The correspondent of the New York Express furnishes that paper with a long letter from Harrison’s Landing, from which we make a few selections:
WHAT HE SAYS ABOUT CONFEDERATE SOLDIERS.
The men were exceedingly intelligent in their looks and very pleasant in their conversation. When a large crowd left the boat to gather “relics” upon the shore, they managed to get entangled with the secesh, and for some minutes quite a scene was in progress. Both sides were good humored, asked and answered questions, and discussed the questions of secession. The rebels used old logic, while our people fell back on past glory, the flag, etc., the whole discussion resulting in an agreement at to disagree, of course. The Federal guards were obliged to interfere, and sent the boat’s party back, much to the regret of not a few, who seemed perfectly fascinated at the sight of a real, live gray-backed rebel.
NO UNION SENTIMENT IN REBEL ARMY.
To sum this whole visit up, it seems perfectly plain that it is useless to talk of Union sentiment in the Rebel army. It has no existence, in my judgment, at all. The advice of an officer to a listening throng is applicable here, and I give it here for the consideration of your readers: “There is one way in which you can defeat us. Put every man you have in the field, meet us at every point, fight until there is not a Southern regiment or soldier left, and the thing is accomplished. Then you can have the country and welcome. Make your people understand this matter, and open their eyes to the solemn truth, that if they insist on a restoration of the Union, it can only be gained by a war which will leave the south without a living man, and make the North desolate beyond recovery.”
– Published in The Daily Rebel, Chattanooga, Tennessee, August 9, 1862, p. 2
No comments:
Post a Comment