Richmond daily Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1842-1861, 1859-12-10

Tax CANrAfGS.-Unused, as they were TO camp life
having previously no more vivid idea of wars "magnf
Gently stern array OF the priyatons of campaign
than such they had gathered from the pages of ro
nance or from the eside tales of those who had them
selves known the "smell Of gunpowdcr' the members
of the gallant l79,h who promptly and with so much
patriotism responded to the call of the executive for vol
unteers TO defend the borders of State from invasion
by armed fanacSm, made sagreaby sensible of
the difference between camp and city life and of the com
forts OF snug chamber and feather bed when CON
trasted with the couch of straw and the CANOPY of tent
aud privnons, in themselves but slight were doubly
magnhed by unfamlilrty. In the still hours of the
night when the crescent began hide its shining
lace IN the west and the stars shouc dimy Aar off the
quiet sky what thoughts of home upon the mind
OF the tired but sleepess sentinel he paced his lonely
beat How, in his very SOUL he felt and echoed the sen
timent OF that simple but touching song,
" II s de.F: ats ,Pq. Of earth to me
and, amid his gloomy cogations how unutterably dis
gusted did he become with everything pertaining to
soldiers life! All, gentlemen, hard it seemed YOU
scarcely entered upon the rudiments of soldiers lesson
You learned nothing of the long days march the sandy
plain the rocky Steep the unwatered desert the night
alarm and clash ofsteel tho victory defeat and the
grim and CHASTITY panorama of the field after battle
But We have no intention Of dsparaging volunteers
An the "Harpers Ferry War They acted nObly in com
ing forward man. the first sound Of the tocsn:
an leaving at the call Of duty their homes their wives
little ones or, perhaps harder STILL breathing long for
aught they knew last farewell those fair daughters
of Eve who had thrown around them the potent spell of
loves young dream :" in all their dcpor tmcnt they OK
hibed the energy and spirit OF good soldiers and true
patriots We entertain exalted opinion OF their pluck
and powers of endurance and have an abiding conyi,
ton that Whenever the State requires their services they
will be found seHper pdrdt. Yetwe quite as much
OF the opinion that far martial glory concerned
they are willing repOse upon the laurcls won az Har
pers Ferry, for and for a time" Our PRAYER
Is that there may never again be any occasion them
to resume their arms, except in the mimicry Of war
Numerous stories have been told in connection with
"the campaign, oil more less exaggerated and ia.
majority utterly false Among the latter was the story
OF sentinel shooting cow mistakng the animal for
man on all ours We have cnquircd into this story and
have not found among the returned volunteers who
confirms It, Unimportant the matter H. il has done
good service to Virginia, for eager to gather up and
magnify everything which could tend cast dicue I'M.
State, soldiers and the action of our Exec-
tive In relation TO the outbreak at Harpers Ferry nu.
merous abolition sheets at the North have been led 10y
into betrayal of their envcnomcd hatred for the south
aud it, peculiar institution"
There is an amusing story of the manner in which
sentinel was very much TO his astonshmen and discom.
future, put into the guard house. night for disrc-
spect 20 his superior officer" IL Is usual We believe for
the commanding officer and his staff to witt the various
outposts OF camp every day or night under the
title Of the grand round" AT their approach the N.
tnel expected to challenge them demand the counter
sgn aud on receiving IT, TO present in token
Hpect, while the grand round pass on On the occn-
SION to which we refer, sentinel had been standing az
ms post more than two hours-the required timc-nnd
was in momentary expectation of his relief" when he
heard some persons approaching. "Who comes thcrry"
demanded the soldier, now wide awake. 1.-THE grand
round, replied the challenged party "D--n the grand
roundl thought II was the rolci" was the prol,uc
and shockngy disrepecul ejaculation of the dsappoint
ed sentinel who, few minutes thereafter, found himself
In the guard house under arrest His imprisonment
however, Of short Duration ~ Cen Talaierro cr.
Joyed the joke much that he could find il in bis
heart TO inlet severe punishment