Des Arc citizen., 1866-07-14
The Federal Soldiers Soliloquy.

we ma the 1olloWlnS III tiIc La SIoSso (Wis) Democrat:
 Good bye, blue ruinl Go into the dye tub-into the rag bag. anywhere out of my sight For three years l wore those blue duds, and now, thank God, they are off, and once more I am in command of myself.
 What the devil did I go to war for? That's the question. What did l eat hard tack for-drink commissary whisky-carry mules load-sleep in the mud-suffer in hospital and lose this limb for ? Who knows?
 1 enlisted to save the Union.
 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 that was in old times the way to patriotism.
 And what was there gained? l had thirteen dollars month. I rode shank's mare from Bull Run to Red River, almost for nothing.
 I 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 thunder must I lose three years of time and limb if all this wory must be done by Congress? Why were million of us killed by drunken, thieving, cotton stealing silver ware hunting, conceited, upstart, political generals, who wentu like rockets, and came down like sticks, if Congress can or could restore the Union by legislation? went to war in good faith.
 1 fought score of times, and the more I fought and the less I stole the slower came promotion.
 I helped make dozen generals, fifty colonels anda hundred officers rich. have lugged many a. piano, rosewood bedstead, marble-top 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 puttig down the rebellion
 And I went to war for less wages than I could have earned at home. And my wife was often starving while was away And my children became ragged and dirty my farm ran to weeds-nly shop ran down my tools were stolen or lost--my place is filled by another-I came home a cripple, filled with disease, and am now looked upon by the same men who wanted me to go to the war, much as people look upon some dead beat who has gone through them fol all their spare change
 And the abolitionists who forgot to take care of soldiers amiles-the abolitionists who told us that the Democrats wanted the Union dissolved-the abolitionists who said the Democrats were traitors-thc abolitionists who staid at home and dare not fight except in the form of mob, ir the attack of some defenceless Democrat now tell us that
 The late war did not restore the Union
 The war was therefore a failure.
 The white men of the North were nt match for the white men of the South.
 The war would have ended in defeat fo the North but for the niggers.
 This is what Aboltionists tell us. Beck on they will have good time getting u returned soldiers engaged in anothe crusade for cotton, niggers, mules and stolel plumber, taken by force of the bayone from women and children.
 It seems to me as if the late war was gag-a humbug --a wicked, reasonable unconstitutional gag. It did not restore tn Union, but 1t made pile of Abolitionist' and war Democrats rich,
 It never prevented secession, but lief this Union in the shape we did not find il
 It never benefited any one North o South, except thieving soldiers, arm chaplains, swindling contractors, drunke officers, incompetent generals and othe such pets of the late administration.
 It didn't help the white people. l It didn't help the niggers. l It impoverished half of the Union. l It didn't make the South friendly | Northern ideas, interest or people.
 It piled big debt upon us and too from us two-thirds ofo means to pay 1t.
 And now 1 am back from the war find that 1 must pay the most exorbitar taxes-and to find that old Grudgings, uledil udIIUW -HllIicu, Sitt -lU-liOlllc JUN dl is rich, with a state full of U. s. bonds, ft which must work the balance of my lii out to pay interest on, while he escape taxation, and lives in idleness. had hundred dollars bounty to go to war No I I come home to find the town, county, cit and State in debt for the money had the wealth of the country is in bonds-th school houses in ruins-the court house : &c., in ruiDs-the bond and their intere r to be paid besides all the other taxes, an 7 the holders of bonds living in luxuriol idleness, with large incomes, and not or cent of tax to pay anybody or for any pu e pose.
 It was bad enough to fight for sue towards.
 It is bad enough to have it said we cou
 not have whipped the South without u > aid of these high-favored negro troops WI a are now to be called our equals. n lis had enouph to have enormou tax