The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1863-03-13
HEA3a'hs DEPT OF CUMBERLAND }
MURFREEsBoRo, TENNESSEE,
February 1S, 1861

40 DAE W - Oo"pn"-A"o'}
m0HfsEks1oIo, TENNESSEE.
Fepfuary Ao' Iooo'J
!, GENrLEnEN-In the name Of the ofi-
GERS and soldiers Of the Army Of tho
Cumberland thank YOU for the resolu-
> tons OF congratulation, approval and
coincidence you have sent US on account
! OF the Battle Of Stone River.
AT the call of constitutional liberty.
!, the brave and true 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 treasures Of two great wars and 80
years OF time to establish.
For twenty weary months, this army
mas stood guard to keep the Confederate
woit from your doors. They know what
hunger, cold weary marches, and painfal
watchlngs 1T has cost to preserve our
homes from invasion, and our friends and
neighpors from conscrlption; it is, there
lore, douoly pleasure to heat these free
and cheering words now frotn home.
The Inscriptions despots III our front
call us "Llncoln hirelings," and we hear
That this caumny has lately been repeat
ed at home by some Of the men whose
property and persons have been keptsafe,
by our toll and blood, from the ruthless
hands OF Kirby, Smith, Bragg, and Nor.
gan rresumlng on our absence, these
men talk as if we were not citizens, and
speak mocklngly Of our patriotism. They
stab IN tho back the most generous, true-
hearted men OF the country, while stand
ing guard in front Of their doors. and
they prolong the war by encouraging the
rebels to hope for divided councels at our
homes.
speak the conviction Of the officers
and men of this army, when say that
we hight to secure equal rights to all, un-
der the Constitution and the laws--we
tight In defense oi our homes and hearths,
sure to be invaded, II the rebel despots,
who began the war can get the power.
But we long for peace--we pray for
peace; and we tight for peace---not for
hollow truce. We have once been do
celved by the cry OF "No coercion" and
OF "State rights" and have seen howthe
rebel leaders practice, in East Tennessee,
Missouri. Western Virginia and Ken
lucky. We have met the masses Of ths
South, and are witnesses Of the falsehood,
calnf1ny and perfdy by which they have
been led to wage war against us. We
have seen flags OF truce violated; hospi-
tails, ambulances and boats bearing flags,
fired uponj 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 the wholesale SANDER
of us, their perfdy and treachery toward
the masses of their own people, and the
unfair and dishonorable means to which
they resort to gain an advantage, we have
been forced to the immovable but sad
conviction, that the LEADERS of this re-
belllon are perfaious, treacherous, unscru-,
palcus and cruel-their leaders never
will nor can be peaceatle, OF true friends
and neighbors, and that, as Mr.. Davis
has said, they only want the power, not
the will to invade and slbiugate us.
We should rejoice to see the power
Of these leaders fall by the hand of their
own people, whom they Cypress; that peo-
pie 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, and our children will pass
lnder the woke of A military dasnofism
,aised on the sable foundation Of nagro
slavery, and the more DEGRADING sefyi-