The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-08-21
From the Camp.
orresnondence Of the Courier.


whooping cough have been married and
roted the Democratic ticket, and retain Won
derful conceit ofour powers of endurance
But in all oar experience which has been
varied, we do not recollect enjoying anything
like it. Nothing short of "life in camp"
under the broiling sun of July and August
will ever bring one to realizing sense Of
of how much flesh and blood can bear, and
test the strength of virtuous resolutions not
to violate a certain commandment which
hints strongly against profane indulgences.
Indeed, it may well be doubted whether, in
certain ATTITUDES, at certain seasons of the
year, the observing strictly and scrupulously
any of the virtues, should be respected. A
great moral and constitutional question,
which am not cool enough 80 discuss. One.
virtue, which is supposed to be more univer-
sally practised, and at the present more pop
ular, for virtue is sometimes popular, I sup
pose in found exclusively in the army.
have no doubt of it. mean the one named
Patriotism.
The man who can enjoy, as we do, soldiers
life in all It's variety, its labor, its fun, its
vicissitudes of wet and dry, of hot and cold,
its enjoyments Of stale pilot bread and "clear
sides''-of official snobbery and daily exhi-
billions ofjuvenile puppyism. and an.iquated
oldgrannyism, mast certainly be Patriot.
But 1 sincerely distrust the patriotism of
you gentlemen Of leisure in Ottumwa who
have nothing to do but walk up and down
the shady side of Main street. stopping at
convenient times and places where ice-cream,
cool soda water, lemonade, and sundry other
drinks with "ice in it," are INDUCED in,
while we poor devils have no store boxes to
sit on and white, no white pants and stra v
hats to cool off in, no fan in hand to stir the
air, and nary invitation to ''go and drink"
and all the while we are standing in bla-
zing sun, with an lndescribable mixture of
Ohio, Missouri and Mississippi water to cool
our parched tongues, and another compound
Of villainous stuff, stranger still, called Pilot
Bread, Gas if any pilot on these waters would
cat IT'D with our daily allowance of bacon,
and endure all this under the hallucination
that we are "serving our country" expect
ing some day to make up and find pension
papers and land warrants in our pockets and
ourselves canonised as heroes Bah! What
is military glory? Consult your Byron, and
then join the HOME Guards.
PERSONAL ExPLANATIoN.-I have re-.
ceived several private letters in which it is
intimated that the occasional indulgence of
my ruling passion of ''poking fun at some
body, disturbs the nerves of certain parties,
and the question is very gravely asked what
mean by it? l reply, l don't mean
any thing by it, only to 'poke fun" at those
who have at times tried to spoke fun" at
me. If any further explanation is wanted
ask JIM. H., or Nudge, or Lieut. Hawley,
now at home
Our transfer from st. Joseph to this Point
with all its attending "pomp and circum-
stance" is by this time well known to your
readers. Fuller and better accounts of az
fairs in and around this station can be OBJ
tanned from the st. Louis and Chicago papers
than from any thing I could write you l
will not, therefore, attempt anything like a
description, but presuming that anything
concerning Company X would interest you,
l will note its progress. Company X entered
the service under some disadvantages These
were of such character as precluded COM
plants. Our lot was to endure and bide our
time. Time which sets all things right has
at last corrected any prejudice which may
have existed in regard to our military eff
cheney or capacity. am happy to know
that the good conduct and steady application
to their duties of the men have won for them
a good name, second to none in the Regi-
ment. This is due, not especially to the ef-
forts of the officers, but to the settled pur.
pose of the men to excel. Our boys are sell
dom reprmanded for neglect in the discharge
of duty; never reproved for want of prompt.
ness or correctness In appearance or drill,
and as one having right to speak, think
they are hard to beat. That we propose to
give jeff. Thompson or Pillow chance to
test some day,
Lieut.. Hawley is absent on "leave," to his
home. Lieut.. Eaton has been appointed
Quartermaster. This appointment is a good
one for the Regiment, and the change is being
sensibly felt in the quality and quantity oil
rations. But Co. X will miss his services.
His energy, skill, tact and many good quail
tiles of head and heart have done much to
promote the interests of the company, and
has rendered him favorite in the regiment.
Just now he is the most popular man in the
camp, because he feeds US well, Bully for
the Quartermaster.
Company X has at present but one com.
missioned officer. Sergt. Blake has been ap.
pointed Lieutenant pro tenn. Our companies
turn out for drill at A. NJ, and those not
on guard duty keep shady till dress parade
at p. NJ. The health of our company ia
generally good. Three or four in hospital
and few lying in camp who have eat too
much of old Birds green corn and apples.
Lieut.. Col. Tuttle has gone home to Keo
sauqua. Reports are that he has resigned
Maj. Croker, of Des Moines is in command
Capt. Metzler of the Fairfield company has