The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-03-12
Letter from Gen. ROsecrans to the Andi-
ana Legislature.

In response to resolutions OF hanks from the
Indiana Legislature, Gen. Rosecrans has writ
ten the following letter su" .
HEADQUARTERS DEPT OF THE CUMBERLAND, |
MuRFREEsBoRo, Tenn, Feb. is, 1853.
GENTLEMEN In the name of the officers
and soldiers Of the army Of the Cumberland
thank you for the resolutions of congratulatlon
approval and coincidence you have sent US on
account of the battle of Stone River.
At the call of constitutions liberty, the brave
and true men of the West laid aside peaceful
pursuits, left their homes, and sought to qualify
themselves to fight for a Government that had
cost the blood and treasures OF two great wars
and eighty years of time to establish.
For twenty weary months the army has stood
guard to keep the Confederate wolf from your
doors. They know what hunger, cold, weary
marches, and painful watchings it has cost to
preserve our homes from invasion, and our friends
and neighbors from conscription it is therefore
doubly a pleasure to hear these free and cheer
ing words now from home.
The INSCRIPTIONS des pots in our front cal
us Lincoln hirelings,' and we hear that this
calumny has lately been repeated 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, and
Morgan. Presuming on our absence, these men
talk as if we were not citizens and speak mock
ingly of our patriotism. They stab in the back
the most generous ,truehearted men of the coun.
try while standing guard in front of their doors,
and they prolOng the war by encouraging the
rebels to hope for divided c~ounsels at our homes.
l speak the conviction of the officers and men
of this army. when I say that we fight to secure
equal rights TO all, under the Constitution and
the laws-we fight in defense of our homes and
hearths, sure to be invaded, if the rebel des-
pots, who began the war. can get the power
D. ,, la,D+ ~ n VI n y q " for npQoQ and
we fight for peace-not for dishonorable peace
not for q hollow truce. We have once been
A deceived by the cry of No coercion, and OF
State Rights and have seen how the rebel
leaders practice in East Tennessee, Missouri,
Western Virginia and Kentucky. We have met
the masses of the South, and are witness of
the falsehood, calumny and peridy by which
they have been lead to wage war against u.s.
We have seen flags of truce vic lated, hospitals,
ambulancesJ and boats bearing flags, fred upon
and our sick and wounded stripped of their
blankets, aud robbed of their food and medicines;
we have been approached in battle by rebels
wearing our uniforms and carrying our colors.
After witnessing theil wholesale SANDER OF us,
their peridy and treachery toward the masses
of their own people, and the unfair and dishon-
orabIe means to which they resort to gain an ad-
vantage, we have been forced to the immova>
BILE but sad conviction, that the leaders OF this
reDelll0n are peTuQlOuS, LT6acHerOuS, unsCIupu-
lous and cruel-theirl leaders never Will nor can
be peaceable, or true friends or neighbors. And
that, as Mr.. Davis has said, they only want the
power not the will, to invade and suhjugate us.
We should rejoice to 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 common with our own but unless
it does thus fall, we must destroy it or it will
destroy our Nation, aud our children will pass
under the yoke of a military de spotism raised
on the sable foundation of negro slavery and
the more degrading servitude of the poor
whites such as now overshadows the South.
I say 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 wretch
es ghose homes they have hitherto protected
no Sl4.Eroken and despairing, shall quit the field
and live TO slavery and to its domination al
those Who iove money more than honor, ano
peace move ta&n freedom.
The issue is 2 plain one. Ii we who battle
for national existence are not to be sustained
bv onr own friends at home, the sooner we kno"
Il the better. We 90 not wish to be deceived
as to our position, nor fall VICTIMS to the treach'
ery. cowardice or selfshness OF those whom w
have loved and trusted.
w. S. ROsEcRANs' hlaJ' zen
To the Honorable the Legis 'atlVe Assembly .
the State Of Indiana.