Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1864-1865, 1864-01-15
FROM TIE sith INDIANA.

SHELL MOUND, Tenn, 7
Dec 9th, 1868
Mr.. EDITOR The date of my
letter indicates that there will soon
be a death and a birth. The old
year is totterIng upon the verge OF
the grave. The few months tha:
composed this important epoch
were marked with blood, as is at
tested by the battles of Vicksburg,
Gettysburg, Chickamauga, Chatta-
nooga, and the various ones in Nir-
ginia and the Southwest The deeds
of this wear will be ever memora-
ble In the history of this country.
Thousands OF valuable lives have
been lost, and the country drenched
with blood, and the devastation and
misery which have followed are in
calculable, and the cries, tears, and
prayers Of mothers, wives, sisters,
and daughters. to the God of bat
tles to STAY this bloody tide are
still heard. The scenes OF carnage
still 20 on, the leaders of tie rebel
lion ure still thirsting for more
blood, more victims, more devaSta-
ton, more sacrifices. | am natu-
rally led to inquire whether the
New Year, whose birth we will
soon celebrate, will stand with
sword in hand during the twelve
months of his reign, and cry con-
tinually for sacrifices, and whether
death is still to be the watchWOrd.
The Old Year stopped not to dis
cuss the right OF habeas corpus, or
whether the press should be permit
led to preach treason to the people,
but with his iron sceptre swaylng to
and fro, be commanded, FORWARD
MARcH until the rebellion is crush
ed. Then Justice will be satisfied,
and peace in all her ioveIiness again
enchaut the people. The prayers
of the poor anI -trodden will
, be answered, and the captive SET
. free. When that happy day ar
; riyes, as it doubtless will, there
will he more halleluj1hs sung Oh
earth than angels ever heard. Oh,
! what a day of thanksgiving and Il
is to be hoped that Pre- dent Lin
cola, will have the pleasure OF pub
t l,sbin, IN the world the fact, an,
, that he may ak not only the pee.
pie Of the United States to give
, thanks to God, tut that he may say
, in the language Of David, 80 praise
the Lord, all We Nations. praise
} Him. all people. Let every thine
that hath breath, praise the Lord.
/ | want to live to see that Thanks
: giving Day, for if ever the noun
: tains shouted for Joy, and the little
hills danced, they Will do so then.
5 The Army Of the Cumberland =
? now quiet, and will probably con
= tirue 50 for the next three months
D During this peri5d both the Norti
=, and the South viii be found mar
shalling their forces for the coming
5 Spring but | do not expect muei
i more fighting in this Departme Mt
o | think it will he transferred t
0 another and comparatively new
: field. There is one point whIcl
! when gained must secure to US tn
h great object for which we have bee
;, fighting, and one hundred thodsan,
! men can secure that point.
The ears will run to Chatta
o nooga, in about TWO weeks.
i, We have had bat little col
y weather yet, not colder than W
usually have In Indiana IN October
d Once or twice we saw few snow
q fakes, bat instead of snow, "
D, have rain. ! prefer the seasons /
l. the North. The Summer in th
h South is oppressive, and the Wint'
. lis disagreeable on account OF II
5 quantity Of rain that falls. The