Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1861-11-06
Letter from the 18th Regiment.
oAMP RANDALL, oct. %, 1se1.

CAMP RANDALL, Oct. 26, 1861.
Mr.. EDITOR From the fact that YOU
have no correspondent in the 18th Regi-
meet, and believing that few items of
news from this locality would be accepta-
bic, | take the liberty of addressing you.
The camp is very dull now, owing to
two causes: There is to be funeral to-
day, a private in Company ga" having
died in the hospital yesterday of typhoid
fever. The flags are at halfmast. The
other reason of the dullness is that three
fourths Of the regiment are ava, on fur
Tough to visit home and friends once more
before departing for the ''Sunny South"
Consequently there is nothing doing, save
lounging, smoking and reading. We have
not enough men to drill.
The regiment is full and organized, have
received theiI arms, clothing, DC. The
arms, excepting those Of the two right and
left companies Of the battalion, are muskets
OF the old pattern, formerly with flint-locks,
but have since been altered; they are not
very elective weapons. / think when men
are willing to enlist TO battle for their gov
eminent, that that government should fur
nish them better arms. 1t is bad economy
to send soldiers into the battle field with
poor arms, because good ones cost a trifle
more. 1t would be better to stint us in
something else; at all events we should be
properly armed. The right and left com
panies have the Minnie muskets, the cost
of which is but little more than that of the
other, while their efficiency is two-fold
greater. Our uniforms are blue, the coats
and caps Of dark, and the pantaloons
of very light blue. The coats are cut
sack fashion with the Wisconsin instead Of
the q. S. Infantry buttons, which have
heretofore been used on the coats Of the
Wisconsin volunteers. The clothes are
made Of good materials, and are called
good-Iooking uniforms by competent judges.
1t is now generally thought that we will
be sent to Louisville, Ky. We dc not
know precisely when we shall march, but
judging from the significant fact that Col.
Harris has refused to grant iurloughs after
the 29th inst, it cannot be long that we
will remain here.
The health Of the camp is good. There
are only five patients in the hospital at
present, and none of them dangerously IL.
All are in good spirits, and seem anxious
TO leave here and take part in the great
struggle for the existence of nation. We
are as comfortable as it is possible for sol
diers in camp to be. We have the new
patent tents. They are round in shape,
commodious, and designed to contain
twenty men each. They are all furnished
with stove apiece. Out fare is abund-
ant and of good quality, though there
mi hit be an improvement IN the manner
Of cooking it. We drill about five hours
per day. a good part Of tie time in battal-
lion drill, in which we arc progressing rap
idly. 1t is thought here that lac Eleventh
is as we'll drilled as any regiment which
has left the State.
There is one company Of the Twelfth al
really in camp. Tbs Regiment will en-
camp upon the same ground formerly oc-
eupied by the Eighth On the ] 9Th inst,
had the pleasure of meeting in Madison
with Capt. Sylvester from your county,
who told me that he had so men enrolled
in bis company. also had few minutes
conversation with Capt. Brunke, who was
on his way from Grant County to Milwau-
kee, to JOIN the Ninth. lie was accompan-
led by 40 stout, hardy Tutons, who, no
doubt will render good service in the pres
ent struggle. From Lieut.. Lowry, who
b ID been to Lancaster on visit, and was
OF his journey aek to Milwaukee, | OBJ
tanned considerable information regarding
the Tenth.
There are many little things constantly
occurring in camp, which are familiar to
all acquainted with camp life, therefore,
having given youavery disconnected sketch
Of the more important items in Camp Ran
call, / will close.
ABNER POWELL.