The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1880-09-30
MORE MURDERS

MORE MURDERS!
august 26h, lS64.-Symptoms Of un-
usual excitement among the guards have
just been explained by grapevine tele-
gram (note with stone attached thrown
over the walD, announcing the brutal muir
der of wv. III. Mowry of the-Regt" (un-
decypherablel shot by the guards without
warning or pr0vocatiOn threat uprOar
about it, and you may hear OF stirring times
soon. We are starving, and dying Of small
pox and dysentery fast enough without be
ing murdered in this way. I've seen nine
men shot on one excuse or another since |
came here. Four OF MY division have died
within two weeks. Thus ran the note,
which is from an ntelligens Sergeant so |
am informed by Capt White Well, poor
fellows, death is IA relief for those who have
wasting and loathsome diseases but if the
more robust are driven to desperation
We ii see what we shall see
On dit, rough row among the officers
confined in the caseuates of the Fort. 1t
seems Col. =, of \. g.. was recently as
signed quarters there at his own request
he finding his relations with his messmates
in this pen growing small by degrees and
visibly less, since he has developed yankee
tendencies. He is a very handsome, strlk
ing, aid plausible man; and of excellent
family. But even before his rather singular
capture, his manners had bereft him of
popularity among his comrades, though he
then protessed the most rabid fire eating
yankee hating, sentiments Soon after his
arrival here queer stories gained currency,
and it was discovered he held communica-
tions with the prison officials, on the sub
iect of taking the oath. The latter were
willing to have him take the oath, but not
to set him at liberty. He, therefore, solic-
iled to be put in the f r away from the 9th
er prisoners. This being granted, he was
placed in one of the casemates with several
other officers, and here threw off restraint,
declaring he intended to take the oath as
the Contederacy was an humbug, failure,
and the government a disgrace; with much
similar talk Of an offensive nature alleging
| he had paid 5000 for single meal in Rich
| mond, and didn't then get enough to as
suage ordinary appetite, etc, etc. AT this,
Capt Manning, who is, | think, fellow
county man of IS, swore that a man who
could eat $500 worth Of dinner must be able
to ''eat his own words,'' with little help,
which he purposed volunteering for the oc-
casion \ rough and tumble fight ensued,
and Col. =, was taken elsewhere.
! n Bile managed to get on the list of
| 600 officers sent to Hlton's Head. While
in Fort Pulaski on diet of sour corn meal
and pickles his new 10y atty became so ur
| gent. and MS denunciations of the Confed-
eracy so violent, he was finally allowed to
take the oath and go out among the ga
vanized."
Aug, 27h.-Daily the magnanimous
representatives of the BEST of Govern
ments" are curtailng our food, liberty, and
privileges. To-day we are informed hereaf
ter prisoners must be restricted to ttc0 letters
q .ceeh;, ten lines to the letter, or half sheet
of note paper per week Here is another
needless annoyance. Why should we be
restricted to ten lines Or what difference
need it make if we should write dozen let
ters a piece each week? No harm can
come of 1t and the government is gamer
by some hundreds of dollars worth of post
age, etc True it increases the trouble of
reading, but what need to read? And as
man is employed for the purpose why not
give him plenty of employment? Not that
it concerns me In the least. | have no cor
respondence that | care to continue, now
that Exchange AMI Flag of-True Boats no
longer run.
4ugust 29M-'' Fresh fish Fresh fish"
Do you remember the cry and clamor that
welcomes our Point Lookout party on our
entering the pen three months ago? Again
it was repeated; and [ too ran with the old
fish to greet the new not to give welcome,
but to gain news-tidings from the army
some real knowledge of the situation, down
In old Virginia
A pitiable spectacle they presented;
these ll9 new comers direct from Dixie
Tnln and haggard of face, depressed, dirty,
and dllapidated; worn out In soul, In body,
and i'll clothes. The shadow of famine
stands revealed in their looks the fore
shadowing Of failure colors every utterance
of their lips | turned away sick at heart.
after hearing their story of our wretched
fortunes; for at last there is open talk of
Defeat, and If these men speak the truth,
the decentralization in our armies must rem
der Defeat not only possible but probable
Yet for one shall not be guilty of so great
slur upon Southern manhood. 1t must
be these new comers are an exception
themselves demoralized by crushing defeat
Alas there is no mistaking the deterlora-
tion of our troops especially ir officers
The bravest, truest, most spirited are thin
ming out, because they aciH lead and upon
them falls the brunt, until their fatal proml-
nence proves their destruction. No one
can avoid the comparison between our
armies in 1861, and now Then, there were
thousands of the nobest men of the South
bearing muskets in the ranks men VINO at
terwards became captains, cOlonels and
brig adiers, or even ma jor generals. 1T was
this element of personal worth, daring, and
dash that made our infantry, during the
first twelve months of the war, the admlra-