, 1865-02-12
LETTER EEOyH THE GxNTE.
FOURTH ILLINOIS.
Illinois In the Heart Of South Caro-
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PocorA11oo, s. G., Jan. ~, I'D, 1s65.
Editors Chicago Tribune:
Thinking that many of your subscribers
would be glad to hear from the 9th I'll.
" Of addressing your paper. The regiment
is now In the Ist brigade, 1st division, t7th
army corps, and through the last campaign
from Atlantis to Savannah, has been under
command Of Capt. J. 8. Reynolds, Of Co. F,
our Colonel (John hosrilD having resolved
Atlanta, from which be has not yet recover
ed, and our Lieut.. Colonel {M. ". Mannins}
being on leave of absence ut the time of start
ing on the campaign. I hardly need say to
the friends Of Capt. Reynolds, that he has
MeF1tsd ne and % received the Greatest praise from
The Gth has been, during the whole Of the
n1arch, very fortunate, ard has not lost s111-
gle man tn killed nnd wounded, and only one
as prisoncr-James G. Smith Of Co. A, taken
while fo:aging, BY Wheeler's cavalry The
health Of the regiment is very good, and has
hardly be otherwise, as the diet has been go
varied and 60 wholesome. Besides this, the
Sanitary Commission hns not left us altogeth-
or out in the cold, but have made Us the re-
ciplents Of seycral supplies Of onions, pota-
toes, &c, which have helped to Gil up the
scanty fire of our biEouae meals, and no
doubt tended to prevent the spread Of scuryy
and other like diseases to which men In our
sphere Of life arc particularly exposed. But
the articles received from the u. 8. Sanitary
Commission have more beneficial effect upon
tho mind Of the soldier, than they can upon
the body: They put him in mind Of the1oyed
ones at home, who have 1abored to collect
these stores for his benefit and as be looks
upon them, memories Of the long gone time
Of peace flock to his mind, aud in thought ha
lives over the scenes Of joy long passed, and
prays for the return Of peace once more. He
feels that he still has friends at hono-that
his absence has not altogether eTascd4 his
memory from the minds OF those whom he
was formerly wont to associate with, and he
settles IN bis mind once more to bo patient In
the discharge Of his duties, and walt for the
long lookcd-lor consu1pmation Of peace.
Thus fur, the campaign in South Carolina
has been O. blooo1ess one, but In our next ad-
vance we look for and expect fighting. It
cannot we'll be otherwise, for we nre close
ly approaching the original birthplace
Of rebellion, and cannot expect it will be ours
without q Struggle, and severe ono but
SheTman's army know no such word AZ fail,
and 30 we look forward to ultimate aud COM
plete success.
Tho movements of the great corps which
compose this great army, ure truly majestic
and grind, as one after another like the
spokes Of q great wheel, they swing into po-
sition. And 1t does not SEEN at all wonder
ful to us, that sherman's army Is n terror to
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know not what O failure ID, aud who move on
conquerIng and to couqucr-a to1al defeat Is
an impossiblity, and partial defeat seems
like q great inpzobabIllty. We sec In the
Charleston Wercury Of tho 9th inst, that
South Carolina is stripped to the waist ana
ready. for the fight. II such Is the case, they
will not ind us either backward or eowardly,
and South Carolina will ere long be the scene
of one Of the most desperate aud bloody en-
counters ever recorded In the histories Of wag-
fare; and the Importance Of the conflict cannot
be too largely estimated, when We remember
that the 1ate Of Wilmington, and also Rich
mond itself, depends upon its result. Oar
movements may, and almost necessarily Will
be slow Z; but like our advance upon Atlanta
1t will be sure.
The light Of The star Of peace seems almost
ready to break ont once more upon our
country; the smoke Of few more conflicts
may DIM it, and hide It for time, but when
It docs break forth, au these things will van
ish like the fog, and the morning dew, before
a summers sun Then will the citizen sol
diera Of sherman'a army retire from the public
service, and be satisfied to try to become q
good citizens as they have been soldiers This
IS the consunmatlon which every loyal heart
in this army prays for, anil the responsive
hearts at home echo their earnest prayers;