The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1861-05-10
The ttCsaliant Tihn Roys''-TheiI
Journeyings and ENperiences-For-
nation Of the Eighth Regiment
The share Of Old seneca.
OAur DESNlssN. Ohio,
May Sth, fs6t.

The share Of Old Seneca.
OAur DrSmssN. Ohio,
May Sth, fs6t.
Csueipondsues or,hs rhbuns,
When last vI0ts you, ve were quartefcd
in Camp Taylor, impa,ienuy awaiting or
dcrs for our removal 10 some other point
With the natural feeling ofdiseontsnt which
is incident to human nature, We were willing
10 20 to almost any place for a change. Al
length, the order came, aud like most militia.
ry orders, only a short time Tor It's execution.
In less than 8 hours amer the order came,
we were on our way to Camp Dennison.
when the order was received, all was hur.
~ and confusion, In preparing for the de-
psr,ure, A soldiers baggage is soon packed
aud long before the train which was to trans.
port us to this place, was ready, every man
vas ready 10 shoulder his knapssck. Hasty
letters vere psnncd upon scraps Of paper, Goa.
veying the intelligence u absent fricnds.-
the few soldiers farewells were taken, aud
at 3 o'clock 7. NJ. Of Thursday, May %, the
Eighth Regiment, With the Gallant Tifir
Boys" in the lead, fled into the cars and
were whirlcd away to Columbus. Our route
was to be via Columbus and Neuia to Camp
Denuiscn, and the arrangement was to come
Immediately 10 this camp, without change Of
ears.
! Many were thctxclamntions Of satlsf,ction
at leaving Camp Taylor For. although the
staff Of officers at Camp Taylor were very
/ much liked uy our men, vet the commissary
/ department was for some time, managed 10
| such manner as 10 create extreme dissats.
faction among the soldiers. Once aboard the
cars, and our boys were Jolly set Of fellows.
Jokes we've plenty, ond pastimes served 10 re.
lieve the tcdium ol loug ride upon tho rail.
road. The train being very long ono, mum.
berng lS cars in alive were Obliged TO
move at slower rate than ordinarily. We
did not arrive At Columbus, until o'clock
L. NJ In the mean time, arrangements had
been made for quartering rs In Columbus. At
Camp Jackson, during the night instead Of
coming on 10 this place. So, after securing
a guide, we took up our line Of march for
Camp Jackson, arriving there after 10 min
utes march, we fouud rations prepared and
hot coffee smoking in clean looking tin cups.
The men were highly pleased with the laro
Iat Camp jackson, and manifested Il by three
hearty cheers after supper. The fare at this
camp is served in better style than at any
camp where have been. Food IL served on
clean, white, earthen plates; water is poured
from pitchers Of the same material; apple
sauce greots the eye, aud a certain air of ME
ETY. pcryndes the whole commissary depart.
meat, which did not exist in Camp Tavlor.
Our quarters for the night were very com.
Portable; but IL was not 90 pleasant to arise
at 3 o'clock and march through the rain TO
breakfast at From breakfast, we marched
through dhzzle, TO the depot tut were OBJ.
liged to wait there 3hours for cars. We did
not get started until o'clock.
The spirits OF the men did not seem quite
SO buoyaut as the day before; but all were
eager Tor a sight at Camp Dennison. A ru-
NOR had reached us, that we should DO re.
quired to build our own quarters, but no one
grumbled.
Finally, after a five hours ride. VIC arrived
at our place Of de, tination. And now comes
the most interesting part Of our sxperiencc.-
Camp Dennison is located in n large wheat
field, surrounded by high bills on every side.
| The surface is quite level, aud the soil a san.
dy loan. The ground had been recently
ploWed and narrowed, for the purpose of max.
ing it smooth Tor parade, and was, ia conse
quepce soft as mudl When the Regiment was
removed irum the cars, we marched into
camp. Now of all the miserable undesira.
DIE places that your correspondent ever set
/
Two Regiments had already been quartered
four days in oamp-just long enough to have
thoroughly mixed the mud. | do l,0t exag-
| gera Que whit, when l say that the mud was
/ four inches, and, in some places five and six
inches deep. Into this mud we were march,
| ed without having had anything tO eat since
4 o'clock In the morning Tue rain was
| pouring down in torrents. And, under these
circumstances, we were pointed to a pile Of
| lumber, with which TO erect our quarters for
| the night. You may imagine that "crrses
not loud but deep" arose from our soldier
| boys, who were taking their first experience
| in Camp Dcnnison. IL was now 4 o'clock
| p. NJ aud night was coming rapidly on
| But our boys went vigorously at work, aud
| by dark had partially finished a hovol for
| their shelter. The citizens Of Milford, vii. |
luge . y miles distant, sent information
that they would afford sSme of US quart. rs
for the night A part Of our company took |
up their line ofmarch for that place; and the
remainder wrapped up in their wet blankets
and bunkcd for the night, upon the wet
bolrds. Your correspondent found shelter
in leaky shan,y, which had been used as Il |
relief guardhousr, where straw was spread |
upon the bare ground, wet with water which
had leaked through the roof Thus ended
our first day in Camp Dennison. Not man
ofour company went to sleep that night, with
| dry feet or dry back.
Notwithstanding these discouraging cir
eumstances, he9Id Jg!eeu re reg figiiC our ooGn.
I uy's battles The complains were, that
they should roOoive such Treatment while en-.
gagged in such service. Several old soldiers
in our company aver that they never passed
through such severe experience, either In
Mexico or beyond the blue Rhine.
Do not let The citizens Of Iifin think this
is written with the view of moving their
sympathes. We do not ask or need any help |
at their hands. We arc now comparatively |
comfortable. All we desire is, that the truth |
may be known il this state Of things is 10 re. |
main for those troops who come after us.-
We wish to know IL this Is dono in the nam. |
Of the State Of Ohio2 We are willing 10 Law |
our lives down, to protect the tree Of liberty, |
but we are not willing, while our govern. |
ment has plenty Of moaey, to expose our
selves to lingering siGkness-the sure eoase-
quenee Of such treatment as We received the
first day in Camp Dennison. "lf we mu.t |,
die, let vs. die in noblss honorable battle"
and not through the criminal neglect ofarmy
contractors or other officials.
The next morning Saturdayl arose upon
ps bright and cheerful. Our boys went in.
dustriously at work, bringing lumber, which
had TO DC lugged the distaEee of Is to q oil
a mile. Hnts were speedily erected and 30.
fore night, a comfortable shelter was furnish.
ed for all our company The remaining com.
panies OF the Regiment passed through the
same experiences as ourselves
Last evening tie Eighth Regiment held an
election for Colonel and staff officers Of the
Regiment The Tihin boys did not fail 10
be honorably represented in this election
+. +. Franklin, our gallant Captain, was
elected Lieut.. Colonel, the second position In
the Regiment. The other commissioned Of.
fesrs were-COl. II. G. DePuy, Of Erie co., {
aud II. L. Wilson, ofSandusky CO., as Maior.
The boys were exceedingly 10th 10 part with
Captain Franklin, and would not, 10 any
case, have eOnsented % his going out Of tie