The Somerset herald and farmers' and mechanics' register. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 183?-1852, 1847-03-02
Correspondence ofhe WssfmOreiand Republican
FROM THE WESTMORETAND
VOLUNTEERS.
SHIP ]. N. COOPER, off Battle
GrouDJ Ionvr, 90 IOA-

L have, alter much difficulty, found a
place to write you a letter, being on the
upper berth of one of the ranges of the
sleeping apartment, with a small portion
of the precious light of the day, that with
pain finds its way through the midship
matches. After this preamble, whatever
comes in my head will be placed on this
paper. Yesterday for supper we had a
delicacy that some of our mess took from
a garden, consisting of tuluip tops, out
of which we made green's, and when well
scalded, we put on the vinegar fxins.-
Our meals consists of coffee. pretty hard)
boiled beef, and hard biscuit. with pork
for supper, and yet upon this diet that
may seem little hard. ! am ingood health
and increasing in weight, and so with all
of us. Our cooking accommodations for
nearly 400 men, consists Of two CRATES or
fire places, about six feet each. and when
five or six camp kettles are hung on,
there is not much room to cook the luxu-
ries; the consequence is, the men are
nearly always eating. The only thing
that gives me uDeasiness, is the fact that
| may take the govt IN this rich diet
Articles of food that | turned up my nose
at home, would be acceptable, and yet |
never enjoyed better health.
The sunny south, about which you
hear SO much, is a perfect humbug-it is
variable as the humor Of a flirt, some
times all sun and gratefulness, again clou-
dy and surly as the - One day it is
clear and pleasant with a warm sun, next
pouring down rain, and next a cold north
wind that produces chills and cold-for
health and every thing else, give me Penn
sylvania, and that sweet spot home, for
'sa charm from the skies seems to shadow
US there" You can inform any Of our
ladies that we have all the elegant, CLASH
cal and fashionable song ever sung. The
last Rose ofSummer appears to be a great
~favorite with some, whilst the Rose OF
Alandale has its lavorites, and Sweet
Home has its ~votaries from amongst the
Dutch, English, Irish, French and Amer
leans, that compose our crew of live
stock. Death still continues to deal with
an unsparing hand in the Mississippi Re-
giment-men lie down at night with
buoyant spirits, and ere the sun rises in
the morning, the dark angel has passed
by and they are no more-yet in the same
climate the Pennsylvanians enjoy good
health, and are in fine spirits, that moth
ing will damp. | received a letter from
the other day, and it was as good
90 o,,o ,rooI- ~, E,ooneh,rrb NNhan ho
spoke Of the dreary 9th January, so DIFF
ferent from others, it forcibly reminded
us that we were not forgotten although so
far distant among strangers, and in a
strange land-but it may not be many
years until at least some one of US will
return to cheer them. Our COMPANY, al
though composed Of some men who are
aliens to WestmoreIand, yet by our good
example, we have lost one by desertiOn,
and that happened in Pittsburgh before
he received his pay. This morning a
guard was sent to the City for one Of our
men, (not a resident of g. with direc-
tons to take him dead or alive, if he can
be found-it is supposed on all hands, he
has deserted; if arrested; he will receive
his due, as an example for the balance.
He had received a great many liberties,
and borrowed money from the men-his
meanness ought to be punished if not his
neglect Of duty. The Guard were arm
ed with revolvers with directions to shoot
any citizen that will aid or assist him in
case he is captured,
You can inform Mrs. Coulter, that
Dick is a noble soldier, and undergoes the
fatigue and hardships as if he had been ac-
customed to it through life, and his health
better han at home. This kind of bust
ness developes the constitution of a per-
son, and | am certain hat our fare and ac-
Communications cannot be were iii Mexico.
Daniel Kuhns is in his element, and al
WAYS in a good humor, i'll sunshine or
rain, and his humor is calculated to keep
a whole company out Of the reach Of the
blue devils, even were they disposed to
make their appearance.
Our SUNDAYS how different from that
quiet and subdued way we have been ac-
customed to at home, now tits like other
DAYS, the same noise and bustle-never
theless. theBlbles are carried in the round
abouts, and you will constantly see the
soldier reading them. In order to write
this, ! am in bodily pain, being compelled
to lay at full length, though | have no rea-
son to complain, for one of Il men in a
standing position, with a pan for his desk.
and occasionally it falls on the filth in the
Storage, yet he appears to be thankful fol
small f@avors, and thanks his God it is no
worse. The rain is pouring down which
drives the men in like rats. Yesterday IL
was Sunshine. If this weather continues
we will not start, as the pilot Of the tow
boat will not undertake the journey TO
the Balize. We expect an unpleasant
cruise across the Gulf, as they all expect
TO be sick. 1t is supposed there will be
II :.