The Placer herald., 1866-07-14
The Returned Soldiers Soliloquy.

slSht. TOT tuTee years l wore tneSo Ou0
duds and now, thank God, they are off, and
once more l am in command Of myself. And
if want id fool, I'll be id Learn,
ed to swear in the army.
What in the devil did 60 to the war for!
That's the question. What did eat hard
tack for--drink commissary whskey-carry
mules load-sleep in the mud-suffsr in
hospital, and lose this limb for. Who
knows!
enlisted to save the Union.
went to war to put down the rebellion.
fought to punish traitors.
killed people TO restore the harmony Of
things.
went to war because that was in "old
times" the way to patriotism.
And what was there gained! had thir'
teen dollars a month. l rode shank's mare
from Bull run to the Red River, and tramp.
ed from high living to hell almost all for
nothing.
fought to keep this Union whole, and
now, when the war is ended, am told that
fighting divided. and that legislation alone
can, restore the Union! Then why in thun.
der must lose three years of time and
limb, if all this work must be done by Con.
gresss What did Congress want of men?
Why were million Of US killed 10y drunken
thieving, cotton stealing. silver ware hunting,
conceiled, upsart, 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.
fought a score of times, and the more l
lsl,o l., A. ~,
promotion.
helped make dozen generals, fifty colo
nels, and dozen officers rich.
have Iugged many a piano, rosewood
bedstead, marbletop table, cabinet of books,
mahogany sofa, and such stuff, out of South
ern homes, to be sent North for the use of
my superior" officer, and the adornment Of
his home in the North. This was The big
dart for putting down the rebellion! Great
God, what fighting some Of onr generals
did
And l went to war for less wages than l
could have earned at home. And my wife
was often starving while was away. And
my children became dirty and ragged-my
farm went to weeds-my shop ran down
my tools were stolen or lost-my place is
filled by another-I came home a cripple,
filed with disease, and am now looked upon
by the same men who wanted me to 90 to
war, much as some people look upon some
dead-beat who has gone through them for
all their spare stamps.
And the abolitionists who forgot to take
care of soldiers families during the war
the abotionists who told US that the Demo
Gratis wanted the Union dissolved-the abo.
litionists who said Democrats were traitors
the aboitionists who staid at home and
dare not fight, except in the form of mob,
in the attack of some defenceless Democrat,
now tell us-the id, cowardIy traitors, and
that
The late war did not restore the Union.
The war was therefore 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 nggers!
This is what abolitonists tells US. Reckon
they will have good time getting us re-
turned soldiers engaged in another crusade
for cotton, niggers, mules, and stolen plum
der taken by force Of the bayonet from wo
men and children.
1t seems to me as if the late war was
gag humbug, ID wicked, reasonable,
unconstitutional gag 1t did not restore the
Union, but it made pile Of abolitionists
and war Democrats rich.
1t never prevented secession, but left this
Union in the shape we did not find it.
1t never benefited any one North or
South, except thieving soldiers, army chap
lains, swiudlipg contractors, drunken officers,
incompetent generals and other such pets
Of the late Administration.
1t din't help the white people,
1t didn't help the nggers.
It impoverished half the Union.
1t didn't make the South friendly to
Northern ideas, interests, or people.
1t piled big debt upon US, and took from
us two'tbrds of our means to pay it,
And now am back from the war to find
that must pay the most exhorbitant taxes
and to find that old Grudgns, ID mean
narrow minded, stay-at-home coward, is
rich, with safe full of United States notes
or bonds. for which must work the balance
of my life out to pay interest on, while he
escapes taxation and lives in ideness.
had hundred dollars bounty to 60 to war.
Now come homo to find the town, county,
city, and State in debt for the money had.
The wealth Of the country in bonds-the
school houses in runs-tbe bridges in ruins
the court houses. &C., in ruins-al these
things to be built up-the bonds and their
interest to be paid, besides all the other tax
es, and the holders of bonds living 10 uxu
rious idleness, with large incomes, and not
one cent Of tax to pay anybody or for any
purpose.
1t was bad enough to fight for such cow
ards.
1t is bad enough to have it said we could
not have whipped the South without the aid
Of those high favored niger troops who are
now to be called our equals.
1t is bad enough to have enormous taxes
TO pay to repair the damages time and war