For Educational Use Only www.MaineMemory.net Copyright 2013

Contributed to Maine Memory Network by Maine Historical SocietyMMN # 79909Date: January 29, 1863Description: Writing to Charles Hannaford of Cape Elizabeth, Pvt. George S. Dyer of Cape Elizabeth commented on the disillusionment of soldiers who had enlisted “for a great object, that being the restoration of the Union, as it was and, for the Constitution as our forefathers made it.”

Army of the Potomac Jan 24 63Camp Pitcher, near Falmouth, Va.

Mr. Hannaford Dear Sir, Agreable, tothe promise that I gave you, before,I started from home, to shouldermy musket in the defence of may Coun--try I now seat myself to redeemthat promise, and endeavor ina poor way to enlighten you uponthe manner in which we live, whatour duties are and about everythingin general what appertains tothe present war as I now see it.1st We as a Regt fare ratherpoorly, when we take into consider-ation the large amount of sub--sistance that Government allows

us, a small portion of whichwe receive as an illustration ofwhich please notice the following haditems which we have ^ delivered tous lately for five days rations 1st 35cakes of hard bread, 1 onion 4 potatoes(which comprise the first vegtables that we have had since leavingPortland that I now can rememberof) 1 pint of flour, the first we haveever received, 1 gill of beans, 2 tablespoonfuls of rice, ½ pound pork,a spoonful of coffee and sugar foreach day, ½ pound fresh beef,which I believe takes in all that we had. Such living as that israther hard for men to live uponand do their duty if there is anysuch thing that can be calledduty out here in Seccessia, the

most that we have to so in Campis to be careful that none of theofficers that aspire to two rows of but--tons on their coat pass us withouta first, class military salute fromus, and move so when they crosstheir breast with a red or rather crimson scarf, they then being offi-cer’s of the day, but then to be surewe have drills and inspections ingreat numbers. But as my time is fastgrowing limited I will write asto how the men feel about thiswar. and they are men that thoughtwhen they enlisted that they wereenlisting in a good cause and for a great object, that being therestoration of the Union, as it forwas and ^ the Constitution asour forefathers made it, but since

they have come and have seen withtheir own eye’s how it is conductedand not looked at it throughthe columns of some paper asthey did before they enlisted, andnow the scales have fallen frombefore their vision and now theybehold things in their true lightand as they realy are, and theynow think just as I do. Mr EbenJordan, Mr. William Wheeler andothers from the Cape that I couldmention if I had the space, thinkas I do which is simply this, thatthe war for the restoration of the Unionis a thing now obsolete, that itnever will be settled by fightingis my firm beleif and Sir allowingthat we whip them, what can thewar then be called, a restorationwith one half held by the otherssoldiery, or a war of subjugationit has the appearance of the latterto me, but then people might sayone could compromise then,but if they will have to compromise> see next sheet.

then, would it not be just aswell to settle it now in a ration-al manner and thus put astop at once to the further lossof live and the effusion ofblood, which is now delugingour once happy Country if therestoration of the Union is theobject that the leaders havein view, but in my humbleoppinion the object has a littledarker hue, if I am to judgeby the Proclamations issuedby the President, in whichthe Negro’s emancipation seemsto be chief subject, if I hadnot been totally blind to these things before I enlisted I neverwould have signed my namenor have requested my friendstoo. Each and every man that

I have had any conversationwith think that the War isrotten at the core, and they allseem to have the opinion thatif there was any good being doneby their staying out here andfighting and suffering every thingthey would not grumble, butthey all, as I have said beforedo not believe, or even can believethat this can be settled by trial of arms, for instance look at thelast battle of Fredericksburg.what did it amount to on thewhole, nothing only showing moreplain than ever before, the rash--ness and foolhardiness of some ofour great Generals, also showingthat they are guided more byothers judgment than by their ownas I look at Burnside’s declara--tion, in which he takes the blameon his own shoulders, as nothing

but a stroke of policy, and a gener--ous desire on his part to shieldothers, misconduct and ignoranceof how our army was situatedthen, as if he takes the whole respon--sibility of it, why, if as he saysno one knows how near we cameto a victory and he allowing thatif we had have gave them battleon the tuesday following the retreatthat he was confident of a vic-tory, &c, why did he not take theresponsibility and gain one, insteadof listening to the advice of Genrlthat he is supposed to command,and who counseled him to fallback, and thus nothing was accomplished, but loss of life,and and the fact fixed uponthe minds of all those engagedin it, that the War is badly thatmanaged, and ^ this Union cannever be restored by such blun-

-dering. but if my views are cor-rect the restoration of our Unionis not the thing the head men of a certain party are workingfor but rather to sacrifice allfor the emancipation of a be-ing or rather a race of beings, that were never designed to minglewith those of another color and aof ^ higher organization of intellect,it only requires a single glance atthe contrabands here to convinceone of the above fact, and onlya single glance at the speechesmade by Senators and the Pro--clamations issued by others tosee why this War is still prolonged. But my space is limited andI will now close hoping that this shortnote will prove acceptable to you, andif not interesting you must attributeit to something else than my humble en-deavors, as I have endeavored to makeit as much so as possible, Give my best respects to all. Yours Respct George S Dyer