The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-12-05

with occasional extra issues OF m0las-
ses at the rate of one and one fourth
gallon per hundred men. .ors4 ~
From these figures, which you may
rely upon as correct, you can calculate
what amount of the different commo-
dities will be consumed in the course of
enc year, and by computing the market
value thereof, bearing in mind the
while, that Government furnishes the
best of everything-ascertain to some
extent what it is now costing the Gov
ernment merely for the provisions
consumed by her army. Then add, if
you please, the cost of equipage,
clothes, horses, wagons, forage and
monthly pay of officers and enlisted
men, which ranges, in the first class,
Commissioned officers,) from 17O
to $40 per month; and in the second
class, (non-commissioned officers and
privates,) from $34 to $ls month-and
your total footings for one days ex-
penses alone, will be an amount in dol
lars and cents almost too great to admit
of belief. Nevertheless the fact is sus-
tanned by figures, and however in
credulous it mao seem, we can see no
other alternative but to admit of its
truth. The estimate which we have
made is for 250,O 900 men while it is as
serted and believed by many, that our
army now numbers full 100000 which
would augment still more the current
expenses of the Government.
Our army here and in this vicinity
seem to have infused into it new in
centive of life and vigor within the past
few days, and everything betokens a
current of events soon to be developed,
unseen and unknown, of an important
character. Nearly every night during
the past week, we have awoke at the
"small still hOur"-a time when
Silence and darkness holds its cheeress sway,
| Save in the haunts of riotous excess,
And half the world in dreamy slumbers lay,
Lost in the maze of sweet forgetfuness-
and listened to the reverberatiEg sound
of the heavy wheeled artillery, and the
steady, unshaken tread of the march
ing infantry, as they were passing over
the Long Bridge into Virginia. Our
troops seem to be all activity now, and
many regiments, batteries and brig
AIDES are changing their positions. The
Sickles Brigade moved on the 23d inst,
with sealed orders. Its destination,
however, is surmised to be Port Lo-
bacco, on the Potomac, near Matthias
Point.
Notwithstanding this apparent ac
tivity among our troops, we do not be-
lieve it foreshadows an immediate at
tack upon the enemy. On the con-
trary, we look upon these movements
as preparatory to decisive and gen.
eral engagement just SO soon as the
frosts shall have sufficiently cleared the
trees and underwood of their foliage, as
to admit of a clear and open field for
our soldiers. The enemy's masked
batteries will then be brought to view,
and one great advantage they
have heretofore had over us will be re-
moved, and our shance rendered more
equal with their own.
But, foregoing further sllusion to
matters of general nature, let US con-
fine our remarks to Camp Rucker, the
present occupied grounds of the First
Michigan Cavalry, and the respective
component parts thereof. In doing
this, however, we 81 al probably write
with view more particularly to set
forth the conditions and aspect of
things in our own company, without
especial reference to the regiment as a
Whole. We do this because we opine
that the friends at home will be better
pleased with items applicable to us as
company or individuals, rather than
those of general character. sr.s
In this connection, allow me to give
you description of "our house" occu.
pied jointly by the subscriber and D. w.
Clemmer, our genial Orderly Sergeant.
1t is very cosy and modest little dwell
ling, indeed. Built in Gothic style,
with few variations and notifications,
however, and we call it the "White
House." and the street on which it
fronts pennsylvania Avenue" AL
though the interior arrangements may
not vie with those of "Old Abe's" man.
sion, yet they are convenient and well
arranged, consisting of a kitchen, sit
ting-room, bedroom and Office. The
different apartments, of course, are not
very large, and the partition dividing
thar, :, ~ CO oOppl plofa os in tnncf eouas