_April 10, 1864_.--Unusual agitation all around concentrated here.
Exciting times in Congress. The Copperheads are getting furious, and
want to recognize the Southern Confederacy. "This is a pretty time to
talk of recognizing such--," said a Pennsylvania officer in hospital
to me to-day, "after what has transpired the last three years." After
first Fredericksburg I felt discouraged myself, and doubted whether
our rulers could carry on the war. But that has pass'd away. The war
_must_ be carried on. I would willingly go in the ranks myself if I
thought it would profit more than as at present, and I don't know
sometimes but I shall, as it is. Then there is certainly a strange,
deep, fervid feeling form'd or arous'd in the land, hard to describe
or name; it is not a majority feeling, but it will make itself felt.
M., you don't know what a nature a fellow gets, not only after being a
soldier a while, but after living in the sights and influences of the
camps, the wounded, &c.--a nature he never experienced before. The
stars and stripes, the tune of Yankee Doodle, and similar things,
produce such an effect on a fellow as never before. I have seen them
bring tears on some men's cheeks, and others turn pale with emotion.
I have a little flag (it belong'd to one of our cavalry regiments,)
presented to me by one of the wounded; it was taken by the secesh in a
fight, and rescued by our men in a bloody skirmish following. It cost
three men's lives to get back that four-by-three flag--to tear it from
the breast of a dead rebel--for _the name_ of getting their little
"rag" back again.
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