The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1864-07-23

. eighth part Of its quota in service. The
bounty Aually paid TO the soldiers was
enormous. Omitting details, the general
fact will be indicated by stating that the
price for single recruit was % high some-
times ~ seven hundred and nifty and |. 200
dollars on euliAsment for tho war, besides
the bounty and emoluments given by Con-
grese; and that one hundred and ATTY dol
lars in speciee was extracted and maid for
Q term Of only i've months. Such was the
extraordinary Inducements necessary Is
temps come men to serve their CouHtrv.
whom their dearest interests were at issue.
6tin large numbers Of Wings demanded
that Washington should fhce and fiehf
their enemiesy without troops, without
st6feA and ~ times, without even their
own confidence and sympathy. II we al.
lew that much Of the reluctance to enter
the army arose from the knowledge Of the
privaAOne and sufferings to BE- endured ia
camp, and nom aversion 70 receive pay
ment for service ms deprecated currency,
We shall palliate the conduct Of the clsss
expected TO be soldiers only to censure by
implication another class, who possessed,
but kept back, the means Of supporting
those who fought their battles
acknowledgements" and deserters, to say
nothing OF maraudars In uniform, were q
common then ~ now: and the evils ex-
Perienced In oflicering the army were sim
liar to the worst Of those now encountered:
IF We turn our attention to the officers
We shall find that many had but doubtful
claims to respect for purity Of private char
aCter; and that some were addicted to great
vices. II ID certain that appointments were
conferred upon unworthy persons through
out the war. Knox wrote to Gerry, that
there were men in commission who wish
pense Of the liberties OF the people;' and
who had been rewarded with rank with.
out having the least pretensions to IL. OK.
cept cabal and intrigue There were Off.
GERS who were destitute alike of honor and
patriotism, who unjustly clamored for their
pay, while they drew large sums Of public
money under Pretense Of paying their men,
own extravagance; who went home on fur
Tough, and never returned, and who, re-
gardless Of their word Is gentlemen, VIOLA
ted their paroles, and were threatened by
Washington with exposure In every news
paper In the land, ~ men who had disgrace
ed themselves and were Needless of their
associates in captivity. whose restraints
were increased by their misconduct. At
times courts-martial were continually sit
ting; and 30 numerous were the convic-
tons that the names of those who were
cashtered were sent to Congress in lists.-
Many Of the surgeons. ARE the words of
w ashingtOn-sare very great rascals, coun-
the men to sham complaints to
exempt them from dnty, and often receive
view to procure discharges or furloughs;'
and still further, they drew for the public
medicines aud stores in the most proflse
and extravagant manner, for private pur-
poses.' In 2 letter TO the Governor of q
State, he affirmed that the officers who had
been sent him therefrom we're generally
Of the lowest class Of the people, that they
led their soldiers to plander the inhabi-
tants, and into every kind Of mischief To-
bis brother John Augnstine Washington,
he declared that the. different States were
nominating such of6oers ~ were mot at to
be shoe blAcks.' designations occurred
upon discreditable pretexts, and became
sl:rmingly prevalent. Some resigned 1t
gether II considera bers Sorpurposes
Intimidation and threatened to retire from
theservice alta specified time, unless certain
eerm6 were complied with. For instance.
b show The extent OF the evil, / again quote
from the c0mmander-i n-chief, who wrote
10 s.lnomber 81 Congress, IN ITS, that the
epifiS Of resigntng commissions has been
long at IN Alarming height, and increases
daily. The Virginia line has sustained : |
violent shock. Not less than ninety have
already resigned to me- The same CON-
1uct has prevailed among the officers from
other States, though not yet in 80 conside- |
rable degree, and there are but too Just
grounds to fear thatit will shake the very
existence OF the army. unless remedy is
soon, very soon. applied The spirit did
not abate; since, two years after, he in
ormed the President OF Congress that he |
had escarcely sufhcient number Of OH.
,ers lett to take care even OF the fragments
3f corps which remained"
Troubles among generals, It is notorious,
we're not only frequent, but sometimes
threatened actual disaster: at er
!, Eighteen Of the generals retired during |
The struggle; one for drunkenness; one to |
avoid disgraoe for receiving double pay |
s0me from declining health: others from
Ehe weight Of advanced Year,; others 70 ac-
,ept OWL employments but several from |
private rooontmont0, and real or imagine /
ryjwronge indicted BY Congress or asso-
,lases ID To- service. The example Of the
after class was pernicious; since, when
heads Of divisions or brigades quit their
commands for reasons chiefly or entirely |
personal, 1t was TO be expected that regi-
nents, batta1i0uo and companies would BE |
eft IN like manner, without officers. Album
liant testimony can be adduced to show
hat inuividuale Of all ranks entered the I
= - 1AOsAs seAsSsOOeoA k1lO6lV00S anu 8O8Us r
loned it from similar reasons. John Adj
lns wrote, in l777: i am wearied to death |
With the wrangles between military on
,ers, high and low. They quarrel likecats |
md dogs. They worry one another like
nastifs, scrambling for rank and pay like |
spes for nuts Washington, more guarded |
o Congress, uses language almost as poin-
ed in his letters to private friends"
The moral Of all this is briefly stated by /
Mr.. Sabine in conclusion:
''Ohch, rapidly told, is the dark side Of
he story Of the Revolution, as concerns |
he winners. ! relate it here for several
'easons. First, because IT is due to the
ossrs in the strife. Second, to show wha.
many persons are slow to believe, that there
vere wicked sWhig., as we'll As wicked |
Tories, Third, to do. something to corr
ect the exaggerated and gloomy viewsI
which are held OF The degenerate spirit oil
10 present times, founded on erroneous,
,esauss on partial, estimate Of the vir-
ues Of bygone ago." gt,is'ss rsn
It Is 4 curiousfhct that mental depression
80 = spvAak sk(npt Ia uN3t1w ann efpnka-y