The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-05-19

Events ere rapidly eliminating, which, u
they do not absolutely decide the fate o.
the Republic, will determine the question
whether our land Is to be cheered by an
early retusn Of peace or subjected to all the
horrors ola protracsed and ruincas war.
Ths miehtiest results depend upon the sue
cess Of Gen. Grant and his heroic armies
They may beat the rebel hordes and reach
Richmond, and I trust in God they viii,
but the road has yet to DO Travelled. snd
stretches over many desperate spd bleody
Acids. The cool and determined courage
Of our northern soldiers may prove IN over.
match for the fiery desperation " their
southern foes. With his srmies daily vast
Ing away in the terrible conflicts with Lees
tried and determined lcgions. Grant must
have constant sccessionA and be strength
ened by fresh columns. or ultimately turn
his back upon the rebel capital. now almost
in sight, leaving disappointed country to
weer over the graves ofour patriot dead in
another fruitless campaign. To prevent %
disastrous . result, there is but one safe
course to pursue. The thousands Of tried
veterans now performing guard and gar.
rison duty along our widely extended lines
Of communication and defences must be re-
lievel; and sent to the front. II was for
this purpose, and in anticipation Of the
emergency now existing that the Lieuten-
ant General joined the Governors Of West.
ern States in urging upon the President the
acceptance Of this contingent force. The
Rebellion is almost within our grasp; let
us clutch It while we can. Grant and But.
Ter, Sherman and Logan are. moving glori-
ously upon the strongholds of the enemy.
yet sad experience has taught us the I'M
certainties Of war. The tide Of victory
which has now set in must be taken at its
ebb and pushed onward to final trium phi.
Continued energy, waller and endurance will
secure additional victories to our conquer
ing armies, aad close the struggle before
the forest leaves are yeIlowed by the Au.
tumn fiosts. A failure now may ignomin-
iously terminate the Spring campaigns, and
protract the war. with all its increasing hor-
rors to an indefinite length.
Who can portray The thrilling .csnes and
grand events OF the next one hundred DAYS?
Within that time many contests, bloodier
fer than Waterloo, may be fought; and a.
the memorable hundred days Of Napoleon
gave new map and destiny to Europe, 80
may this short period mark the destiny q
this Republic. .n...
Are the young men Of Iowa fully alive to
the importance Of the call they have re
ceived, and are they prepared to respond!
Win they be laggard when their country
needs and so earnestly demands thei, helps
Are those at home less patriotic than the
$4,000 Iowa veterans who. with bleeding
hands, beckon them forward to the rescue?
The people of the towns and cities should
rally. The agricultural districts. always
patriotic, have heretofore furnished the
most men, and whileI will cheerfn,iy &C.
ceptI have not the heart to ask them for
more. Crops must be planted and indn.t-
rious hands left to gather the ripened gram.
To young men in counting houses. Offices.
shops. and school rooms. the appeal comes
with peculiar force and upon them We
must rely in this emergency. Let the Ia.
dies through the State initiate the noble
example Of their sisters in Burlington and
Mt. Pleasant by coming forward and offer.
ing to take the places OF tho young men
thus employed. Their heroism may shame
il il does not stimulate hesitat;ng young
men to the performance Of their dntv.
Ohio has already sent he $4,000 forward,
while Indiana AMI Illinois are ablaze with
patriotic fire. WIN Iowa, with her well
earned lau-els and now historic fame. lag
behind her sister States Of the great West,
and fail IN her duty at this hour Of the M.
tion's perili lam urged by the Secretary
of War in earnest terms, to push the new
regiments forward with all possible despatch.
He expects Iowa to do her duty now a.
she has heretofore. promptly and we'll
Let US bear i'm mind the horrible massacres
at Fort Pillow and Plymouth. nor forget
the brutal treatment Of American soldiers
in southern prisons. Let ours be the aven-
gers hand, and stay II not until conlign
punishment overtakes the barbarous hordes
that, while striving to overthrow our Re
publican Temple. shock the moral sense Of
the world BY their inhumsn acts. -.-
f'cannot do moro. Having presented the
matter fully to our people, Whatever the re-
suit may be. I shall enjoy the conscious.
ness of having performed my duty; yet
cannot believe that the coun try's call for
Iowa men vii! be unheeded. Ina.
Truly, yours. &c.
e ~ sa' 9 W. N. STONE.
To F. E. BIssELL. Dubuque, Iowa.
An Account 81 Sleels's Retreat.
We are permitted to publish the follow
ing private letter. giving an account Of