The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1861-06-20
LOVE, A LA MILITARE.
Camp Wedding in Washington.
BY ASA TRENCHARD.

a camp wedding IN washington.
BY ASA TRENCHARD.
Love and war, of consequence goes to-
gethor, cheek BY jowel. No man who is
not 10 love ought to enlist. The flag
and the petticoat are twin sisters. II
you fight for one you must fight for both.
Every star which glitters on that field of
blue should be as a woman's eye, watch
ing with guardian jealousy the patriotism
and prowess of the soldier, and every
stripe should tell him how rosy cheeks
and fair foreheads are bending forward
to get one glimpse Of him as be marches
on his perilous career. Marche de glorae!
If you fall, you are crowned With laurcls,
and cauonized at home; if you come back,
victory perched on your banner, there is
a wife or maiden waiting to meet you on
the threshold, whose heart and soul has
been with you, day y-time and nighttime,
on the tented plain, or the roaring battle.
1t is all for loye-love of country, love OF
glory, aud love for woman-the whip
which drives manhood on to fortune and
fame. l walk now and then through the
camps, The men sing great deal-and
their is song of love-ever and always
a song of love--"Ob, the girl ! left be-
hind me-" Burns and Moore are very
popular now, because they wrote soldier.
ly love-songs. But l was talking, or be-
gan to talk, of marriag ge-ma'riage Ia
milltalre.
A marriage by night-a soiaier and
the daughter of the Regiment. Do you
not think pen and ink sketch of the
scene, of the parties, of the bridal
bridaldecked camp. the hszy flames and
misty smoke rising to the. moon, disclo.
sing the round, turfy circle, With bride
groom and bride, and their brown and
brawuy coupaDions in-arms, all brothers
of the one and fathers Of the other with
the novel ceremony, worth looking a: I
AN invited guest, the only one-saw
the whole of it. You, ny friend, my
patrons my reader, shall have it pictured
here to the life. RariSsima Such
things do not occur every day.
Ring the stage bell let the curtain
roll up clear the stage there are the
players !" Let the drum ceasel
Six bold ri6emen, clad in blue, with scar
let doublets over the left shoulder bearing
blazing torches; glittering Zouave., with
brilliant trappiDgs, sparkling in the light
and then the hollow square, where march
the bridegroom and bride; then seven
rows of six groomsmen in a row, all arm
ed cap.a PIE, with FURNISHED weapons,
flashing back the lustre of the Zouaye
uniform; and all around the grand regi
uent darkcuiug the white teut-folds, as
their ruddy faces are but half disclosed
between the red sud yellow glare of the
fres and the soft, silver of the May On DON.
(Ths is all, you will bear in mind. out
in the broad, open air. The encamp.
ment occupies coucally. shaped hill top,
flanked around the rear crescent By a
wood of fan lea7ed NAPLES, sprinkIed
with soming dogterries, and looking
out at the cone upon the river.swards be-
low. The plaiu is full Of mounds and
tridges, save where it bulges in the
centre to a circular elevation perfectly
Fat, around which, like fsgades about a
court yard. are srrayed the spiral tents,
illuminated in honor OF the coming nup-
tials) The bride is the daughter Of the
regiment; thc-to be, husband favorite
sergeant. Marching thus, preceded BY
the two files of sixos, and followed by
the gliteriDg rows of groomsmen, the lit
tie cortege has moved out of the great
tent en- the edge of the circle, and CON es
slowly, amid the bold strains Of that
grand Der INSTRUMENTATION, tow
ard the reginental chaplain.
You have seen the colored prints OF
Jenny Lind on the back of the music of
"Vice de la France" You have noted
the light flowing hair, the soft Swiss eye,
the military bod dice, the coquctish red
shirt. and pretty, buskined feet and an
kles underneath. The print is not unlike
the bride. She was fair. haired, blue
eyed, rosy checked, darkened in their
hue by exposure to the sun, in just the
dress worn BY les files du regiment. She
was formed in that athletic mould which
distinguishes the Amazon from her oppo.
site extreme of frailty. You could mol
doubt her capacity to undergo the fatigues
and hsrdships of campaign, but your
mind did not suggest to your eye those
grosser end more masculine qualities
which, whilst girting the woman with
strength, disrobe her OF the purer. more
effeminate traits OF body. You saw be-
fore you young girl, apparently about
eighteen years of age, with clear. coura
geous eye. quiverless lip, and soldierly
tresd-a veritable daughter Of the regi
ment.
i The bridegroom was of the same san
guine, Germanic temperament as tb'
bride. As be marched, full six feet il
height. with long. light eolored beard
high cheek bones, aqailinc nose, piercing