#21

 

Corinth, Miss.

March 20, '63

 

Dear Bother Ewart:

                        To-day our company is on picket guard, and I am left alone in camp. I will improve the opportunity thus presented of writing a few lines to you.

 

            Perhaps it may be of interest to you to know how the great measures of the war,—the Emancipation Proclamation, the Arming of the Negroes, and the Conscription Bill—are received amongst us. First then I will speak of the Proclamation. A large proportion of the men in our brigade have been formerly Democrats, and consequently can be said to entertain but very little love for the negro. But viewing the Proclamantion as a war measure, I think I may safely say that a large / majority sustain the President in his course. We have found that the negro is the strength of the rebellion. They use them in building their fortifications; they raise the crops of the rebels, whilst their masters are in the field fighting against us. The soldiers cannot help seeing these things. In our trip to Oxford Miss., last December, we seized large quantities of corn and cotton raised by the negroes whose masters were in the secesh army. Take from the rebels their slaves and they will be deprived of the great source of their supplies, and be compelled to return home to save their families from starvation. This is the light that a great majority look at the thing in. There are however a few who cannot forget party,—men whose sole political idea consists in hatred of the "nigger". These men are loud in their denunciations of the Proclamation. It is useless to reason / with them. An attempt to do so is repelled with the epithet "Abolitionist", "Nigger Worshipper". Happily this class of men is few in number. They find very little encouragement. Their chosen organs, the Chicago Times, and the Cin. Enquirer are not allowed to circulate here.

 

            With regard to Arming the Negroes the general sentiment seems to be this: Employ any means to suppress this rebellion. The negro is the cause of the war; then let him bear a share of its burdens. Just as we would employ any property of the rebels against them, their mules or horses, so let us use their negro property. But whilst thus favoring the employment of the negro in suppressing the rebellion, they would be very jealous of anything that would tend in any manner to mix them or place them on an equality. Let however a judicious course in this respect be / pursued by the Government and no trouble need be apprehended

 

            As to the Conscription Act, I have yet to hear the first voice in condemnation of it. I have heard some features objected to, but the idea involved in the bill, the strong reinforcement of the Army, seems to meet with universal approval. The feeling seems to be this. Let our whole strength be employed in suppressing the rebellion.

 

            "Copperheadism" meets with very little favor here. The efforts of traitors at home to conclude a dishonorable peace only make us more determined in our efforts to crush this wicked rebellion. Let those traitors beware! It would be very unsafe for any of them to show their heads here. Let the Legislature but give us an opportunity to vote next fall, and then let that arch-traitor Vallandigham, run for Governor of Ohio. There would come up from the army a voice that would speak in thunder tones in rebuke of him.

 

            Having thus spoken of temporal things let me say a word in regard to spiritual matters. As you know we are here deprived of the religious privileges enjoyed at home—the prayer meeting and the service of the sanctuary. I have had an opportunity of but hearing but two sermons since leaving Cincinnati. Whilst we are thus deprived of religious influences, temptations to evil are greatly multiplied. We are exposed to many evil influences that at home we did not meet with. Compelled as we are to constantly witness evil, and to listen to those who have no fear of God before their eyes, temptation often assails us with peculiar force. But I have found the promises of God sure. Called upon to battle against these influences I have been brought to feel more than ever before / my need of constant, total reliance upon God. I have been taught my own weakness; how How powerless I was in my own strength. It has had the effect of drawing me more closely to Him. I think that I have never realized more of the presence of God in my own heart than during the past six months. He has shielded and protected me in the presence of manifold dangers both temporal and spiritual in a wonderful manner. I trust that the fiery ordeal through which I am passing here may but serve to deepen and purify the current of my spiritual life. To the brethren, one and all, I would say: Pray for us here. I wish that I could utter this request with words that would stamp themselves indelibly on every Christian heart. We need your prayers; greatly need them. There is a power in prayer. I feel it. Fail not to re- / member us all at the throne of grace

 

            Give my kind remembrances to the Pastor. Tell the young people not to forget their brethren in the Army. I often think of them all, and I would dearly love to be with them, did not duty seem to call me elsewhere.

 

            There is nothing of special interest transpiring here at present. I presume that we shall remain here for the summer.

 

            Give my love to all the family. Tell Eddy that Uncle George would like to see him very much; that he must be a good boy, and try to learn as fast as he can, so that after a while he can write to me.

                                                                                   

Yours, etc.

Geo. R. Gear.

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