Year: 1862

So bruised and wounded was it by the storm,
Whose ruthless thirst his tears might never


slake.


Her smile had faded tenderly she gazed-


pearly tear swan in her eyes deep blue;
She touched her lips to hls-herself amazed


And conquered las she whispered, II love you!"
Her head upon his breast-he raised his eyes,


And scarce remembered how his heart had bled;
lis love passion? Then it purifes,"


He said Lo neither love nor life is dead"
WHAT A SOLDIER THINKS OF SLAVERY


AND THE WAR.


The following was written to friends
in Cambridge, where the writer formerly
lived:


BENTON BARRACKS. Mo,


Dec list 1861.


My DEAR FATHER AND SISTER 1T is
Sabb ,th evening, and while the rest of
our mess are amusing themselves as
seemcth them good" ! will devote the
few moments that intervene before "tuttoo'
in writing; And for the sake of economy,
as we'll as an act of rytrib"ttre justice. I
am going to write to both Of you at the
same time, and on the same sheet of pa
per.


My opportunities for writing, grow
fewer and farther between every day. and
Sunday as general thing is the busiest
day of all. We drill on horseback al
most all the time, during the day; and
lately large share of our evenings. are
spent at the sUord exercise, by candle
light. We are becoming quite profc cient
in the art of killing. But l must say
that it don't seem to me, to be hardly a
Christian or even civilized way of
spending ones time. From what little
experience have had, which to be sure
don't amount to much.-I must say. !
don't think that practical study of the
science of aoar. is at all calculated to
improve either the mental, or moral facul-
ties of young men. .. ...


And yet feel that our cause in this
war is just; and that am but doing my
duty. in the course am pursuing. Sit.
uated as am, with no family depending
upon me for support, but few
friends to mourn my loss, should it be my
lot to fail in the contest. and with nc
fear or dread of death prompting me to
keep out of harms way--I should feel
guilty and self condemned, were to re-
main idle and inactive at time like this
when every true heart and strong arm j:
needed to step boldly forth in defense Of
that glorious spirit Of Liberty, which il
just rising into bright and glorious life
above the dark sea of orphans tears, and
matyr blood, in which, through all the
'dreary years of the past it has been almost
smothered. and drowned, by wicked Kings
and tyrants, and shall add by piou'
praying buyers and sellers Of Gods o,On
.amage, in our own boasted lund Of liberty
II know that war. is a terrible thing
sand that one may well have conscientious
.scruples about engaging in whole sale
murder When am practicing at tht
sword exercise, learning to be expert and
handy at taking human life | often pause
and reflect with horror. upon what an
doing. 1t seems an awful business, too
awful and wicked. even for me, wicked al
l am, to be engaged in; but when
think of Slavery 1merican Slavery, anc
the wrongs daily heaped upon the pool
sldOe. my scruples" vanish in a moment
and 4 remember those that are IN J0nds
as being bound ,cith them; you know
father. that have always been ;. radical
on the subject of Slavery, could nevel
listen to the wrongs Of the poor slave
without feeling desire to clutch at th,