The Red Cloud chief., 1893-09-22
Written Tor TIE CHIEF
"Reminiscences Of Army Life.
(BY A PRIVATE. }
NUMBER VI.

That the war was tho elimination
Of an "irrepressible conflict that had
long existed between the North and
the South in regard 10 the institution
Of slavery, is a matter Of history, the
discussion Of which docs not come
within the scope designed TO be GOV
cred by these "reminiscences" Bat
the sentiments and ~prejudicss Of the
people Of the South, ss We learned
them by frequent conversations with
them during the war, arc worthy OF
mention, and help us not only to a
better understanding # the differences
existing between the North and
the South, but also TO put a more
charitable construction on the con.
duct Of those who in q conventional
sense were our "encm'cs' but toward
whom We could not feel tho slightest
enmi'y. The better classes Of the
South we're not only intelligent, but
many of them well educated, so far rs
relates To educition acquired in the
schools. For although there were
scarcely any district schools in tho
South, there were high schools and
academies in most Of the charger towns,
whcrc all except the "poor white
trash" could be taught. But freedom
Of speech and tho press were not tel
Grated 10 the South, and tho mere
presence Of q preacher or lecturer
from the North was locked upon with
suspicion, and q coat Of tar and fcath.
ers awaited him who dared to raise
his vice against their pet institution.
I met with an intelligent christian
lady in Southern Missouri, who was
we'll posted, f.om q southern stand
point, but so intensely prcjudiccd 'h,t
she would not have read a Northern
church paper il she could have had
tho opportunity. She was a Method.
ist and told me that the only paper
that she could get to read, or cared to
read, was the Nashville Christian Ad.
vocatc. She did not know anything
Of the Northern church papers, except
what she read Of them in her paper,
and that was a. much as she wanted
to know about them. She could
scarcely command charity enough to
admit that there were any christians
in the IN. Il church North" as they
Of the South call the NJ. L. church.
She did admit however that there
might bs somc few, who we're good
christians, but that they were blinded
by the better informed, but irreligious
and hypccrltical northern preachers,
and abolition editors, who she SINGER.
ely believed werc waging an unholy
war against the people Of the south
and their divine institution Of slavery.
She had been taught to believe tina,
all northern people were yankees and
that all yankees were abolition,s,s,
and that all abolitioni,ts were enemies
Of the south.
All this she said she learned from
her church paper. We learned more
of the sentiments Of southern people
from the women than from the men
for several reasons. We met with
more OF them, as the men we're gen.
orally away from home, being cithe,
in the rebel service as soldiers OF
hiding away somewhere to keep out oil
danger. Then the women we're gen
orally more intelligent than the men
and were not afraid to say things tina
tho men would not dare say. Ano,h
er lady with WHOM | talked was cqua!
ly ignorant Of the north, but claimed
to adhere to the union, and said hcl
husband was in the union army, which
may have been true and it may no
have been true. They we're not slav,
holders, and had a small farm ant
also had some corn to SELL: which
our quarter master bou sht and pait
for. and it was while it was bein.
hauled away that l talked with her
She claimed that tley were uniol
people In sentiment. but had tined T.
: remain neutral, and that her hu,ban'
had tried to keep out of both armle
but enlisted in the union army TO
fear Of being conscripted in the rebc
service. She spoke Of the defeat o
our army at Pea Ridge and othe
places where our forces were sue