Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1865-03-16
MARr1SsBuRe, W. Va. Feb. 25, g;

Nh. r. L. STEWART:
DEAR Sir Permit me
through the columns of your valua-
BILE paper, to inform the friends of
the 9lst o. V. l., of Our whereabouts
this winter. We came to this place
on the 3lst of last December, began
building winter quarters on New
Years day, and in few days, had
comfortable quarters. Our duty
here is pretty heavy, but the boys
pcrform it cheerfuly. We have
nearly six months pay due US, and a
few dollars of Uncle Sans illegal
tenders" would be very gratefully
received by the boys. We have
heard some talk of the Paymaster,
but he has not yet made his appear.
ance. think the Government should
be little more pIuctual about pay
ing the soldiers. Many OF them have
families, who are almost entirely de-
pendent on them for support. we,
who enlisted in the summer OF oZ.
were promised one hundred dollars
bounty, on being mustered out OF the
service, providing we had served TWO
years, while those who now enlist lor
one year, must have from four 10
six hundred dollars. Now, all thlr
may be very just, but we "cant see
it."
A man enlisting in '62, for three
years is certainly worth more than
one enlisting now for one year, and
vet the one year man receives four
tunes the bounty of the three years
man. do not know how long we
will stay here: l do not think we
will remain idle, while the work of
crushing this infamous rebellion re-
mains undone.
Each day brings additional news
of General Sherman's triumphant
march through South Carolina
Charleston, that hot bed Of treason
has been evacuated, and the Sodom
of rebellion has again come under
the rule of Uncle Samuel, after be-
ing under the traitors for nearly four
years, and the old flag of the Stripes
and Stars once more floats over the
walls of Sumter. We now hold everv
Southern fort on the Atlantic coast,
and blockade running in that quarter
is at an end. The constitutional
amendment abolishing slavery in the
United States, will be the death blow
to that institution, when ratified by
the Legislatures of three fourths of
all the States. The constitution will
then be guarantee of freedom, in
stead of slavery, to which it had been
degraded, through party platforms
and partisan decision. Then, the
prime cause of our present troubles
will be removed, and when peace
again blesses our land, we need not
be afraid of another rebellion On the
account of slavery. Reconstruction
with slavery will be, and is now, en-
tirely out of the question. When we
get peace let us also have free
country, guaranteed by the constitu-
IlOu. OuCu ptdCc hlli NC o ie,SSahS
peace, while peace with slavery
would continue but few years. to
break out again into rebellion more
gigantic than the existing one.
The cowardly sneaking traitors of
the North will no doubt make a great
noise about the violation of the
constitution" as shey term it But
they are decidedly in the minority,
and can do nothing but croak. The
Gallia boys are well. and ready to
do their part. should the rebels prove
troublesome. There is no enemy
near here except a few guerillas.-
This is the most loyal town that l
have seen in Virginia, there being
very few rebels here. We have had
some very cold weather here this
winter, but it is much warmer now.
Yours, &c,
W. v. vANZANT,
Co. B, 9lsL Reg't, o. V. 1.