The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-07-28
THE WEEKLY APl,sliE FIR. AND DEMOCRAT.
|OgR ARMY CoRREsReHDENCE.

IOgR ARMY CoRRESRoHDENCE.
Letter from the Sixth Regiment.
BAD HEALTH OF TIE RKGIMEHrzFEBL-
! ING At THB SOUTH-THB "CULLUD PUS-
| SON"-THB HOMBN-HOW THE SOUTH
SHOULD BE TREATED-CONLNG HONE.
| CAsP Sixth MINNESOTA voLuNrEERs, I
NEAR MoNTGoMERY, Ala, July l, 1866
To the Editor Of the Pioneer: -
We are encamped on very high land
within two miles of Montgomery, have
pure air and water, and as soldiers, could
ask no more than we have in the way of
comforts, light duty, &c. Our good sur
geons, Belden and Wilson, give their en-
tire time and attention to the sick. DR..
McMssters is on detached duty with the
10th Kansas Regiment, of our brigade.
The health of the regiment is very bad,
more than half the men being unable to
do any kind of duty, though we have as
yet lad but few deaths. Should we re-
main here two months longer, we shall
probably leave very many men beneath
the Southern sod. We are suffering from
the effects of last summers sickness at
Helena. -+Hg1 ~ AZ .) ia' s.6
Probably no regiment which enlisted
in the service of the United States under
the 10000 call of 1859, has suffered
from disease more than the Sixth Mime
sofa, and the reason is obvious, not that
we were composed of worse material, for
it is very well known to You that when
the Sixth was raised as good men as were
in the State Joined it. The reason is that
on our organization we were sent to the
frontier, and were two years there. The
regiment was sent in the month of June,
one Of the most sickly months of the year,
from the extreme northwest to Helena,
Ark well known, as the most hilarious
district in the South; thus moving from
one extreme to another in the worst sea-
son of the year. The probable effect Of
this change was fOreseen, and our worthy
Gov. Ramsey, backed by Gen. Dana and
Major Nelson, succeeded in having US
moved, but too late to save hundred
good strong mea from death and several
hundred nen from diseased systems, and
who our surgeons, with their acknowledged
skill, can scarcely save, till expiration of
service. Had our regiment been sent
South when enlisted and been in many
battles, We could probably to-day be able
to show q much smaller bill OF mortality.
You are doubtless looking for us home
very soon, and, now that ''this cruel war
is over" we have reason to expect to go
home soon, but you must not be sanguine,
or impatient If We are not with you for
some time to come. We cannot drop our
swords and guns and run home, as the
rebs did, as soon as they were surrender
ed. We must stay and look after " Un-
Gle Sans property, Gnoluding the Afri-
can descent) which the rebs left "lying
around loose" 1t was small matter for
them to 90. They we're not accountable
for government property when their gov
eminent ceased to exist. With US, the
case is quite different. We may have
future use for this kind of property.
Now that we have subdued the South
ern people, we must convince them that
We did it for their good; that weare their
friends and brothers; that we are willing
to protect them against their own evil dis
posed people, Of whom they now seem to
be most afraid. All this is not the work
of day, or q month. But we will expe-
dite matters as fast as possible and go
home to our friends, leaving good friends
behind us-frieads who will fight shoulder
to shoulder with Us, against any power
who may be foolish enough to insult the
Stars and Stripes.
A rebel officer asked me few days ago,
in conversation, If We were not going to
drive the French out OF Mexico, and re-
marked that che was in y the first chance
that offered, and, believe this feeling is
universal in the North. They once loved
the old flag, and were led astray, and now,
returning, love it more than ever.
The colored deputation had an idea that
the =" Yanks were peculiar kind of per-
con. They really believed that we had
horns and tails. have been told so by
several of the refugees from plantations in
the interior. They say their masters told
them so, and when we come, they must
hide away, but most of them got posted
before we come, and we're not bit afraid
of Us except the young 'uns.
The women here, feel more chagrined,
apparently, than the mes. They show
their feelings, but the men conceal theirs.
Some call the women ,disloya and men
loyal. Such do, not understand human
nature. One contemplate puppy told me
he had always been loyal but his wife urged
him into the army, ] afterwards learned
that he was q contractor. The women
are brave, but the men (msny Of them)
are towards and hide behind crinoline.
The women Of the South and Of the North
are sisters, When they. espouse q cause
| they 60 into It. heartily and without re-
i serve. The blood Of The Revolutionary