Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1861-07-26
VOL XLIII.
fcoNMUNIcArED,1
Camp Dennison as it Was and as it Is.
DELAEARE O. JnlY % 1861.


Camp Dennissa as It Was and as it 4
DELAWARE o., July 20 1851
/ Another of the grand and peculiarly a
tractive features of camp, is "dress parade
an appertinance of military rule which taxi
place in the evening about the time the Kin
of day nest les behind western hills and fire
fury shaped clouds. Dress parade in the mai
at Camp Dennison never failed to attract Il
Fair and the curious of the masculine d
partment very perciptibly showed their appr
citation by not unfreqUently attaching to sal
fair ones in whole squads" This was pr
vokiBg to the "soldier boy in the extreme, {
they -slrrays prefer TO be viewed by the Ladie
hundreds Of whom come fockTBy-frs- -searE fa
day, from all parts Of the country. General
at 6 O'Clock the frat drum beat is heard t
prepare for dress parade. At this call all tn
companies must uniform and with their arm
@faH i'm two ranks; with arms at n shoulder
al thegsame time quietly taking the Positio
of a soldier. They are then drited by th
Captain, on the company ground, till tie 81
cond CALL fifteen minutes later, and each con-
I pany march at sscommon timen to their res
pective post on the regimental parade grOunc
Company A takes the right of the columt
and the rest IN the order they are called
Great care and pride is taken in forming th
line. No mesit attaches unless it IS don
I quietly, promptly, and it must be true one
pudec the Deuaitv of deing IT. over again
Ccupa5,v 5 easea 6 rasiGs SD ard The res
5i1e cn e.savB IS h. fine 70 ferned, II
EzD.aes. ard .satencr+s form an '.0a tel
.a1es .dyaacs 1rt-cir respect - companies
+ I've coumn Is tien taken charge of by tn
! Adiutant, who also assists in forming the line
/ He then commences: "Order arms parade u
! &eo At this the field officers, general.
/ mounted, start on the lope from headquarters
/ the Colonel, Lieutenant and Major in tht
front ranks, and the Surgeon and Quarter
Master in the rear, gallop around the eatir
1 tauallion aud take position thirty PAGES Il
/ front of the column. The Colonel in the cen
iter Lieute1ant Col. on the right wing anC
,ke- Maior On the l-fe wing The Adptan
O. r. 3,ss. 50 ..r= 20 -r3 9eS4. rr,tslts- arms
5 s,ri,s..s 20 s.ss.-. 's,eTs 4.b r. ftT -if
z.slAP X 7f,i...e tR.i ls,.Fetes = ressaY ,4cI
c5sls5i.5-7 sea e5}s 1efa FsAr races, aud al
the wt}Fi 5i,sr-el7 4i,s 5irp rear line of the
bait ttaliOn} marches four PAGES 10 the rear.
The regimtntal music which is always at the
Rhead Of the celnmh then play the cheat Off
marching in front down and back the entrt
lengthytf the column and takes its place in the
line The Adjuiant orders: 'Attention bat
talon! close order, march ~ The rear rank
then takes its former position eighteen inches
iu the rear of the front ranks each man 'cov-
ernr his fise mar The Adiutant then
marches down in front Of the eoinmn s the
cen,re and theIi forward OF Iiae with thl
company officers, hats. s,ilutes the Co0nel
and then facing the coiumn. commands; First
SergcaDts to the front and cehter!" The Ser
geaHts then make their daily report as to the
condition of their respective companies and
retire to their posts. The Adjutant then
takes his position in the company line officers
and orders: EDWARD face; close on the Adju
,ant, march r and then, Front face forward
murch y, When with ten PAGES OF the Colonel
and staff they halt and salate all. If tie Co
lionel has any orders 10 give, they are now
delivered, if not the parade is dismissed This
procedure is gone through every day. Il is
grand sight! Abont the 10th of May, the
long term of enlistment was for the first agi-
tated in Camp Dennison, and from that date up
10 the time the major portion of The three
month volunteers were sent home Ion fur
lough; aud to the time Of the sending of our
troops into active service, it was oLe ofihe most
unsettled, haplesS, mismanaged organizations
tGat ever grhced any modern country. Those
who were not in tie camp have no idea of the
1cha,ss that reiened Ter weeks. So luug uad the
=
aud p cniy sat sa5, .t.at every 5ae., an,. "a
baoituateti wotc yu, ot' .3.sb s a-
they pleased tAaJ tlt SIS "a '.!'. T.. camp .lIr.
however mildly ai.a jus..t. amli>t r-d by
competent and sN3ll .i. ST.. tns. iililvy, ies
alone adm MS terod b. aos a..reI. in tn mai
when VIGOROUSLY Incompetent Nor could a
more unfit time have bceu chosen to test the
courage of the EAeR." Composed as the camp
was Of the most intelligent Of our State, they
bad suoo hscel-e DISCUS ed with the imeee.ic
of6eia O. tBat misguided .s-nr fEs GrGccgs-
sarv suteria@ .aa- they aa- be
e.t.l.- z1z ST & f s.-45- .al5.s si!ii
co.. .tuge5 la 3 grease NJ iass Kept
10 the seTtl-- s- -4A .--s= .li"t1n u = "a IS,
and III nis. : ,as.s A.te1 node At tha-
time, any day loF two weeks they were 10 De
uniformed ~ rrew and be- sent east into
active service ln.il they had lost all confidence
in their leaders, and many swore that Camp
Dennison was one id lie.' AT that time
one half of the entire camp were destitute OF
clothing, without shoes. pants, or coat. They
had been told on leaving home to wear ''thelr
old clothes. and not TO take change, as in a
few DAYS, they would be uniformed armed and
sent 10 y aS.farfre 2a f-s- r-. .-'-
cil}hine was etcss e r~is i.y .tr
th4t--,.sns but .6. his ID. ..e,i Il a,.:-rpi
tnega. in SO weeks ,..,y 81. al kick d 10
pitcts. 1t seems to have been policy OF Ae
government to hold back rhe Uniforms fiii they
were ready TO test "ihe courage ot the men,
As soon as the long term enlistment Was in.
augura ed pompous Captains and Lieutenants,
who before bad no care for their men, and
whose only merit was running to Cincinnati to
contract gay uniform in order to impress their
men with their superior claims, became very
attentive and obsequieus, Distressing military
salutes with proIusion never before witnessed,
and in their selfish zcai over doing the thing.
This was not confined to the officers mention.
eed, but III too many instances reached the field
officers There were many honorable excep-
items and those deserving praise. This from
nsen, who, but the day before were on a level
with themr and who in many an instance, We e
inferior TO their command, was to much, and
it was not till the men had been assured tina /
they would have chance TO rid them Of sach
men and place worthy men in their stead tliat
they were induced to enlist at all. BY these
officials every means was Eesorted TO and no
effolt left untried TO induce the men to enlist,
knowing full well that they stood upon dam
ger rus ground. All the pettfogging and
trickery made use Of by politicians in elections
L.,