Letter from Jasper Barney

October 24, 1862

 Mound City Hospital Oct. 24th ‘62

Dear Afectionate brother I am happy to acknowlledge the reception of yours of the 20th and to hear

of your sound health fore it is a great blessing and something I haven’t had fore some time and I

begin to thin I never be able to perform the duties of camp life again . . . My wound is getting along

fine and a good deal better then the doctor or myself anticipated I think it will be healed up in a few

weeks but I cant tell whether I will have as great use of it as I had before or not. My health is not

very good I have a pain in my brest and also neuralgia in the hand last night I had considerable

fever but I feel better to day. I have wrote to all our folks since I cam hear but I haven’t got any

answers from none yet. I haven’t heard from father or Will fore nearly three months. Now by lady

love is more attentive fore I got a letter from her yesterday. She is all right on the goose question.

I have wrote to my officers to send me a furlow and I will get it if it is in there power to do so.

You say in your letter that you or your Regt is not in fore freeing the negroes I am sory to heare it

you wanted to know what I and my comrades thot of the negro question. I think old Abes

proclamation is all right and there is very few old soldiers that is against it it is my opinion that

yourself and the greater part of your Regiment will be in favor of it before you are in the service six

months. I was of the same opinion of your self when I first came in service but I have learned

better. You said you thought the thing would come to a finish by spring if the negroes was left

alone but I think you will soon find out different fore it is my opinion that the ware never will come

to a Close while the nogroes is left wheare they are to rais supplies fore the rebel army. Even if we

could suppress the rebellion and leave the main root wheare it was before, it wouldent be long

before they would try the same game as before . . . but if we take a way the main root of evil and

confiscate all ther property they will have nothing to fight for heareafter. . . . Old Abe gave them

ninty days and that was long enough fore them to come to terms and saved tghere property and

negroes but is seems like they wanted to go the whole hog or none. Now I think it perfectly right to

take the hog and leave them none and then if they aint satisfied I am in fore banishing ever Rebel

and rebel simpathiser from the U.S. I am a whole sole Union man and believe in giving the rebels a

lesson to be remembered in after generations then we will never be troubled with civil war again.

Well I think I give you a very good sample of the opinions of myself nad comrades. Hoping you

will pronounce it good I will close the subject by hoping to see Abrahams proclamation on

confiscation and Emancipation carried into effect. . .

P.S. I am not in favor of freeing the negroes and leaving them to run free and mingle among us

neither is sutch the intention of old Abe but we will send them off and colonize them the

government is already making preperations fore the same and you may be assured it will be carried

into effect. I have wrote a great deal more than I felt able to when I set down and I have nothing

more of importance to communicate at present therefore I will come ot a cloe by requesting you to

write soon under the present circumstances you will please escuse poore writing and mistakes.

Address J.R. Barney

Ward H Mound City Hospital

Illinois

I remain your affectionate brother

Jasper Barney