Uncle Daniel's Story Of "Tom" Anderson, and Twenty Great Battles

by John McElroy

“No, I presume not; I only remember these facts in regard to matters in that State that fastened themselves irrevocably upon my mind.”

Said Dr. Adams: “It seems incredible that such things could have happened in the North, where the same men now claim to have been loyal then.”

“But, Doctor,” said Col. Bush, “all these things did occur, though they are now forgotten by many, and our young people, who know very little about the war, except such things as they may gather from imperfect and distorted histories, doubt the truthfulness of these facts, being unable to understand why traitors should go unpunished. Why, Doctor, many of the men who were harassing and alarming the people then as Knights of the Golden Circle, are now the leading men in the communities where they were then the most offensive to Union people and disloyal to their Government. They have so managed as to be at the front politically, and if affairs continue as they are now, and seem tending, very soon the same men will claim that they put down the rebellion. They have already deceived many by their self-assertion. You see, Doctor, the policy of not allowing ourselves to speak of the war nor any of its concomitants, leaves the young people in ignorance of what we suffered during its existence.”

“That is true, I am sorry to say,” replied Dr. Adams; “but we who do know all about it should teach the present and coming generations these very important facts. The difficulty is, however, that when you undertake it many people insist that they wish to forget all about it, and that they do not want their children to know anything of its horrors. But, Uncle Daniel, please continue what you were telling us.”

“The Richmond authorities,” said Uncle Daniel, “had detached a portion of Biggs's command under Gen. Brice, some 20,000 strong, and sent them into Missouri, where they had made the homes of many Union people desolate, and spread terror throughout that State and a portion of Kansas. Brice had organized bands of marauders and bushwhackers, as they were termed, in the same way and under the same character of agreements as made with Blackman and others. Quartel's and Stringfinder's bands were the most destructive to life and property, murdering Union men as they moved, and making the country a desolate waste through which they passed. The smoke rising from houses, barns, etc., could be seen in every direction. It could well have been termed 'a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire by night.'

“At the same time the rebel cruisers were a terror on the high seas. The Alabama, the Florida, and the Shenandoah were a dreaded scourge among our merchantmen. Our commerce was being driven from the seas and passing under the flags of other countries.

“'All these things were very discouraging to the loyal people of our country, and at the same time greatly encouraged the rebels and their allies and friends in the North. The demagogues of the anti-war party traversed the whole country, haranguing the people, preaching peace and crying high taxes, and insisting that the war had so far been a total failure, and that it would not be any better in the future. In fact, they were carrying out to the letter that which had been suggested by Valamburg and his friends at St. Catharines, in Canada, at the meeting about which I have heretofore spoken. Many of our best men had to return home from the army for a brief period and canvass as stump orators before the people, in order to quiet their apprehensions and fears as to the chances of our ultimate success.”

“Yes,” said Capt. Inglesby, “I well remember the very great anxiety then amongst our people. I returned home about the time mentioned, and the question was constantly asked me if I thought we could ever suppress the rebellion. All our successes during the Summer and Fall before seemed to have had only a temporary effect upon our people. In fact, they were easily discouraged during the whole period through which the war was continued.”

“Yes, Col. Bush, that is easily accounted for. We left behind us an element nearly or quite a majority; certainly so in many parts of our country North, which was constantly decrying the war and the means which were being used against the rebellion. Their constant talk in the same direction could not help having a great influence, especially on the minds of weak men, aud in many instances on those whose nearest and dearest relatives were in the army taking the chances of their lives; and, as you all well know, these pretended friends to our faces were in their hearts wishing and praying for the success of our enemies.”

“Yes, that is true; and it was strange and hard to understand at the time, as these same people could have gained nothing by the success of the rebellion. They lived North, and would have been equally despised by the rebels (if they had succeeded) as a part of the Yankee Nation.”