The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1863-04-04
An Illinois Colonel ON the Tories.

From letter to the Chicago Journal from
COL Sloan, of the l24th Illinois Infantry, writ
ten from Lake Providence, March 10th, We ex-
tract his opinion of the cause Of the war and
the baseness of the Copperheads. This bastard
faction may fnd his language consoling to them,
perhaps!
Most Of our Northern friends suppose the
''nigger" is the primary cause of this war-a
great mistake. Some of the leaders own negroes,
but the same men would have caused like
trouble had no son of Africa ever visited our
shores Power, not negroes-monarchy, not
cotton, vas the object.
The Southern planter could never have been
induced to risk bis all on any bass OF reason,
for it is against all reason to destroy ones own
home and possessions. Their prejudices have
assumed reasons throne, and defeat, and that
only, will ever work cure. Humiliation, deep
and awful. will do the work, and break the spell,
the Southern mania.
We must Law on the strokes-heayy and fre>
ouent-crush, break and destroy them. It is
the veriest nonsense TO talk Otherwise. Com
promisep Yes, with msdmen? Who has ever
succeeded in.such an enterprise?
No, there can be no Notwithstanding but
defeat, complete and overwhelming, will do the
thousand of precious lives will be the price, but
it must be done.
Those enemies of mankind at the North, who
are fighting, more effectually than the Southern
rebels, against our blessed Government, should
be silenced, must be silenced, or results more to
be dreaded than have yet been anticipated, will
soon astonish the already astonished world.
I know you are . patriot, and am sure you are
active in promoting the interests Of the Union
and adding strength to our cause; but our Union
friends in the North are either becoming indif-
fereut to home rebels or underestimate their
influence. It is indeed sad to look upon the
brave diving, on the graves Of the dead who have
given all for the cause, and know that few
strokes at home, without such results, would do
much more, and yet it is not done--they are not
given. @s9s 20 n.
Lay on heavy blows. Cease not, nor give
peace to Northern traitors Silence them, crush
them, or drive them South, and we will do for
them as as we are doing for the same kind here
The good of our cause demandsit. The blood
shed on many battle fields demands it The
brave men who now are ready to seal their tes-
lament With their blood, make it Imperative
Why should men be permitted to demoralize
public sentiment at home, and spread discomfort
in the army, without suffering the penalty Of
treason? One traitorous sheet at home dama-
ges our cause more than ten thousand rebels in
the field I know wbereofI speak, and with
my own eyes see the effects Of what write.
The health Of my command is good, and the
same may be said not only of the brave Logan's
Division, but of the nth army corps. The
men are in excellent spirits, and ready for work.
We are all anxious to end the struggle, and re-
turn home, but not until the last rebel is hum
bled, defeated and compelled to obey, and re-
spect the Government Of the United States Is 1t
was. is, and viii ever be.
Vieks5ugh ,ciQ be taken. That We all know
here. How many of us will live to see its ruins,
We do not ask or care But there is one univer.
cal sentiment among Us all-it must be taken,
or we wish to sleep ''the sleep that knows no
waking" in or on the shores of the great Missis-
sippi The thought of death does not aadden a
soldiers life, but he is sad when be thinks that
he dies for an unworthy people. dlae
Let our friends in the North think Of this, and
know that We are not fighting that they may
speculate and become rich out of the necesei-
ties of our Government, and that they must
never speak lightly or careiessly Of the brave
men in the field. hare seen the heart Of the
soldier sink, and the tears roll down his brown
and weather-bekten cheek, when those who
should encourage and sustain him, wrote cold
and cherries words These things must not be.
'Es'd = Yours truly, j. I. SLOAN,
Cong. LIST Brigade Sd Div. l7th Army Corps.