To Mrs. Lyon.
July 9, 1862.—I see there has been terrible fighting at Richmond, we fighting, as usual, against fearful odds. My only surprise is that our army was not annihilated. This check, unless speedily retrieved, will prolong the war a year, but the effect of it, I think, will be to send immense reinforcements to the field and insure a more vigorous and more severe prosecution of the war. The time has come, or will soon come, to march through this nest of vipers with fire and sword, to liberate every slave. I would like to help do that. Wisconsin has sent over twenty thousand men to the field, and must send within ninety days five thousand more, even though the drafting process be resorted to. I do not know as it is right, but life seems of no value to me unless we can crush out this rebellion and restore our Government; and we shall do it, if every man is driven to the field and our rivers run red with blood for a generation.
