The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1863-09-16
Our Special correspondence.

10 give up literary eHoIts, oul oiu hap''o
are hard to shake of, and hence We pro-
pose to infict ourselves upon you once
more. 1t is not that we can inform you
of any important movement; not that
anything herein is likely to prove highly
interesting, but merely to crafty per.
isonal whim of our own. 1t would be
difficult to assign any other plausible
reason for the sudden change of determi-
} nation in regard to writing. Perhaps
the honor is forced upon US by news from
'fthe "Draft" at home. Some of the names
of the lucky drawers of "prizes" have
already reached our anxious ears, and
while we notice some who we think mi ght
have had the fortune to escape, we see
others who have No reasonable excuse
for stunning the fray. On the whole
there seems little reason to feel otherwise
than well satisfied. Prior to the draft
rumors had reached US that our Cep-
perhead friends had armed themselves
and were fully prepared, sternly resolved,
to fight for the ''peace" about which
Vallandigham and Fernando have prated
so much, and about which certain por-
tion of the Northern people have been SO
Extremely solieitous. "
Soldiers q speak Of the army gener-
ally) are somewhat experienced in the
horrors of sternly contested battle-felds,
yet have to find the man sometime IN
the future that will not candidly tell you
that this thing of shedding human blood
is most. repugnant to bis feelings. They
90 to the battle field not from a love of
strife, but because they believe it duty
forced upon them by the shareholders
wicked conspiracy concocted to tear our
government from its foundation and crum-
bling it into state of anarchy, which
should forever blast the brilliant future
of our once (and soon to be AGAIN. happy
and prosperous country. With these views
is it surprising that our "Sojer boys
take, with few grains of allowance, the
clustering of those men who from the
very outset, have employed their best en-
ergies in the treasonabie work Of embar-
RAISING the Government, thereby giving
Then again, If those men who talk of
resistance to the the laws by armed or
ganzations, are really so brave as they
would seem to wish US to believe, they
can find no better mode of convincing Us
beyond a doubt, than by shouldering one
Of Uncle Sans shooting irons, coming
down here on the Sacred Soil" aud
fighting armed traitors side by side with
"Meade's little boys" We have waited
long, tho in vain, for some demonstration
of the great fighting qualities of these
people; aud now we hardly feel like ask
ing pardon for slight feeling of satisfac-
ton when we notice IN the list of Dames
I drawn, few Of the "shiGing reptiles. "
Yesterday, for the first time, we wit
messed military execution. Two men
formerly connected with the army had
deserted, and again returned as substi-
tutes, 10 doubtreaping small pecuniary
benefit off the necessities of the coutry.
Perhaps it might not be uninterestibg to
you to have an imperfect description of
the scene. The execution took place
only some two hundred yards from our
camp, and the scene promised naught
but unpleasant feelings. Yet the desire
to see it, and everything at least once in
a life time, predominated over the horri-
bic, and accordingly at P. NJ, we found
ourselves one of large party assembled
to witness the demonstration. At little
past o'clock the Second Division of the
Second Army Corps marched at flank
from their camp, moving to their position
in scrt Of ravine directly in front of Gen.
Warren's Headquarters, there forming
three sides of an oblong square, the Gen
eral of the Division at the head of the
right Brigade. So soon as the troops
had taken up their position and been
brought to''parade rest" our ears were sa-
uted by the mournful sound of band in
the distance playing the "death march"
Presently there came in sight small
party of soldiers marching with slow and
measured tread, Immediately after two
collins borne by eight men, following
these a chaplain and on either arm man
dressed in uniform. Slowly, steadily, aye
mournfully moved the procession through
the open space, forming on one side of
the square. The cofins were set down
at the graves the chaplain conversed a
few moments with the men taking of
their hats they seemed for time in
prayer, then a hand shake. An officer
moves forward and bandages their eyes.
This performed the eulprits took of and
deliberately folded their blouzes, then
quietly sat down On their eofins; one
/ of them (Smith) raising his arms Heay-
ienward. The officer returned to his men.
Quickly the pieces are brought to shoul-
der, "ready," 'aim," and quicker than |