Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1861-06-15

sweep, crowned by the Theological Seminary,
lies q rural looking little valley with houses
just visible through the trees, and beyond
winds the Potomac almost to Fort Washing.
ton and Mount Vernon. From where stood
could see the cupolas OF my old school, and
though my heart longed to be again on it's
playground, I concluded wouldn't go this
tine. When was there, with the impa.
tience OF boyhood, l thought would never
get away, and yesterday, strange to say, the
feeling, / know, would have been stronger
than ever. Returning through the wood we
came upon the camp Of Ellsworth's Regiment.
The "lambs" we're gambolling on the grass 10
all imaginable antics and 10 all their poetic
innocence aud prosaic roughness. Stopping
for moment at group we listened to a tale
of sorrows. They we're the first Regiment
that marched oot Of New York, they we're.
They bad risked their lives when the pet 7th
bad not, they had. They had had more pro.
visions given them and less performed than
any other crowd Of men that ever lived, they
had. Look at our clothes, said they. We
looked, and came TO the conclusion that if
New York hereafter sneered at the Pennsyl.
vania troops, we would show them Zouave.
Having no time TO visit the other camps,
each one of which is like the other, and by
this time being fatigued with our walk, we
went back to the town. 10 give you an idea
Of what the latent feeling 10 Alexandra is, as
we we're going back through King street a
little boy, ir passing us, said IN low but
audible tone, III urrab for Thethession !" and
ran of repeating the cry, to the evident de.
light of two or three worthless who we're
loafug at the next corner. A little further
on, two or three girls hung out of window,
singing q song, of which the burtben was,
that "ibe Northern hcrdes" were about to go
through the process of aDnihiation, and that
tbey-tbe glrls-were going to join their
southern brethren" These are but little
straws, but in Alexandra, with the surround
ings that we saw around them, they struck
each Of Us as of deep significance. On our
way to the boat we went through that part OF
the town in which are to be found the finest
residences We did no: see one open. All
were deserted and closed, and bad it not been
for the appearance of squads of soldiers the
place might be thought TO be plague stricken.
ln the sfternooa | visited X alorama, dis
tsnt about two miles, to see what sort of a
place Camp Cadwalader was. My first call
was upon the New Hampshire Regiment
They are finely located in spot surrounded
with beauty. Though the heavy rains bad
made the mud ankle deep, the camp was in
excellent order. This Regiment is admirably
equipped. and not the least feature of the
equipments are the sixteen vivanderes that
accompany them. They are wives of men,
bers Of the Regiment, and it struck one rot
unplsasaDtly to see, occasionally, good wife
stitching away at the inexpressibles Of her
lord, who was calmly smoking bis evening
pipe at the door of the tent. From the New
Hampshire lst we went to the quarters Of the
Pennsylvania lst Artillery, about quarter
of mile above. Hero We were Hospitality
received by number Of friends in company
\ and L, and passed an hour or two talking
on Philadelphia news This camp is the
model Of nestness. To those whose ideas of
camp life are confined to that apology for
military quarters, Camp Curtin, the idea of
neatness among tents may seem absurd
But the idea is practical fact in the quarters
of these men. 1t is remarkable. Not q
straw nor a crumb is to be seen 10 the street
we were in, and when one o our party uu
thnkingly threw down the stump of cigar,
the good humored cry OF Police Police ran
all plong the tents. Within the tents the
same order prevailed. Everything bad its
place and was in its place. The floors were
carefully swept, and before the doors the
fellows had turfed the ground and surrounded
'oNo Htt'o Pioe WIN hh eube VI stOuts, Ibe
those we see in the ladies' flower gardens at
home. This may seem excessive aud fancy,
but no Que can deny that il is is q fault, it
leans to virtues side, and the caviler is
stopped when he hears or sees that tArse
men are excellently disciplined drilling with
almost the precision of regulars. Neatness
and obedience are the two great tests Of a
soldier.
With this last cheerful testimony to the
solder-lihe spirit of our brave men, close
my letter IN my next will try to give you
some idea of affairs at Arlington Heights.
s.