Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-02-27

bsrug in all something more than ffty IN this de-
pulmenL And DOW il YOU would like a. enioy
soldering a while. would like TO csrry you win
me from camp 70 camp, as the darky carries the
horse TO water. only nil agree TO walk II YOU
will and We will walk or not 20 at all. for horses
are out OF the question Captain Bracken can
stand IT, for have see IN him tried. but the weather
j. decidedly SOFT and the roads ditto. Blessed be
the man who has water proof boots, provided
always they don't hurt his corns a unfortunately
mine do. I have been irving il 10 day. and now
| am resting. by way OF writing few lines be
fore going 10 bed.
II | should tell YOU the truth. you would want
the whole truth. and nothing bat the truth, about
these regiments, all of which would be difficult
and delicate matter, requiring more time 10 OBJ
tain. and then more time to write, than have TO
bestow. Moreover. the whole truth would com
pliment some and offend some: this latter. every
body knows. am opposed To, on principle. This
much l NAV say, however. the regiments viii not
average more than $50 effective men Those in
camp are generally in good health and in good
spirits. full of fight If need be. but quite willing
10 get along without any more fighting II il will
answer as we'll. IL may seem strange but il is
true. positively, most of the Captains want to Re
Majors, and the Majors want to be something
else, TO say nothing of the COlonels who want 10
be Generals. and the Corporals who want to be
Captains. This may seem strange TO civilians,
but il is true, nevertheless, and our Governor Is
blamed not little because he does not comply
with all their wishes. Not one that have seen
intends to enlist again as anything less than Sec
ond Lieutenant, most preferring higher even than
that
What am | to do with this rebellion? The
thing gets worse and worse. am boarding with
a Cumberland Presbyterian preacher who very
kindly turned his church over for a hospital, and
now boards ankeeS at two dollars day. At
first he was quite reserved, but little by little he
has opened his heart and revealed his politics,
which, he SAYS. are the prevailing opinions of the
people Whereabouts. He Acknowledges com
plete somersault so far as associates are con
.cerned. aud says that politics do make strange
bed fellows De swears now by Conway, Of Kan
sas and next by Greeley. He has been all along
of Democratic proclivities, hoping great things
from the recent Northern elections, but hope de
ferred has made his heart sick, and in utter dis
gust ne turns to Conway. hoping that in his
speech. which favored a recognition of the Con
federacy, he spoke a representative man OF
some coming party. He is in favor of an arms-
tice: so far he is Democratic. but he says that an
armistce for any other purpose than arranging
the terms of final separation is a waste of time,
for reconstruction is impossible. There is a
strange unanimlty on this subject everywhere
that | have travelled, and this is what troubles
There are occasionally some things very anus
ing, even in the -tubbornness of these sinners for
every last one of them is Rebel, even the refu-
gees who come in, if they had energy enough to
be.
Since the churches have all been appropriated
for hospitals, the brethren hold prayer meetings
occasionally at private houses: and since there is
no "Order" against praying seceSsionism, they
sometimes perpetrate something hard that way.
The other evening "A Methodist brother who had
had, l suspect, some trouble with pickets
prayed until he felt better, when, stopping short
he said: Brethren, the to- heaven is clear.
No pickets along that road, far heard
from" The Rebel brethren evidently enioyei
the whack, but some of us thought it more funny
than devout. They preach and pray. and sing
and play secession right here, surrounded by 81.
600 Federal bayonets and hundreds of rihed can
non What will YOU do about III You can't get
it out of them without killing them, and hardly
then All that l have to say is, hurry up your
armistce, and may be there to see.
I. A. G.