Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-08-17
Correspondence.
For The Columbia Democrat.


Editor Democ,at:-
have failed to receive your paper for
some time, and l now write for the purpose
of asking you to send it to me, and also to
give you a short account of our movements.
While yet in Camp Curtin, the eight ar
tillery companies there, were formed into
a regiment, and they elected r. II. Rush,
of Philadelphia, Colonel G. Y. Campbell
Lieut.. Col. Capt. Lewis, Senior Major,
and Capt. Danforth, Junior Major. This
is the first Artillery Regiment ever formed
in the United States, and it reflects much
credit on Pennsylvania, to know that she
has been the first State to make move in
that direction. Since reaching this city
| have learned that Col. Rush declines the
appointment, as he intends to take charge
of Regiment of Cavalry. On Monday
last we were sworn into the United States
service, after an inspection Of clothing and
equipments, and the following day were
paid up till the first of the month. In tho
afternoon the whole regiment, with their
guns, moved out of camp to the rail road.
Several hours were occupied in loading
the guns on the cars, there being about 80
pieces, mostly six.ponnders. By some
bad arrangement or other, it was ten o'clock
before We got started. The men were in
good spirits, besides having large guam
tity slowed away in their cantcons. All
were glad to get away from Camp Curtin,
where some of us have been incaroeratcd
for three months. 1t was near daylight
when we reached York, where we stopped
for some time. Soon after reaching the
Maryland line, picket guards made their
appearance, and the blackcned timbers of
some of the bridges further demonstrated
that we were in the outskirts of Secessia.
However, this was the only evidence. On
all sides the greetings were much more en-
thusiastic than in Pennsylvania. On al
most every residence waved the stars and
stripes, while men, women and children
came forth from their home to bid us God
speed l think it must have been known
that we were coming as they seemed pre-
pared for US. Even the darkies in the
fields, or along the road by the sides of
their masters, took off their hats and shou-
ted for the Union and the Constitution,
though that Constitution makes property
of them. Many of the men expected to
recognize Maryland as soon as they cross
ed the line, by the effects of that "tcrrible
curse" Slavery. Instead of seeing rags
and filth, a desolatc country and blighted
crops, they saw prosperous population,
palatial residences, a beautiful country an d
well cultivated fields. We're it not that
they have read it, or heard SO, not one of
them would know that we have passed
through slave State, and are encamped
in slave territory now.
We reached Baltimore about Z O'Clock,
and were obliged to wait there several
hours for our officers, who were unavoida-
bly, detained in another train. We were
we'll taken care of and kindly treated by
the people where our company stopped.
As soon as our officers arrived, we march
ed through Baltimore without any means
of defence except those provided by nature.
The only secession sentiments we heard
were those uttered by few children; while
on the contrary, flags and handkerchiefs
were waved from countless windows. AT
the Baltimore Il Ohio r. r. Depot, anoth-
er long delay occurred, but we found such
an abundance of peaches and other good
things, that the time did not seem long
We stopped about an hour at the Relay
House, for some time-Gencral Buffers
Headquarters. A Wisconsin regiment
is quartered near there for the purpose of
guarding the bridges and railroad track,
and for examining the cars for desertors
and contraband of war. We found pick
cts stationed all along the road. We had
numerous delays, but finally reached, Wash-
ington about 10 o'clock. The whole regi~
mcnt were quartered in a large building
near the depot. There was but the one
room, to the end of which both tubs are
attached for the convenience of soldiers
for whose benefit the building appears to
have been erected. We did not move
from our quarters till Thursday afternoon,
when the whole column moved by sections
through the streets of Washington to our
quarters below the city. As horses have
not yet been furnished US, we were COM
PEELED to drag the pieces by hand through
the streets, which, on account of the dust
and heat Twas exceedingly wearisomo, We