DIY History | Transcribe | Civil War Diaries and Letters | War between the states essay, 1861

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1861-07-04-Page 04

4      and the locality of the country, point out to them the dwellings of our patriotic offcers and assist in burning and and rifleing their houses and murdering the inmates indiscriminently without mercy. 
Thus you see we had 3 enemies to contend with, and nothing but the iron and unconquerable spirit of our undaunted ancestors could have borne up under such a series of dark forebodings hovering on the horizon of the distant future, 
But here let us mark the wide distinction between the soldiers of the enemy and ours.  the former were compelled to become soldiers and fight for their monarch and many were only mercenaries hired from other powers all of which had nothing to gain by the victory, or share in the spoils that attended there success, and on the other hand had nothing to loose by a defeat save their lives which was the only thing they need care for. 
But on the other hand how different was the motive that actuated our brave forefathers  They were at once the officers, the soldiers, the lawgivers, they fought for themselves. the had one common interest in view, one common freedom to achieve, and mutually to share the spoils, the glory and the laurels that attended victory  
I said the fought and endured

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4 and the locality of the country, point out to them the dwellings of our patriotic offcers and assist in burning and and rifleing their houses and murdering the inmates indiscriminently without mercy. Thus you see we had 3 enemies to contend with, and nothing but the iron and unconquerable spirit of our undaunted ancestors could have borne up under such a series of dark forebodings hovering on the horizon of the distant future, But here let us mark the wide distinction between the soldiers of the enemy and ours. the former were compelled to become soldiers and fight for their monarch and many were only mercenaries hired from other powers all of which had nothing to gain by the victory, or share in the spoils that attended there success, and on the other hand had nothing to loose by a defeat save their lives which was the only thing they need care for. But on the other hand how different was the motive that actuated our brave forefathers They were at once the officers, the soldiers, the lawgivers, they fought for themselves. the had one common interest in view, one common freedom to achieve, and mutually to share the spoils, the glory and the laurels that attended victory I said the fought and endured