A Rebel Letter

A correspondent sent us from Fort Pillow the following copy of a letter picked up among the effects of the rebels at Island No. 10. We correct the authography somewhat, but the phraseology is the writer’s. We commend our neighbor of the Democrat the sentence in which the writer attributes this war to President Buchanan:

PUL. CO., Ark., Feb 17, 1862.

DEAREST SON:– It is with pleasure that I write a few lines to let you know how times are in this poor devoted place. This is certainly the most wretched of all the Southern States. My son, I don’t wish to discourage you while you are under the strong arm of military law, but we are lost. Your leaders have led you into an everlasting pit of dishonor and disgrace. The South is lost forever. Our own politicians are the parties to blame. It is not the people of the South, or at least a majority of the South, that is to blame, it was President Buchanan that brought the brilliant South into trouble. My son, if you can get outside of the guard lines, desert and come home to your father’s house, where you can have shelter form the dashing storms and be safe from the blood thirsty grey-hounds of the North. My son, the North will whip the South, though the South to be the strongest party by one-third, for when the Yankees take a notion to do anything, it will be done. I know some of the officers of the Northern army that will fight until the last man falls, or the foe is driven from the field or makes an unconditional surrender. One from Quincy, an old man with grey locks, who I learn is Colonel of the 16th Illinois regiment and Samuel Hayes is the major of the same regiment. I know them to be the true blue, and several more of the same king wasps. I am well acquainted with the 16th regiment. I found their names in the Quincy Herald. I paid $1.00 for the paper. It stated that Green had been driven out of Missouri by the bloody 16th Illinois volunteer regiment. My son, I hope you will not fall into the hands of the 16th, but if you do, go to Col. Smith and tell him your name, and beg him for your father’s sake to use you well. So this is all at present.

I still remain your father,

R. D. M. Penilton

To Francis R. Penilton, 12th Ark. Regiment, Co. G.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Tuesday Morning, April 29, 1862, p. 2