Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1872-10-15
General slocum to General Burnside.

General Slocum to General Burnside.
The following singing reply to the bluster-.
ing address of General Burnside to the Fed>
eral soldiers is published in New York BY one
of the most distinguished soldiers in the
Union army dnring the late war. /. should
be read by every voter.
General a. f. Burnside:
DEAR GENERAL 81 have read with o,e.,
interest your address to the soldiers and sailors
who served IN the Union army and pavy dp>
ring the late war As was one of the sol.
dlers alluded to, trust yon will not be dis
( pleased II say few words in responce
thereto. You tell us that you and Others. "a
our representatives.. met a. Pittsburgh and
adopted series of resolutions. which we have
a'ready seen. You complain that Mr. Greeley
has expressed the opinion that you assembled
for political purposes, and that you hoped tn
accomplish these purposes by revivinp the
an'mos!tles and hatreds eugendered hy the
war. You further say that these remarks of
Mr. Greeley and his entire lack of courtesy
toward the soldiers and sailors serve to confirm
you 10 the opinion that he is quite unfit to be
trusted in any position where LOYALTY to h;s
| others. and an abnegation of self is reon;red
You then proceed to inform us. in concIus;on
that it only remains for you to urge us to or,
ganize in harmony with the regular Repubr
can organizations, and to do all in our mower
| to re>elect General Grant.
The first thought that occurred to nv mind
on reading this add ress was. "What was there
in General Burnside's military career tina, ms
titles him in telling the hundreds of thousands
of soldiers whosserved during the late war
what they should do in time of reace ?" Did
anything occur at the first Bull Run a,
Roanoke Island. at Fredericksburg, in East
Tennessee, or at the mine ex posion in front
OF Petersburg, which entities him to assume
command of all of US in time of peace and
| order US to the trout to fight in behalf of a
political party?
My second thought was: "Is it credita.
BILE to the soldiers Of the late war that one of
their number should be permitted, az their
| pretended representative, to spread hroadcas,
over the land a document charging Horace
Greeley with disloyalty 2" The truth of the
saying that '.the pen is mightier than the
sword" is coming year bv wear to he more
| generally acknowledged. In view of the cleo
tion of General Grant to the Presidency and
OF the fact that he is candidate for re- cleo
| ton. there probably some men in the conn
| try who doubt its truth. If, however. we
were to add to the saying the proviso that the
pen should be handled by Greeley and the
sword by Burnside, all doubters would dis
| appear.
You and I. General. know full we'll that
while we we're in the field fighting for the
Union Mr.. Greeley was welding in behalf Of
the same cause weapon far more powerful
than those used by either of u.s. We know
too, that long after we had shea.hed our
swords he kent np the fight, and continued it
| until every object was accomplished for which
even the most ardent Aboitionist had ever
prayed He did not cease the fight until the
Union was restored, slavery abolished, the
hlsckest enfranchised, and all their civil and
| political rights solemnly guaranteed to them
| by amendments tn the Constitution. And vet
General, yon have the hardihood of charging
this man with disovaltv, and are utterine
this foolish charge in your assumed canac;tv
as the representative of all the Union soldiers
| in the land
You say he has been guilty of a lack of
courtesy toward us. In nv Judgment anv
man who, eight years after the close of q
hl"ody civil war, will ask soldiers to assemble
| IN convention with view of controlling the,r
action in political matters, is a demayogue
unworthy ct courtesy at the hands of Mr..
Greeley or any other person. When, at the
close OF the war. we laid down onr arms. we
became citizens. and we have no interests to-
day except those we have in common with all
other citizens. Why, then, should any one
ask USE in our character as soldiers. to assem-
bile in political bodies? Why should Won ex.
tend to US such an invitation, unless it is with
the hope that from your former connection
with ns in the army you may influence our
judgments upon matters of public policy in a
time of peace? Do you not think, General
that these assemblies of soldiers for the pur.
pose OF perfecting our elections, have become
slightly nauseating to the public? Did it ever
occur to you that, as rule. the officers most
active in work ofthis nature we're most upsuo.
cessfnl in the field
Permit me. in conclusion. to saw that do
not believe that in your action at Pittsburgh,
or IN the sentiments of the address TO which I
have alluded. you are in any sense of the word
representative nf the real soldiers of the
army On the contrary, feel that very many
OF them unite with me in the hope that this
political campaign in which you seem to have
assumed the position of commander NAV prove
to you and to the troops of your command an,
other Fredericksburg.
Very truly yours.
Fl W SLocUM.
Brooklyn, October q, 1879