Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-09-21
A Last Letter.

The subJoined letter. handed US, IL
one of sad interest 10 the friends and
acquaintainces of Capt. A. c. Mason,
late deceased. 1t is the last letter he
wrote his parents; when penDing it he
was buoyant with hope and bright antici
p~ations of meeting loved ones at home
again. He writes like a brave, resolute
young man, as he was, holding his duty
to his country as paramount to self and
personal qualification.
CAMP IN THE TRENCHES, BEFORE Ar
LANTA, GA, August IL, 1864
DEAR..PARENTs:-I will write to you
this morning, not so much because l have
anything important to write, as because !
nave been thinking of home more than
usual.
You will see by the date of this that
this is the anniversary OF my last leave
taking with you and my home friends
Two years ago to-day l babe you all good
bye at the station. l did not think then
that two long weary years would pass be-
fore l returned again, else l could hardly
have been whirled away with so light a
heart. | expected to return from Cleve-
land for a few days at least, but once
there the burden: of preparing the com
psuy for sndden departure, fell most
wholly on me, and l could not go back
W ithout injury to others. 1t is true !
might have visited home ere o by ma
king sufficient effort, but one thing and
another have appeared to make it see m
inexpedient, and so 1 have BEEN absent
for two years, and if l am blessed with
health, another may. be added to the
past before the reunion takes place to
which we look forward with SO much
anxiety and hope.
But how thankful we may be that du.
ring all this time no accident or misfor'
tune has befallen either you or l. Every
letter has told of health and plenty, and
no rude visitations have come to add TO
the evil of absence.
In a year from now if my good fortune
continues 1 will probably be turning my
face homeward. 1t is true there is plen,
ty of time in that for many evils to be
fall both at home and abroad, but we Ger
tainly need not deny ourselves the pleas
ure of anticipation. Sufficient unto tbs
day." &c.
l have thought and often 'prophecied'
an end to the wal within the limits of tn,
term of our regiment, but the time file
by and the end is not yet.
1t is r u we are going step by step Blu
the general breaking down of the enem.
does not come so scon as we had hoped
That it will come at last if we hold t
our purpose as becomes a nation is slmos
unquestIonable.
The enemies of the country at HON
may howl their dismal stories. But fact
are facts, and one has only to see AM
hear what l have seen and heard to fee
the utmost confidence in the final result
The rebels in the South and their sym
IpatnlIeIs III Inc NOEtu, ASh COutSAupIOu
ly what have we gainedf"
;, Suppose the table was turned and this
instead of our battle fields here the
were as far north of the Ohio river
Would it not be very clear then to thes
persons what we had Loaf
i Suppose the North was cut in two part
t and menaced on every side, with hug
5 armies in the interior, all industry an
commerce at an end, all law but militar
rule suspended, all men in some way col
nected with the army, and all wome
; trailing before the ~retreating column
what would we think of the situatio
> thenf
These are only a few of the evils whic
have come upon the South, and more al
still to come if they still pIolong th
strife.
= Many of the southern soldiers hay
suffered enough, but the leadership is
I strong power, and so long az it remain
strong enough to bind their army togetl
er, SO long will there be fighting to do.
! Your affectionate son,
BROSE.