Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1861-08-14
VOL. XIII, NO. 8.
Fifth Wisconsin Regiment at EIar-
risburg.
HARHrsnuna, Sat Morning. Julr


at Camp Curtia in this city at IL o'clock
last right. without any loss Of life, accident.
material sickness or injury to property, ex-
cept trifing damage from fire in one Of
the baggage cars; spark had ignited Some
cotton-stuffs, and when discovered blaze
had just started. The damage was from
water more than its opposing element.
The Regiment proceeded Immediately to
camp, mile west Of the city, and erected
their tents; since, TO this time | have not
heard. Thode A. Burr, complained Of
feeling like myself, fatigued and almost
sick from want Of sleep; SO we came up 70
Herr's elegant Hotel, being the only place
where we could find lodging about the
Keystone Capital; we had called at sever
al other Hotels, but all were full. Thode
was foreman in the Hotel hunt, and play
ed bis part admirably; his face wore its
usual cuteness, while | appeared as grave
as an owl, by which means we attracted
the bar clerks favor perhaps pity, for he
smilngly showed toward us the register in
which soon appeared our ch:rography,
residerce,-"Fifth Regiment, Wisconsin
Volunteers We were ordered to fine
room which had doubtless been reserved
for some pretensious Colonel or Major.
We slept well for the first time since leav-
ing the Badger State. After breakfasting
on Keystone substantials, we 60 straight
to business-Thode to the camp, the writ
err hereof to bis sanctum for letter writing.
For the benefit of friends who may here
after visit Harrisburgh | commend Herr's
Hotel, said to be the finest quarters in the
city, though not the frst in style and dear
ness; the waters are dll-colored, conse-
quentIy, more slowly, but for dime extra
they are made to distinguish between good
and Indifferent friends.
There has been no rain for several days
the weather is very warm and the streets
dusty but appearances this morning are ia
yorable for rain. AS the harvest is through
and the grain is now in stack, thorough
rain can do no harm. Crops are fine
through Pennsy lvania, perhaps not better
for several years.
The street rattle and hammer clatter
and the brass bands and martial music o.
fifteen regiments are producing nervousness
or mental confusion, and | must therefore
find some quieter than this Hotel affords.
Where in mile is there such secIusion
from noise as / am accustomed to at Lam
caster! | see from my window what is
probably the Capitol, rising as it does above
the tallest churches, and having a dome.
There | may find some shady spot, per-
haps rooms with thick prison walls, or |
may ascend above these confusing sounds
by some means hope to find a resting
place where thinking and writing are pos
sible. Papers aud notes are rolled and
start for the Capitol; but thousands of SOL
diers are found occupying the grounds
about; men in uniforms and frightfu inn
plements If war cover the enclosure of per-
haps twenty acres. A hum Of voices, loud
official orders, the fife and drum and the
distant bands of music make this also a
noisome place; so there is no seciusion
here, none in the church-yards in view, fol
they are also occupied by soldiers. | am
almost tempted to ask of some citizen the
privilege Of room, or seat and writing
table in some pleasure ground shade; but
citizens must be annoyed with so many
strangers; so | pass into the Capitol.
Here for while | admire the elaborate
works of art, the inner architecture and
carvings, and the grand waste Of room; an
economist might make il appear that, were
the Capitol reduced to a size ia bounds
Of usefulness, land enough would be
cleared to produce annually rot exceeding
100 bushels of cornl From the halls | pass
through the Senate and Assembly cham
bers. These are filed with the richest fur
niture and costliest chandeliers, wall hang
ings, paintings, DC. In the inches are
bronze figures and full sized marble works
representing Washington, Franklin, the
Dutch. Governors, drc., alao relief marbles
representing historical events, as PENIS
treaty with the Indians, de- Next, as
cend the stairs, winding upward for at least
) hundred feet to the dome, and walk out
on the surrounding balustrade. Here ! fnd
4 shaoy side and tolerabe seats. My fa-
tirue soon wears off and my paper is unrol-
led to finish this letter to ''our readers" at
home. But first--as my view of Harris
burg is perfect from this point and as some
notice of the keystone Capitol is expected,
| will write short description Of what APP
pears beneath and about, as panoramic
more than real:
Or the north and east flows by the city
the beautiful Susquehannab, river formed
of the Jun... go. ysner mountain streams.
1t empties into the Chesapeake after How
mo for near two hundred miles through
one oe the richest farm countries on the
continent. At a distance Of several miles
from nv present view is a noticeable circle
az mounds and mountain ranges, forming
brim around basin, Harrisburgh occu-