Brownlow's Knoxville Whig, and rebel ventilator. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1863-1866, 1865-06-21
For the Knoxville Whig
Letter from q Veteran.


posted in such matters that II Is popularity with
mankind that the first thing We doupon making our
advent into this world Is TO commence complaining
| We soon begin kicking mud squealing and continue
il as We pass through life and finally go out Of the
world kicking AT what we cannot avoid Well /
suppose ! am like "any other man, camo into tho
world complaining and shall no doubt complain Ut
leaving II, lmost likely nj the manner Of lenvingi)
and do feel just now that !, with thousands Of
others, shave just grounds and cause Of complaint
and think that We are very badly treated Ia mat
ter Of great and to many of u.s. vital importance
while we hardly dars speak Of II without endanger-
ing our life liberty, and pursuits of happiness"
We belong TO that class of uniortunates who, more
than four years since babe sdieu " "wie, children
and friends homes, families, and MI the dear as
sociations connected Herewith sprung up and fell
into line at the first blast of the war buge, to de-
iend our country and government, bcqueathed to us
by our sires whose hand planted and whose blood
nourshed the tree of liberty under the shadow
Of which we had lived long in peace, and to pun
ISL the traitor, who, with sacrlgous hands had
dared attempt to pluck the stars from our banner
of beauty
We did not wait to hunt for big bounty We did
not wait for CONSUMPTION we did not sell ourselves
to some wesk-kneed, trembling craven, or to the
highest bidder, MS sabsttesj We went as we thought
mon should 60 We claim no credit for H. bit acc do
ask justice Our term of service was nearly expired
How we performed our duty let the historian of the
first three years of the war tell. And Just nj the
darkest hour of this learfuy long, dark and gloomy
night Of war, when the nations of the earth were
looked on, holding their breath as it were with the
most intense interest, knowing that the next CAM
paign likely to determine the success or failure
of our grand experiment of Republican govern
ment; while the best and wisest men of our land
were almost afraid to speak above whisper with
volcano seethng and bubbling just ready to break
forth in the Northern States and deluge that portion
Of our country with blood; when the poisonous
breath of the copperheads could be felt and their
hiss be heard on every street in the city, and
at every cross road and lane in the country. The
most foarfuly important and gloomy hour of our
national existence was upon US. Our armies de-
pcted by the ravages of war would soon lose thou
sands Of their Oldest hardest men, who had braved
the storm until their term of service had or would
soon expire Their places must be filled. Appeals
were made. Large bounties were offered Treason
was rampant throughout the States where men must
be obtained. The men shrank back II was unpop-
ular to speak Of enlisting Strong men gave way,
and despair was fast gaining hold upon the people
The cloud was dark and threatening, until muir
muir was heard along the lines from Chesapeake
Bay to the Balize, followed by shout that causeda
thrill of JOY in every loyal breast in our land, and
culver in the whole frame of the 'Coniederacy"
The "Old Gusrd' was coming. The war-worn vet
Grams Of a hundred hard fought battle.helds were
heard singing, We are coming Father Abraham
Ii was then that the rebellion and its abetors in the
North saw that their cherished hope that our armies
would be depleted by discharge; that the vacancies
could not be filled and that those who did volun-
teer would be inefficient in the coming campaign,
which all saw was to be the death-strugge They
saw that the men they had hoped would DO only too
glad TO retire was only ready nuisu tic wv,l
they had begun
The bronzed and hardy veterans said 10 the rood
men of the North, q Do you take care Of tho trail
tors at home and we will take care of the rebels in
the field They re-enlisted forsnother three years
or during the wal" and were hurried back to the
field and resumed their places in line almost before
it was known that they had been permitted brief
visit to the homes and families they had left three
years before. That was said to be "a grand pic
ture. Look at the picture now and say if you
can, that we have no "just cause for complaint
The war is ended. The work is done We have
performed our part Of the contract. Yet we must
stand by and see men mustered out of service ~
who staid at home comfortable and safe while the
fury of battle was raging for nearly four years and
came out when the work was almost done and re-
ceived more money as bounty and pay as substitutes
for one year ENLISTMENT than we have received
for more than four years SERVICE. Most of those
twelve months men many of whom were conscript-
ed copperheads who could not get substitutes were
snugy quartered in barracks ready built for them at
home or at some convenient point along Railroad
lines, guarding bridges or doing provost duty, as
we used to say in Virginia playing house dog y
living on plentiful rations, wearing paper collars,
white gloves, patent-leather boots going to balls,
parties, Sc, while the soldiers were glad to sleep un-
der bush when II rained or showed and to have
an opportunity TO wash their greesy shirts and hang
them upon bush and sit in the shade of them while
they dried Instead of white gloves they were glad
if their fingers escaped being frozen while standing
picket and listening to the hum and tramp of the
enemy. Instead Of patent-eathers, they were proud
if they could pick up by the way-side some half
worn shoes of the IT, S. pattern, to put on their
bleeding feet, which had been bare for week or
more Instead of plentiful rations and darkie to
cook them, they were content to ont half raons of
bareback and sow-belly" raw, as they marched
along through dust or rain. They too, however,
did have their balls and parties, but they were
minnie bulls and scouting storo.,,g parties Can
it be expected that have been so long from home
that the prattling little which we left would not
recognize US, and our amilics appear almost like
strangers, still those dear wait and hope for
our return but hope deferred makcth the heart
sick; that We who have endured all hardships and