The Nashville daily union. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1862-1866, 1863-03-06
Letter from Gen. Rosecrans to the
Indiana Legislature.

Letter from Gen. Rosecrans to the
Indiana Legislature.
In response to resolutions of thanks
from the Indiana Legislature, Gen. RosE-
GRAMS has written the following letter:
HEADQuARrEEs DEPARTMENT oF THE CUMBERLAND.
Murfreesboro Tenn, February 18th, 1868.
GENTLEMEN In the name of the Off
GERS and soldiers Of the Army OF the Cum
berland, thank you for the resolutions
of congratulation, approval and condo
lence you have sent us on account of the
battle of Stones River.
AT the call of constitutional liberty.
the brave and tue men of the West laid
aside peaceful pursuits, left their homes.
and sought to qualify themselves to fight
for Government that had cost the blood
and treasure of two great wars and eighty
years of time TO establish.
For twenty weary months this army
has stood guard to keep the Confederate
wolf from your doors. They know what
hunger, cold, weary marches, and pain
full watchings 1T has cost to preserve our
homes from invasion, and our friends and
neighbors from eonsciption IL is thereby
doubly pleasure to hear these free and
cheering words now from home.
The INSCRIPTIONS despots in our front
call us "Lincoln hirelings," and we hear
that this calumny has lately been re =
peated at home, by some of the men
whose property and persons have been
kept safe, by our toll and blood, from the
ruthless hands of Kirby Smith. Bragg,
aud Morgan. Presuming on our absence,
these men talk as il we were not citizens,
and speak mockingly of our patriotism,
They stab in the back the most generous.
true hearted men of the country, while
standing guard in front of their doors
and they prolong the war by encouraging
the rebels to hope for divided counsels at
our homes.
speak the conviction of the officers
and men of this army, when l say that
we fight TO secure equal rights to all, I'M
der the Constitution and the laws-we
fight in defense of our homes and
hearths, sure to be invaded, if the rebel
despots, who began the war, can get the
power But we long for peace-we pray
for peace; and we fight for peace-not
for dishonOrable peace--nOt for a hol-
low truce. We have once been deceived
by the cry of mo coercion" and of
estate Rights" and have seen how the
rebel leaders practice in Tennessee, Mis-
souri,, Western Virginia and Kentucky.
We have met the masses of the South.
and are witnesses of the falsehood, cal.
umny and perfdy by which they have
been led TO wage war against US. We
have seen flags of truce violated, hospis-
ais, ambulances and boats bearing flags.
fred upon; and our sick and wounded
stripped of their blankets and robbed of
their food and medicines; we have been
approached in battle by rebels wearing
our uniforms aud carrying our colors.
After witnessing their wholesale SLAM
der of us, their.perfdy and treachery to-
ward the masses of their own people, and
the unfair and dishOnorable means 20
which they resort TO gain an advantage,
we have been forced to the immovable
but sad conviction, that the leaders of this
rebellion are peytidtous, treacheYous unsc77tp-
ulous and cruel, their leaders never will
nor can be peaceable, or true friends and
neighbors. And that, as Mr.. Davis has
said, they only want the power, not the
will to invade and subjugate as.
We should rejoice 10 see the power of
these leaders fall by the hand Of their
own people, whom they Cypress; that
people for whose rights we fight, in com
mon with our own; but unless il does
thus fall, we must destroy it, or it will
destroy our Nation, and our children will
pass under the yoke Of military des-
potism raised on the sable foundation Of
negro Slavery, and the more degrading
servitude of the "poOr whites" such as
now overshadows the South. saw
"your children will pass under the
yoke for that could only happen after
the brave and true men of the country
her citizen soldiers--shall have persisted;
or deserted by the wretches whose
homes they have hitherto protected,
heart broken and despairing shall quit
the field and give to Slavery and TO ite
domination all those who love g,Orie,,
more than honor, aud peace more than
/ freedom. ....
The issue is plain one. If we who
battle for national existence are not TO be
sustained by our friends at home, the
sooner We know it the better, We dc
not wish to be deceived as 10 opposition,
nor fall victims to the treachery, coward
ice or selhshness of those whom we have
loved and trusted.
w, S. RosECRANs,
Major General.
To the Honorable the Legislative Assem-
bly, OF the State Of Indiana.
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