Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1854-05-16
Fcnr TEoFN. New Mexico. ]

March IG, 1854.
Since last wrote to you have been
removed from Fort Webster to this new Post and IN
place of Soldiery" and protecting the citizcns-9nd
their property we put at the worst and hardest
kind of labor, to tell you the truth, uncle Johnny
"NegrOcs' (by far) lives better and are IN q
great deal better houses than s." Soldier dare
think about, in this " God-forsaken country, You
may think it strange if were to tell you ard tell the
truth too) that the soldiers are working IN inns
country a5 i they were hired to government as
slaves The first thing is to build quarters for ot
GERS and then their kitchens, and some OF the men
have to be their servants They must act in the ca
nacitv of "cook and chambermaid," and also as
ostler The houses occupied by the officers aud SOL
ders are ofthesc dimensions: the officers have par
y of soldiers to chop the timber and erect hls quar-
tcrs first they are generally l5Xl5 and feet high
As house of this kind is to be built with as little
cxpense to government possible, they dig trench
say eighteen inches wide and about the same IN
dcnth then there six forks set i'll the ground ana
plates placed on from fork to fork, the centre forks
Icing eight inches higher as to give the roof a
slope After the plates put on the forks and pm
ned down then the sides are commenced. Inc way
they put up the sides is this: the poles or logs are
stood erect on their ends and made to tit under the
mates until both sides are inishcdhen Comesthe
raers next the poles the raters and grass on top
of the poles and then about three inches OF mud on
the grass and then eight inches OF dry dirt on the
mud and tho roof made then the sides are plastered
Cby bands) with mud inside and gut and then there
is tssod" cut to make chimney, door ana small
window (say six panss Of glass; Is fitted IN ana the
Edifcc" is ready TO lvein The houses OF themen are
on the same plan, but some larger say for twenty
men, the house is 3Oxl4 and = high with one small
door and window The Hospital, Quarter-Masters
Department and in fact all of the buildings that are at
ths most are constructed on the plan and in no
case whatever is there floor in any OF these houses
ar the bari, taken off arr Of the logs that they are
built Of This is not all the soldiers have to DO Tor
they have to dig sacoe bitches to get water from
tho river to irranate n farm that has to be worked by
the soldiers for government The soldier must drive
mule teams. he must chop logs and wood, he must
mix mud and plaster houses, he must garden and
farm and he must also be accountable for his arms
and ammunition and he must turn out for Sunday
nsrection and clean too, after working all the week
i'm the woods or perhaps he has been burning char
coal The soldier here must work in the blacksmith
shop and he must do all kinds Of laborlous work,
which were never intended for the warri5f to
do at least in this Great Republic.
You must remember that men enlist TO protect the
titizehs and their property from the wild saEages
that proNl over our western frontier but after they
ret ont here they are sucked in" for astead of be
inc instructed in the use of FIRE arms they are asked
which they can use the best, if they are trades
man If thew a+e not a tradesrnan, they are again
asked which they can use the best the pick, shovel
ora axe which estonshcs the man who enlisted Tor
soldier and swore to deand his country and in con-
seonAnce of the soldier having TO labor the same as
slave he gets disheartened and deserts, where If he
had not to do this meiial duty he would make good
and faithful soldier and would probably prefer the
Army to nny other life if he could lead the lie OF
soldier or that life that American soldier ought
to lead Now should yCu hear any OF the chaps talk
ing about ensting just persuade them TO go to work
for God sake. But this is enough of this ior you g.
one time! Respectfully, &C.,
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