Year: 1863

OF hard tack and meat is very apt to convert such
soldiers into violent copperheads. But they arr
not the rule, they are exceptions, and there i
hardly enough of them to make decent excep
tlon. | wish these peace politicians could com,
into the old Second Regiment Just for the exper
lment, and pick out their worshippers, and have
on the other hand the unconditional Union mer
select out those who will stand by them at what
ever haz'rd, and let the moral and intellectual ca
pacltles. and all that go to make up man. Of
each, be put into balance and see which way the
scale would tip. 1t would be as between a pile
of froth and a wedge of gold. If the c,ppelheads
would not be ashamed of this party here, then
there could hardly be fonnd anything outside Of
the Internal regions that would shame them.
do not say that it is absolutely impossible for a
man strictly conscientious to desire peace through
disunion and compromise. Paul consented tc
the martyrdom of Stephen, and afterwards claimed
te have lived" In all good conscience " to that
day. So man may consent to see cur Govern.
ment martyred, and if he don't know any better
charity may reluctantly admit, perhaps, that he
is sincere and honest ; but if man is endowed
with conscientiouscess, bravery and wisdom alto
gether, he will hardly fail to feel a persona
sacrifice or personal risk. Turn this regiment
loose, and know the boys would hardly brook
to hear the treasonable talk about peace that il
sometimec anhopd from, hor,o Tbo,. would no.,
slider that it furnished their honor and robbed
them OF the praise and glory that would Justly
belong to them as benefactors of the country. |
is as much as our patience can bear to hear tn,
secesh, that live about here, continually twit us
our inability to conquer the rebels, and the foil
of our trying to do SO. But we expect this 0
them. We don't expect friends at home will i'm
itate them, however. 1t is really remarkable ho,
exactly similar the arguments of the rebels her
and the rebels at home are. The points mos
prominent in both are always abolition or mig
ger" Lincoln.s tyranny y" State rights ETC.
blaming the North and excusing the South.
our friends at home join hands with the citizel
rebels here and advocate their caase, they will ex
pect to receive the same regard from the soldier
that we give these ; and that is just what we ar
obliged to give them and no more.


All the way ur the Peninsula, these citizen reb
els, male and female, told us of our certain defea
and probable destruction. We laughed them t.
scorn, and marched proudly and confidently on
By lack of management on the part of our lead
ers, and through no fault of ours, as these leader
are willing to testify, their propheses proved true
and we were obliged to accept their bitter taunts
and skedaddle for our lives. A vast change thel
came over the feelings and spirits of the boys
From being bold and confident, proudly consciou
of our strength and prowess, we were humble'


in great measure, and seriously distrusted ou
ability to cope with the enemy. We respected
our enemies more and ourselves less. Demoral
ization was the certain consequence, desertion
frequent. But defeats are not the only means Il
demoralize our army. Preach to them the jus
tice of the rebel course, dwell largely on thei
grievances, speak of the injustice and corruption
of our own Government, and if soldiers will be
leve you, you have done more to demoralize th


army than the enemy could by thorough victor
of their arms. The numerous desertons whicl
has so marred the reputation of this army, wer
caused as much by copperhead ideas-I dom
know what else to call them-as by any reverse
they had suffered. They thought it useless t(
struggle any longer. The South must in the ent
succeed, and after all, they were not so much t.
blame for seeding. The North were the op
pressors, and their government was very corrupt
La Shnrt the Santimnnts of almost every one thSI