One way the Irish were Gulied.
Among the many letters taken in the enemy's camps ‘"before Richmond,"’ are three which were addressed to an Irishman in the Yankee service named, as well as he can make it out. ‘"Trute."’ Two are from his brother and one from his sister. They contain some passages that are worthy of especial attention.From these letters it would appear that Trute was a resident of St. Catherine, Canada West, and that he had been induced to enlist in the Yankee army upon the promise made by some one in authority that after the ‘"crushing out"’ of the rebellion the Federalists were to liberate Ireland. A part of the programme was to seize and annex Canada to the Northern Union.
It further appears from the letters that a secret association was formed at the North called the Phœnix Society, the object of which was to promote the cause of liberating Ireland by the agency of the Yankees. The soldier's sister, named Jane writes him a very sensible letter, in which she deplores his ‘"listing,"’ and sincerely regrets his joining the secret society, which is against the discipline of the Catholic Church. ‘"We are all Irish,"’ says she and would be proud to see you risk your life for Ireland, if necessary; but not your immortal soul. I would think the Irishman who would give utterance to such language (some radicalism, no doubt, in the volunteer's letter to his sister) had forgotten the many lessons he had learned in the Emerald , among which are Faith. Hope, and Charity." Janeis certainly a good girl, and worthy of a better brother.
The letters of Thomas to his brother John Trute, are, however, more important, as they reveal more clearly the schemes through which John was ‘"listed."’ Tom seemed to have been a sort of Tory; but John had won lum over by promised of the liberation of Ireland. He says:
‘ "The blowing up that you gave me cured me of a good deal of Tory feeling — so that you can now call me a rabid little rebel. Proud am I of you when I read the object of your listing; to help poor needy and tyrannised old Ireland; to try and wrest from the grasp of the oppressor the hearths of our forefathers. We should risk everything for the freeing of Ireland; but, my dear brother, I am afraid your plans will fail. England is too powerful for 150,000 men. Does the United States intend to provide you with arms, ammunition, and vessels? If they do, you may succeed, if not I think you may fail. In regard to the taking of Canada, when I said the Yankees had better stay to home or get licked, I meant (as it was then supposed) that the Northerners would not be able to whip the ‘"secesh."’ and would, therefore, be down in men, down in purse, and down in the mouth. But since the Northerners have advanced into ‘"secesh"’ from all points, I have changed my mind and think that the Yankees would soon take Canada, as people here think the Yankees would soon whip secesh, and would then have plenty of men and money. [Tom here relents a little and thinks it not clearly wise to give up their present Government for an association with the Yankees. He says:] But, dear brother, I think that we are better off than if the Stars and Stripes floated over us. We have self-government — not like poor Ireland and India--we have all the privileges that we want. [Thinking he had made rather a strong concession, further on he declares] Many was the tear I shed every time I thought you supposed me such a wretch as to be a loyal subject of Britain! No, dear brother, I am Irish and never can forget nor forgive the wrongs of Ireland."
’ Another letter from Tom to John is in the same vain; but adds nothing to the disclosures:
These letters give an insight into the cunning and fraud practiced by the Yankees to seduce foreigners into their service in the war of rapine upon the South. To the Irish, is held out the promise of a war upon England, the annexation of Canada, and liberation of Ireland. The Dutch and others more mercenary are promised the lands of the rebels, which, by law, are to be subdivided and sold in small farms for which none but loyal men are allowed to bid. For all the foreigners they have a ready, story, plausible but treacherous. In, this way their ranks are filled with emigrants. In this way Europe is made already to intervene in American affairs.
The letters of the Trute may not be very important; but, nevertheless, they afford a hint to John Bull.
