Year: 1861

A1S A0AIGA AOAA q 0On TO his Father


The following extract from letter writ


ten from East Tennessee, has been handed


to US by the gentleman to whom it was ad


dressed. Itspeaks for itself:


And now, dear father, lei
me further inform you in a few words Of
our deplorable condition. People where
you are may deceive themselves with the
idea that they know something of our suf-
fering but language fails to express the
horrors of the poor Unionists Of East Ten
nessee, We ofted cry out in imagination
"Have the loyal citizens of the United
States forsaken US? Have they decided
to leave us to suffer as martyrs in the
cause of our beloved country? If so, we
will sell our lives as dearly as possible
We can die but once" This appears to
be the determination Of many. The result,
the God of battles only knows.


In few days ne will be compelled to
| fight ior our new and detested Govern
ment, or against it. What prospect have
we for the future under the Southern Gov
arnment? If we can rely on the declara-
tion of the leaders and supporters of this
rebellion, the common and poorer classes
| have no guarantee that the right of suff-
rage heretofore so liberal, will be contin-
ued. We cannot expect this; for it ap-
pears to be popular idea among Confed-
crates that the United States Government
is not government of equality, because
the poor and common 60 to the polls, and
deposit their votes, on equal grounds with
the great would-be-lords, with their mil
lions. The men of the Confederate States
are now lighting to establish monarchy
despotism to curse and crush themselves
and their children. These poor deluded
beings in the Southern Government are
kept in darkness as to the true issue and
the progress Of the war, by false publica-
tions and declarations. Facts unfavorable
to the Confederate cause are grossly per-
verted, Every man killed is magnifed at
least ten fold, and their own loss diminisE-
ed in the same proportion. The report of
the battle of Bull Run was published after
their peculiar style. Lincoln, they said,
lost from ten to twenty thousand. En-
gagements are fabricated and great victo-
ries reported, in order to keep up the splr-
its Of the Cenfederates. Our mails being
suppressed, We have no news except such
falsahoods as they see fit to give US. These
insults, with others too tedious to mention,
such as the exhibition Of Yankee scalpa,
are things that we have to endure but
how long oh! how long?


Myself and Mrs G.'s boys and W. II.
D. have determined rather than fight
against the Government given to US by
our fathers, if nothing better can be done,
to make our way through the mountains, If
possible, and join the Federal army, We
are expert marksmen, and if successful in
joining the army, We would like to be
among the sharp shooters md return to
East Tennessee, believing We can make
our mark among the naughty tyrants now
frownipg upon US with the same contempt
that proud overseer looks down upon
disobedient negro. They expect in a short
time to divide our effects and drive our
poor mother, little brothers and sisters,
with streaming eyes and broken hearts.
into the wild rness Of starvation All this
is threatened Ia order to magnify the law
Of Jeff Davis and make it honorable. C)
If we should be fortunate enough to JOIN
the Federal army we viii think of these
aggravations and draw our sights true up
on the regiments of these tyrants before
we pull trigger, Mother would rather
would go than to stay here and risk con-
sequences Let NE now, dear father,
again entreat yeu net to attempt to return
to this country.
If they can ever get possession of you,
your life pays the forfeit. Send letter
for me to the care of -, by whom
send this to be mailed in Kentucky. fl
we get out I want you to 60 with US to
Cincinnati where we can join the army
Try to take care Of yourself, for if should
be killed, and anything happen to you,
there would be no one left to take care of
poor mother and little sisters and broth
ers." Yours, &c.
How a Man Feels when he is Woun-
ded, and how it Goes to be Shot at.


We take the following from a letter
written by one of the gallant Iowa volun-
teers, who fought in the battle near Spring
field, Missouri:


/ was standing, or rather kneeling, be-
hind little bush, reloading my musket,
just before the rebels engaged in this close
work retreated Suddenly felt sharp
pain in the shoulder, and fell to the
ground. Jumping up, one Of cur boys
asked me if was hurt. replied thought
not, drew up my musket to fire, when he
said "Yes-you are shot right through
the shoulder" think it was this remark
more than the wound, which caused the
field, all at once, to commence whirling
around me in very strange manner. l
started to leave it, with half ounce mus
ket ball in my shoulder, and once OF twice
fell down with dizziness; but in short
time recovered suf6cientl$ to be able to
walk back to Springfield, nine miles, where
the ball was taken out | was very much
pleased to find that the wound was not a
dangerous one.


In the battle, every sensation was drown
ed in excitement We had no time to
think of being killed, except when stand
ing to be shot at by cannon, without a
chance to shoot back. This, to US, was
the most trying part of the battle When
we had chance to use our muskets, eve
~ thought and feeling was gone, except
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