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Letters From Washington

Letters From Washington image
Parent Issue
Day
2
Month
August
Year
1861
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

Ca.u Mansïibld, D. C. ) Juljl-1, 1861. $ Friend Pond : Washington ! in these porilous times how potent is that name to chcor and encouragc the patriot soldier. At oui1 feet stands tho remembraneer of that nuuic, and tho man who bore it unmarred, aud made it forever honorable ! Even a knave is entitlcd to the semblance of respect who legitimately owna Washington as a ñamo. In plain view froin my teut towGi'3 up the uniinishcd pillar - Washingtou's monument, - unfinished, likc as the love and vencration of the world for hui is iueoiiiplotc, beeause inoxhaustiblc so long as liberty is the ehief aspiratiou of man. Our camp is on " Meridian Ilill," direotly north of the Presidont's Jlouse, which is in plain view, one mile distant. The wholo city lies in sight before and below me. How grand and majestio it appoars in this moruing's glorious sunlight. What througing memories surrouud me ! Whatstartliug realities compass me. Within fivc rods of our tent stands tho quaint oíd mansión built by Commodore Porter about the ycar 1818, and afterwards purchased by J. Q. Adaras, aud oooupied by hini as a country residenee during his presidency ; noto occupied as an anny hospital, and solcliers, quarlers! IIow ehanged the secne. We know not what a day will bring forth. - At tho Southwest corner of this building stands the Meridian post, a square stonc post, somo threo fect high, from wheuce longitude is reckoued in this country. - The latiturlo and longitudo of tlie post is : Latitude 38, Longitude 76 west from Greenwioh. Our camp is about one hundred and üfty feet above the base of the Capítol. Only one thing is wanting to make our lucation the most delightful spot I evei saw, that is water in plenty. We have to rely upon one well ninetyiivc feet doep, and two springs about half a mile from camp. All tho water is " soft," and our men are suüering considerably from its eiïects together from change of diet and climate, though none of Uo. D. are dangorously sick. Although we have had no real engagement.s with the enemy, yet it is easy to imagine them for, constantly on every sido of us can be heard the booming ol cannon and report of musketry, and the shrill whistJe of the fife and the deep rumbling of the drum. From our elovated position we eau see moving hither and thither tens of thousandsof soldiers, and on cvery Land the landscape is dottcd with teuta. Within the range of natural visión, lie Alexandria, Georgetown, the Arlington Jleiglits, and some ton miles of the surface of the broad Potomae. Within this area of space how much has transpirad in time past, and how momentou? are tho events to issue in the present and future ! IIow straugely actual wal" seems to me, in the pcaceful üght of this beautiful morning. 'Tis live o'clock, A. M.; half a;i hour since, when I commenced writing, city and camp, and country, soemed as I gazed out, over and upon them, the very semblance of universal peace, wcre it not for tho presence of the grim engines of war posted here and thero, in all direetions, and the silent and omiuous tread of the woary sentiuels as they paced to and fro along their beats. As I gazed deliglitodly upou tho graud living picture before me, a picture transeeuding iu actual beauty and magnificence evcrything imagiuary or real I ever dreanied of or saw, I thought of our nation's greatness, its vast estent, its millions of receutly happy citizen's, its vast resources, and means ol sí i 11 mighticr greatness and usefulness, and of Washington and hi compatriots who iounded tho govornmont which has developed all this surrounding grandeur, when all at once, as uuexpectcdly in my rêverie, as a thuudorbolt out of clear sky, from twenty diflerent poiuts of compass, as many cannon sent forth their huge bellowings, clashing and clanging like as many thunder peals through the sky, startling a hundred thuusaud Stalwart men from sleep to active lite - from slecp's sweet peaco to life's active, arduous war. If you could tako in the whole scène by your actual senses, iustead of through my poor j)en, it would tlirill your very soul as it did mino. This is no imaginary sketch, but actual reality. I shall not trouble you with a bistory of our jouruey hcre, as you have probably rcad enougli of that from other corrèspondents, Ncither