The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1864-04-05

WnICn we are HgDtlnT, ana Tue go0u OF
the Regiment should have been only our
aim, but if my services have been in any
way or good. l only regret that they
could not have been muliRied a hun
bred fold.
This occurrence naturally brings to
mind more particularly than any other
the events OF the campaign from Mill
kens' Bend around to Vlcksburg And
| would improve this opportunity, to say
that although there, | was not your cho
sen leader, but placed by accident in
command of the Regiment. and though
SUI ceeding in that command man ac-
knowedged one of the bravest and most
efficient leaders of the war Yet you
cheerlully gave me your confidence and
hearty cooperation For that | would
offeryou my heart. felt gratitude. With
out that support, must have been borne
down W tn the arduous responsibilities
o. those times. As see our men presen,
while am speaking OF that campaign,
would say 10 them. when my mind re,
calls those scenes, whether crossing the
river on the old gun boat Pittsburg,
dropping down in the fence corners on
the road beyond Fort Gibson at mid
night for little rest, with the consoling
information that we must be on the
march again a two O'clock in the morn
ing. or at the battle Of Jackson, where
the fash OF lightning and of artillery. the
roar of thunder and of cannon uniting.
forms the awe-inspiring scene. or around
the deadly strife, with which hurrahs
and shouts at Champion Hills or Vicks-
burg. The soldier always in the four
ground, your dusty forms, boys, and de
termineds faces are there. Who can fail
to see in the private the, true heroes. for
his conduct on the field has no officers
commission to lose, most likely none TO
gain. II he slips from the field, there
are not all eyes 10 watch him and re-
member his disgrace. If he falls there
is not thousand tongues to tell of his
heroic deeds. But a few comrades miss
him, small circle of friends at home
are bereaved. and he is also conscious
that even the identity of his molderng
ashes will be lost, they will mingle in
the common grave with the other slain.
Yet he fallers not is ever present at the
post of duty. Such are the true heroes.
and whatever credit, brother officers, we
may have gained we must turn 10 those
men and admit Boys aoe owe 1t all to
gou Many Of those who Joined with
you in contributing to this object, are
now absent, one Lieut.. Miller rests AT
Chattanooga | am told he was sol.
der TO the last; when informed that his
wound was fatal, there was not the Ter.
.ror Of muscle, and when death isell
seized upon him, not a shadow Of troub
lie crossed his face he quietly Welded
70 that foe to which all mus surrender.
We shall not forget our honored dead
Eight more of those off GERS, | suppose,
are yet, to day, in Libby Prison, where,
according to the enemy's own al mission
wretchedness reions supreme, where the
Richmond Examiner boasts that many
enter, but lew come forth A loalhsoma
sink of perdltion, prepared bv JetF Davis
and his angels, there crowded together as
in the hull of SLAYER. they drag out
their weary months. and nothing 10 sus
tain nature but slop made of ORR meal
| trust God that the day of juds ement is
already lowering down upon the heads
Of those more than Catalines and ArnoIds
And NAV they and their habita,ions soon
be- swept from the face of the earth. and
may our brave men, who have suffered
there, be hereafter rewarded in proper.
ton to their suffering. | think we may
well congratulate ourselves upon the
brightning prospect OF our beloved coun.
try, and hope for a speedy return OIL
peace. 1t is a much prouder thing to
be an American, ard Northerner Of the
United States to day, than it was three
years ago When this Empire OF States
seemed roiton to its core--State afte,
Stale stuffed off: the authorities stood
appalled, none interrered The retiring
President either from imbecility or de
sign, covered before the traitors. The
National emblem was haAled down, torn
in shreds as al Charleston, or buried al
AZ Memphis. And whatever military
prestige the nation had possessed abroad
it was conceded to the South. Forts
were seized, and so on, and Government,
seemed powerless--weak as a ;" sict
girl" We had reason &c fear that a few
months, and our nationality would be
botted out. We must confess our stu
alton was extremely humiliating. Blu
now il is as good a thing as we wan. " tc
be Yankee. and tote Yankee gun"
Now our iron clads move up and down
the long rivers, and no power can stay
them That battery has not been raised
nor gun planted, that they will not pass
with impunity. And whatever rebel
waterfowl impeded the Mississippi, they
have cleaned them out Our ships on
the Atlantic and the Gulf, stand guard
at the gates Of thousand of miles OF coast
and our line Of battle, moving down from
the North, rolls irres istably on,
II we want Fort. Doneson, or Chatta
nooga, or Vicksburg, OF New Orleans,
we take them The names Of our generals
are becoming known in other lands, and
one under whom We have had the for.
tune TO tightth the most of our battles, bids
fair TO enroll his name by the side Of the
| greatest military hero history can pro