man is going to
snclIicc health, the comforts of civilized
life and even life itself, to cmancipate any
id set of niggers, especially when we
are robbing many of our loyal fellow citi-
zcns of property which the Constitution
as fully guarantees to the II as it does life
aud liberty to us. 1t | live and keep my
health, | will leave the army in Jun un
less some other plan is adopted"
Mr.. Ward is Just like thousands of 9th
cr soldiers-they entered the army ardent
Republicans, with the understanding that
the war was for the restoration of the
Union and preservation OF the Consttu
ton; but when they see and feel the out
rageous manner in which they are treated
and that the longer the war is continued,
the more sure and certain will the Union
be dcsolved, the sober second thought
comes over them, and they, like Mr..
Ward, acknowledge that their sentiments
have changed considerably since they left
home. II an honest aud fair election could
be held in the army to-day, tive-siXths Of
the rank and lile-tho men that do the
fighting would vote the Democratic
ticket.
Mr. Daniel II. Watt, of the 18th Ohio,
and also Columbiana county boys. thus
writes to Mr.. j. ID. Mclaughlin, of that
county:
"As we came through Valley Springs,
Gen Grant had an Illinois regiment un-
der guard, they refusing to either fight
against the rebels or do duty of any kind
saying that the nggcrs are treated bette.
than the soldicrs, and that while the sol.
dicrs are subsistlng on quarter rations the
nggers are drawing full rations, ! can
not say whether this is true or not but
do know that tho niger has more privi-
leges than the soldier,
"Olten, rs we have been on tho march
have seen poor sick soldiers, with their
trnps aud huspsaeh, ,'udgiuy through
the mud and rain, whilst the wagons were
filled with niggers and their things This
is the darkest period Of the war, to me
and all the soldiers with whom | have
/ talked. Here we are, twenty miles
west from our starting point, when at this
moment we should be in jackson, Miss u,
in our way to Nicksburg in the enemy IS
rear. They are a little too sharp for us, and
if there is not some change made, this
war will last forever, for we have not
gained anything for the last year, while
we have seen Just what they can do.
II have conversed with great maLy
of the troops, and | have the first one yet
to talk to who things that this rebellion
can be put down by lighting. 1t must be
done in another way, and there is only
one way to do it, aud that is by compo.
mise, aud almost every one is hopeful
that as the Democrats have a majority
in the next Congress something will be
done, No one wishes il more than do
"All newspapers are kept from us, and
we have not been getting our letters reg
ular, SO you see we know very little
about what is going on in the States, For
my part cannot sec why they will not
} lot us soldiers have the news. 1t is now
nearly seven months since We have been
paid, and there is report in camp that
Congress has refused to appropriate mon
! ey to pay US. If such be the case, youl
| poor.house will be filled with soldiers
wives and children.
Il have been present when some Of the
soldiers were talking about their families