1 Bucks County
Intelligencer, From the 104th
Regiment. August 5, 1862 Page 1
Col. 3 1
LETTERS FROM OUR VOLUNTEERS.
From the 104th Regiment.
HARRISON’S LANDING, VA., July 23, 1862.
Messrs. Editors :—A dark cloud is hovering over the
American people. For more than a year, freedom, civil-
ization and the rights of man have been engaged in a con-
test with the powers of slavery, the defamers of our Gov-
ernment, and those who are desirous of establishing a
monarchy upon the soil consecrated for the home of the
free. Many are slow to learn this; but as time rolls on,
events will teach the mistaken part of our people that
such is the case. Facts are stubborn things to deal with,
but the events of every day make them more easily to
be understood. Men governed by political prejudices are
reluctant to yield to these facts, but the stern necessities
of war will hereafter be their teacher. Little did we
think, five years ago, that at this time our Government
would be threatened by a faction of its people, in arms;
that the Government and a large portion of the people
were encouraging the greatest evil known to society. The
upholders of this evil assumed to rule the nation. The
people directed otherwise. The devil had worked hard,
and soon the electric spark announced to the nation that
Fort Sumpter had fallen ; that the Starry Flag had been
torn down and was trailing in the dust. A monster
war was inaugurated—and by whom? Was it by those
who are commonly termed “ Abolitionists?”—or was it by
those who frequently drove negroes ? Consider this well!
By the friends of slavery, the so-called “ Abolitionists “
are charged with being the instigators of our present
troubles. Did their chief, Wendell Phillips, though a
fool, at any time recommend the taking of Government
forts, arsenals and mints, and the organizing of immense
armies to overthrow our Government ? Has he and his co-
adjutors attempted anything of the kind ? Much is said
about these Abolitionists, and it is necessary for the peo-
ple to plainly know the Abolitionists are, for many
do not. A negro Abolitionist is one engaged in freeing
slaves, and it is generally supposed that they are the
most numerous in the New England States ; this is a grand
mistake that many are laboring under. Virginia and
the whole South abound with Abolitionists. Here they
carry out the Abolition doctrine on a grand scale. As
the Union army advances over the domain of slavery,
these Abolitionists, or men engaged in freeing slaves, run
off and leave their slaves to enjoy the long-coveted free-
dom ; they leave them at perfect liberty—they can go
where they desire, do what they wish, and appear to be
enjoying themselves to their hearts’ content. In Pennsyl-
vania I always failed to see any of the fruits of abolition-
ism ; but here in the Old Dominion we can see the prac-
tical results of the wonderful work the machine performs,
every day. Let the work continue—all things will work
together for good. These Southern Abolitionists have freed
more slaves since the war began, than were freed by the
underground railroad in twenty-five years. As the Union
army advances, these Abolitionists will multiply. Really,
things have changed remarkably. Those who cried “ Abo-
lition “ at the top of their voices in our legislative halls
and elsewhere, are doing on a fancy scale what they im-
agined others would attempt to do. After analyzing the
subject of Abolitionism, and viewing it in a correct man-
ner, we have no reason to doubt the veracity of those who
tell us that the Abolitionists are to blame for the war.—
Those who are wailing daily in behalf of slavery and
croaking “ Abolition, “ will have a sort of double duty to
perform, in order to keep slavery on its leg; for these
Southern Abolitionists are a wily set, and are destined to
injure the “ peculiar institution “ to an extent that will
finally prove fatal. Yet, in the face of these facts, sim-
ple as they are, a certain class maintain that those who
say aught against slavery are Abolitionists—violators of
the Constitution, and disturbers of the national peace. I
frequently have been struck by the inconsistency of men,
on hearing them talk about those whom they termed Abo-
litionists, when they really did not know who or what
Abolitionists are. They have formed erroneous ideas in
regard to this matter and adhere to them, regardless of
all truths to the contrary.—They neglect taking the sec-
ond sober thought, forgetting that at a time like the pres-
ent, profound deliberation on the part of every person
should precede action upon these delicate questions Poli-
tics have changed, and are destined to change in the fu-
ture, and these changes must be met by the people These
facts may be doubted—five years ago the people would
have disbelieved the present state of affairs.