The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1866-06-08
The Returned Soldiers soliIoquy.
BY BRICK POMEROY.

Good bye. blue ruin Go into the dye
tub-into the rag bag, anywhere out of my
sight. For three years wore those blue
duds, and now, thank God, they are off, and
once more I am in command of myself.
And if want id fool, I'll be ID!
Learned to swear in the army.
What in the devil did I 60 to war for?
That's the question! What did I eat hard
tack for-drink commissary whisky-car-
ry mules load-sleep in the mud-sufer
in hospitals and lose this limb for? Who
knows?
enlisted to save the U-n-i-o-n.
I went to war to put down the rebellion,
I fought to punish traitors.
killed people to restore the harmony of
things.
I went to war because in old times that
was the way to patriotism.
And what was there gained? I had
thirteen dollars mouth. I rode shank's
mare from Bull Run to the Red River, and
tramped from high living to hell almost for
nothing.
fought to keep this Union whole, and
now, when the war is ended, I am told that
fighting divided, - Legislation alone
can restore the Vi Then why in thun-
der must lose three years of time and
limb if all this work must be done by Con-
bgress? What did Congress want of men?
Why were million of US killed by drunken,
thieving, cotton-steall,,s silver-ware-h
ing, conceited, upstart, political generals
who went up like rockets and came down
like sticks, if Congress can or could restore
the Union by legislation?
went to war in good faith.
I fought a score of times, and the more I
fought and the less stole the slower came
promotion.
helped make dozen generals, fifty
colonels and hundred other officers rich.
have lugged many piano, rosewood
bedstead, marble-top table, cabinet books,
mahogany sofa, and such stuff out of South
ern homes to be sent North for the use of
superior officers, for the adornment of their
homes. This was the big dart for putting
down the rebellion? Great God!-what
fighting some of our generals did!
And went to war for less wages than
could have earned at home. And my wife
was often starving while was away. And
my children became dirty and ragged-my
farm ran to weeds-my shop ran down
my tools were stolen or lost-my place is
filed by another-I came home cripple,
! filed with disease, and am now looked up
on by the same men who wanted me to go
to war, as a burden to the community.
And the abolitionists who forgot to take
care of soldiers families-the abolitionists
who told us that the Democrats wanted the
Union dissolved-the abolitionists who said
Democrats were traitors-the abolitionists
who staid at home and dared not fight, ex-
cept in the form of a mob, in attacks upon
some .defenceless democrat, now tell US
the id, cowardly traitors and rascally
thieves-that the late war did not restore
the Union
The war was therefore a failure!
The white men of the North were no
match for the white men of the South.
The war would have ended in defeat for
the North but for the niggers!
! This is what abolitionists tell US. Reckon
they will have a good time getting US re-
turned soldies engaged in another crusade
for niggers, mules and stolen plumber,
taken by force of the bayonet from women
and children.
1t seems to me as if the late war was a
gag-a humbug-a ID wicked, treason
able, unconstitutional gag. 1t did not re-
store the Union, but it made pile of abo-
litionists and war-democrats rich.
It never prevented secession, but left the
Union in the shape we did not end It.
Il never benefited any one North or