The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1889-05-16
Ex-REBELs IN THE GAR.
Another Plea for the COnscripted JOhnnies.

EDITOR NATIONAL TRIBUNE: I have re-
ceived so many letters lately from comrades of
the GAR. commencing me for the position l
have taken in regard to the admission of ex-
conscripted Union men of the rebel army, that
l thought I would reply TO all and request
them one and all to send their letters to The
NATIONAL TRIBUNE, that great exponent of
all the rights of Union soldiers. Before writing
any more will introduce one letter received
from the Major of the LIST Ark. Cav, land beg
his pardon for the liberty l take with it,. But
it is SO much to the point that it makes him an
excellent exponent of the subject.
Los ANGELES CAL. Dec 8, 1855
Conlrade E. A. WILSON.
CoMRADE: In The national. TRIBUNE of Nov
% l saw u communication from you IN behalf of
ex-rebels rights to become members of the GAR
Arkansas furnished II regiments for the Union,
fully 20 per cent of which had been cOnseripted
into the Southern army. Twenty-seven men of
regiment captured al the battle of Prairie
Grove, Ark, and Il of them were taken out and
shot that night for desertiOn from the Johnnies.
Eighty Union men conseripted from Hunts
ville Ark, at one time, and were taken to Nieks-
burg Miss and put in the front of the battle Only
fonr men lived to return home. know whereof
speak when say that il took more true grit to
be a Union man in the South than 1t did in the
North because his family would not only be the
subject OF Fidicule-nigger lovers ete-bat5subjeet
to all manner Ofcruelty, even If they were allowed
to live in the South, which not often the case
but were generally driven out and their houses
burned. The regiment of which was q member
was first composed of men that had escaped con-
scrpton by hiding In the mountains until alter the
battle of Pea Ridge and then stole their way inside
the Union lines few at a time
All honor to you for championing the cause OF
the ex. eonscripted Union men of the rebel army,
who as soon as they could enlisted and fought so
nobly for the Union cause. To them undoubtedly
belongs the right to wear the honorable badge Of
F.. G. and L. And 1 hope you will not cease to
write of this injustice praeticed toward them.
| Respectfully, yours, IN F., e. and l.,
| No IL Custer avenue Los Angeles, CAL
| 1 give the comrades full address, so that any
| doubling the genuiueneSs of the above letter
can address him. Now, he says that IL of his
men were shot. / ask what for? Simply for
the reason that they loved the Union cause
better than the rebel cause, into which they
! had been couscripted. 1t is idle for me to say
| that they deserted an unrighteous cause for a
more holy and just one, and Joined the Union
army, for which act they paid the penalty
| with their lives.
At least that is what COmrade Fitch says,
and folly believe him, for it is the common
| talk here among our Southern comrades. And
right here let me say that | have heard hard
tales since my IL years residence here of the
cruelty and persecution that was practiced to-
ward those Union soldiers that would melt the
heart of the widest Comanehe or the most re-
Ientless Sioux Indian that ever brandished g
| tomahawk Driven from their homes and
obliged to seek the more friendly shelter of the
lungleS or the cypress SWdtupS ana the luotS
congenial companionship of the snakes, alliga
tors, eatamounIs and other varmnts" that
usually inhabit such nice places of resort, there
to remain until they could escape to the Union
lines; or were hunted down with bloodhoundS
and conseripted into the rebel service, from
| which they deserted Mt the earliest opportunity
and Joined the Federal army. And many Of
them while hiding had their homes burned
their stock run off, their wives and children
turned into the streets, some mothers with
babies in their arms, all because the husband
and father adhered to the Union cause.
Comrade Fitch hopes that | will not cease "a
write upon this subject. l don't believe thai
Comrade Fitch realized the task ne has given
me-for one lone Berdan Sharpshooter TO stand
up and face 100000 comrades OF the GAR.
men who stormed the nights of Yieksburg and
climbed Lookout Mountain, and rallied TO the
every call of their beloved Uncle Billy
around Atlanta. And when I think of some
of those comrades into whose faces looked as
| they breasted the storm of bullets in the Wiz
derness, and as they climbed the nights at
Spottsylvania Courthouse, aud rallied around
Petersburg, il looks as thOagh the task was in
deed hopeless one, and that che natures con-