, 1865-10-27
FROM NORTHERN ALABAMA.
Shocking Condition Of Soldiers and
People Mt DcmopolIs.

c,xp ORR I,rro,, c.v.rny
pknopoi1s, Ala, Oct Is, 1855.
Editors Chicago Tt,buue:
Th,ns,n.r ~ a co,nm nn,c,t,on ,ror, +b,.
Lansing 'u4L eo.un1ai'eat'oA a.. ltou' 'ul'
part OF tne eount'! ~ lnis 'lnc ".snt oe ~"
cept8blc TO some OF your readers, 1 Will Try
to set forth few facts. and look to YOU to
-cdrese s,n,a of our vnono. 1,v prhlIshjno
49,
tnr - s'n"e
THIS command is no" scattered over several
counties, occasionally moving back aud forth,
s.rutnc In bnvc no f}rad nurnose. Part of
IL. -ooi,,o,t hoa hoan Al C,ainsv,,1, far .ha
~. ,us .- IAs $500. 49, 80 '.a",,,.s -.
las1 1onr "eeAss gs'aesme ana e'eahue GU
ton. 4 spirit Of speculation seems to have
.eized ho1d Of the officers Of the command.
although there are few honorable exceo.
:. 49,. - me
uons* ~ ~ noloiao"7 1aes s"Hs 'ns o1ues4a
have reaped rich harvest oy de1faudtng the
Government and robblng the citizens Of their
cotton, under the cloak Of military authority.
TO- anon,v staa. tha,r nnrro.e tn nal.
~ ,t':n oa W ~. ,nan cn,,aw,ao ,,,s s-ana.
AL tpey cAn. LIE mso' lolio"i'e lug eAa"@
pie Of the officers, steal horses and mules,
and commit all kinds of deprcdatious. As
soon as they rob one town, they move on to
luz ne1.' taAins e., 'u's pv''anas - aas'l
way 1t seems as though our 4cadlne oMcefs
are lost to nn shame and sense Of dccency-
AS It now Is, we arc burden to the people and
the Government. Tho boys know that we
moi @ &c receiving here proper food and 10 Clothes,
thew have become reckless, and are contina-
allr 1nakine raids on the surrounding p1anta-
lima and featinr the negroes In a cruel man
ner, Without proyocauon. The most bitter
complaints come In from all sides, Of outrages
~ Soldiers, but they can get no redress from
tie officers, whose ears are open only to the
soft music OF cotton. Why are these officers A.
,nwc1 cytrn nav for rntherinr up cotton! They
wonlI onIy Be doing their duty to pick up ali
| Government cotton without receiving the
extra pay There arc epcculators running
1T % ntffccrs wiIIch Ia never reported to The
I Cotton Agent, THIS cotton mania Il what is
Eern;nr "a in thc service For this We are
I dai1Y sacrificing By disease the lives Of men
who bare fought and follcd for four long years
for their country. The heads Of our officials
are 80 turned that they neEer think that the
men need rations md proper clothing. Al no
time during the wnr was this command With
out clothing for 50 long period as at pres
| cnt, and as thcy are not paid, they cannot buy
food or cloth1ug. Without q change Of
clothes, they are moEe liable to disease,
are full to overdowiug with poor fel-
lows uuablc to help themselves. The men
| able TO do duty are not 1T TO be seen.
| Now Is this not 4 shamee Does this treat
| ment show proper gratitude for the service
| rendered by this veteran regiment! We do
not blame the government, but officers whose
duty It is to sec that We are provided for. arc
the ones that deserve the execration Of every
honest man. They tell rs one weak that they
will have clothing soon-the next they Will
| 20 for it-and finally there u no clothing.
The Goye1nment has none. The weather i
noT getting cold and rainy a good many
arc without a boot TO put On, md no Jackets.
What can We do: Our ratfons are very poor,
three days Ut a time. The meat Is generally
nnfit far man. being stale and Wormy. Hard
brad Is full of bugs and worms. In ttmcs oi
war We take what We want In the enemy'e
country, but now It Is different. We have to
depend upon the govern nmeut for supplies.
If tie people Of the North could see fol
themselves how We have been treated since
The war hs closed, they would cIy out