Well, here I am again in winter quarters, but how different
from twelve months ago. I confess, though, that my prayer has been answered,
the year having been passed as happily by me as could have been expected under
the circumstances. I have been called upon to pass through a great many ordeals
but with God's grace have come out alive. I shudder when I think how many have
been killed out of our little band, yet I am spared perhaps for some good
purpose; I hope so, anyway.* I'm about
to commence another year. I feel sad to bid the old one farewell. It has been a
strenuous, eventful and historic one. May the next end the war, if it is God's
will.
_______________
* Possibly I was spared during the Civil War to be God's
medium to civilize the Indians — the most distinguished service of my life — as
I was greatly honored in 1877-78, by being selected from the army to study
them, and recommend what would be the best thing to do to civilize and take
them from the war path, which I did, and the government adopted my plan, which
was successful, in opposition to most of the leading generals of the army, as
they deemed it impracticable. The history of this can be found in Addenda No.
2, pp. 1057-80, Vol. II, Descendants of George Abbott of Rowley, Mass., which
can be found in most leading libraries.
SOURCE: Lemuel Abijah Abbott, Personal Recollections
and Civil War Diary, 1864, p. 246
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