can I writc you much new?, for we hear less here 'than you read in Anu Arbor. I have to got hold of a New York paper to aseortain what is going on in (his city. Some decisivo engagement may In; louked for within ono week. The secession flag of truco, recently sent to the President, is regarded here as a ruso upon the part of the rebels to gaiu important infonnation regarding our strength, posibioni, &e , which object was happily thwarted, by placing Capt. Taylor under close escort, and forthwith dispatching tho chivalrous Captain, aftcr delivering his nicssage, back to his haunts no wiser thau ho canic. The rebels still cling with tonacity cither really or for effect, to the idea that we of the north aro all abolitiouists. - If they but knew or realized tho truc dclinition of the word, abolitionist, they would be startled at tho fact that they themsolvcs, aro harboring, cherishing and obcying the behestt; of tho oi}ly abolitionists iu the world - treason aud rebellion ! I know of no greater or more potent abolitionism ivM their own madness and treason, and ere luiig they wül learn this dear lesson from a costly teacher - rieucc. For rcbelliou pcrsistod in till it brings its legitímate resulta, will, as surey as effect follows cause, in this ago eventuate in absolute military despotism and raonarchy, or iu tlio cutiré abrogation of all arbitrary and unnatural restraiats on personal frecdon;. Who darc dreani tliat the former can exist iu this country or that the lattcr is not inevitable. - Disparity of races and self agirrandizement will vanish bcforc the greater interest, universal self -pro tffotion. A great and Biigfat be happy people, but for the paradox of tyranny claiming protoction from liberty, will abolish the tyranny, it being the only apparent danger tbreatening their pcace and security and interrupting the gentle stream of their prosperity and thrift, and establish liberty, the essence of whieh permeates the hearts of all mankind, not misguided by ambition aud avarice. July 24. - I wroto the foregoing upon the cve of our departuro for Va , since whieh time, I have had scarcely time to completo it. As luek would haveit, we are back on our old camping ground vfhich makes it not altogethcr inappropriate now. The men of our regiment are all very healthy. Not onc was siek during our tour in Va. That State is reaping a sad reward for her treaehery to the Union. - Stagnation of business of all kinds pervades her entire borders. lier fields are unreapt and barrenness covers her like a pall. Patriot blood cries frota her ground to Ileaven for retribution to fall upon her troacherous sons. Oue half her children are fugitivos froin justice, the other half fwgitives from scecssion tyranny. This is but the beginning of the end to her woes - to her desolatiou and disgrace. - Vandalism runs riot through palace and hut. God only kuows when the end of her punishment shall come ; shc has only beguu to feel the tempered stripes, how must she writhe when veugeanco and justice strike the full blow, as they surely will unless she submits to law and governmeut. Our regiment has won no 'inconsiderablo degree of credit for its coolness at Fairfax Court Ilouse, and during its retreat to Washington. There was a good deal of indignation evinced by our Col. aud other offieers, as wcll as by the soldiers, at the thought of turning back from the foe, and had the matter been left to the regiment to retreat or fight - fight would have got a unanimous vote. But as soldiers we must obey orders, and Gul. Woodbury had to submit to a scvere mortifieation, wheu he ordered us to fall back to the Potomac. 11. G. DePUY. P. S. - I just received intulligence that James Murphy, of Co. D., who has been sick son.e time with inflammatory -rheumatism in the hospital in Georgetown, died to-day. lic lived iu Nortlificld ere hc joined our company. Hts father livcs there, I believe. lic was a good soldier, aud his death is universally regretted by our company. The poor fellow has fought the Cght of death- pcace to his asiles, He has received no pay, conscquently it will go to his father. I will sec to it that he is decently buried. This is the only death that has oceurred in our company, and the third iu our regiment from accident or discase, unless wc add Gapt. Degolicr and Lt. Preston of Co. F. Chas. Beesimer has arrived in towu. lt. G. D.

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Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus