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From the 3xd Wisconsin.Homeicard Boutid—Hard Marching—Somebody guilty of mjticting unnecessary Hardships on Soldiers—Stceral Death* from Ezhamton— Insolence of litbelst m Tvtersbury—Sherman's Boys Disgusted—The Country South of Te tersbury, dec.Correspondence ot the State Journal.Camp 32d Wisconsin I.Nt’v. Vols.,(I. ear Petersburg, Va,, May S, 1 St5. j“We are ou our journey home,” as you areaware ere this, probably. We left RaleighApril 22tb, and traveled 15 miles. The nextday was the Sabbath, and we remained in camp. Monday we traveled IS miles, Tuesday 22 miles, Wednesday 22 miles, and Thursday moved up to the Roanoke river, sometwo miles, and waited lor the loth Armv*Corps to cross, Friday we only traveled 85miles, Saturday 25, and Sunday 12 miles before 10 o’clock in the day. Total 151 miles, and the traveling time was less than six days,being an average of a fraction over 2o milespet day. What the necessity was tint called for this extraordinary haste no one seems to know; but one thing seems definitely settled, and that is this—some one is guilty of a great abuse of power. The weather was excessively hot, the roads part of the time dusty, and the men marched till, overcome with the heat, they fell dead by the wayside. The 82d lost none: The men kept up totheir places, all doing their duty us good soldiers at the expense of health, and taking the chances of even death itself, When we came into line at night, every man was accounted for; but in one icgiment of our division—the only Eastern regiment in the Corps—there were over eight hundred stragglers and several deaths. But there is nothing so quickly forgotten by the soldiers as‘hardships after they are, safely past—so herewe are ou the road to Richmond.We passed through Petersburg to-day—a very pleasant city once, but now it is anything else. We were very much disappointed •with the appearanee of things, and the generally expressed opinion was—“ these people are not half whipped !” Tney certainly did not act as the people have where our army has marched. About the only attractions seemed to be rebel officers trimmed in their gayest uniforms, and the ladies arraved in “ red, white and red.” It is very pretty to talk of not misusing a “ fallen foe,” but if our boys could have had their way to day, there would have been some of those “ gray coats” rolled in the gutter; but every man kept his place, and not a loud word was spoken while passing through the principal part of the city. 1 have heard that the Johnnies say they i ad never conceived it possible for an aiinv to attain so high a point of discipline as* our troops exhibit, and still they have the impudence to say they are not whipped yet, right in the face of our soldiers. A woman told a 32d chap, who stopped for a drink, yesterday, that their army was only resting—they would show us what cor’d be done ore ot these days ! His answer was to the point—short and conclusive, though very prolane: “ Madam,” said he, “by , if ever we comedown here again we won't leave enough for seed.” Some portions of the town have been badly used up by shells; had the torch been applied as well, the inhabitants would perhaps have been easier reconciled, and le-s inclined to assume such haughty airs.The country through which we passed was superior to any we have heretofore seen since leaving Tennessee, over a year ago.— How all the people were supplied with provisions we could not tell, for there was no foraging allowed. There was one remarkable feature presented itself after we lelt Raleigh. In all our travels in the south we bad never met any men except the aged, the sick and the cripples. But here at every house would be two or three, sometimes more, all looking as happy as though there had never been a war. As a general thing they think there will never be any further trouble.We had lots of fun with the darkies, arranged in rows of a score or more, of all ages, colors and sex, along side the road3 we traveled. They stood looking at the “ Y'anks,” and such yelling and hurrahing for the Union, and bowing and grinning were never seen before.The health of the command is pretty good,and the boys are all feeling gay ‘at the prospect of soon returning home. The regiment is under command of Lt, Col. Carleton, who, as a regimental commander, is energetic andpersevering. He is very desirous of bringing home one of the best regiments that will return to the. Stave, and we think he will do it.In consequence of the Governor, on the recommendation of the Colonel of this regiment, having granted me a favor—for which I am truly grateful—I am no longer entitled to the use of the nom de jdume “Private,” which I have heretofore used, and hereafter all articles from me may be attributed toObservation.
Newspaper Details
Madison Wisconsin State Journal
Madison, Wisconsin, US
Thu, May 18, 1865
Page 2
Full Page
Clipped by
Paula B.
CA, USA 22 Dec 2021
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