Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1861-05-24
VOL. XIII.
Correspondence Of the Delaware GaEette.l
From Camp DennisOn.
CAMP DENNIsoS, Nav IA, 1861.

From Camp DennisOn.
CAMP DENNIsoN, May a. 1861.
MR. EDIToR:-You must excuse me 70
addressing you SO often, but this evening
learned that you had received rather excitin.
news from our camp. l refer to the report 0
some one poisoning the water here and mel
falling in the ranks. &c. The truth Of tn
matter is that one evening during "dress pa
rade'' few men fell in the ranks, probably
twenty. No one could fully account for it
but most persons supposed it was occasioneC
by change of diet and water. The first thret
or four days we spent here were pretty tough
and any one who denies the fact is simply q
liar.
When the $500 pounds of provisions came
it produc ed wonderful change. Though our
fare was much better than it was at first. il
was very amusing to see the different effects
receiving the provisions had on different ones
some cheering and jumping up and down, and
some shedding tears of gratitude. We ap-
pointed a committee ofour most talented men
and requested them to draw up resolutions ex-
| pressive of our gratitude they met and tried
to accomplish the task. but they found the
| English language inadequate for their purpose,
and they concluded to meet againj so l sup
pose you can look for some rousing resolutions.
Dave Howe suggested the propriety of en-
5ndying in them a gentle hint to Miss L
! c., to send some more of those deli
eious blackberry pies. The only objection l
could raise is that fear that our first Liuten-
ant, J. s. Jones, would kill himself eating
them for, when he learned who made them, he
pitched in and in an incredible short space Of
time one entire pie had disappeared. The on
ly WRy it would be safe for her to send any
more would be to express them to me. and
will let ]. S. Jones have them in Uery modef-
ate quantities.
The boys are most all in good health. 1
am sorry TO say there are some exceptions;
some Of them took severe colds the night we
landed here, and are not we'll yet. Our Sd
Lieutenant is still sick, but not considered
dangerous.
TIE officers are drilling ihe men from six to
eight hours per day now. There WIS mill
tary man here from the South who made a
speech TO the officers in which he said that the
South is much better prepared for the coming
conflict, as Regards arms ond drilling. than the
North is. He gave one instance OF men drill
ling until O'Clock in the morning, and said
unless the north paid more attention to drill
ling, we would, be feared be worstcd. 0fcourse
he did not think 80, for the North will not
give up until her soil is saturated with the blood
oftwc-thirds of her population. But still his
warning was very mnch needed, for the men
were not drilling half enough. 1t is impossible
to tell when or where we will be ordered from
here. Some seem to think Wheeling, Va.
will be the next point We will make, but no
one knows anything positive about it.
In my last letter l slid | think, I would
tell you how our sundays are spent. Some ol
the men get pas cS and go to little town
about miles from this place and attend
church Others remain at home and have
class meeting among themselves. | had the !
pleasure of attending one last sabbath lead by |
j. S. Jones, who [ learned is their regular
leader. | saw some who seldom or never at
tended class while at home; but still if l were
to say the men are inclined TO be more moral
here than at home l would in all probability, |
be accused Of giving publicity 10 d fit'sehood, /
and justly too.
Last Saturday evening our company drum
cd one Of it's number out of Camp and lest
to it here. The man had conducted himself |
in very disor,lcrly manner ever since he |
joined the company, and at last we concluded
to stand it no longer. Irefrain from referring !
to his acts, but rest assured he was only justly |
dealt with This morning thought l would
like to pay visit to Cincinnatii so put two
hours hard drilling in, probably marching |
seven miles; when aore drilling l ap-
piled for pass for the day, and of started
on a run for station two miles down the |
track; got there just in time for the train,
when a Brigade Guard, stationed there Tor the
purpose Of inspecting passes, demanded mlne'
and you can in agine my disappointment when
| learned that my pass was not properly sign |
cd; o I could not GO aboard the train; asked
him il he had any objections to my walking
"Oh no." So off started on foot and walked
to Cincinnati, Is miles; walked around the
city some time On Wesley Chapel l saw
fine flag floating in the breeze; as l looked AT
1t, it made the spot seem more sacred 10 mt
than it would be without the flag. l conid
not help thinking how fine the William street
church, in fact all the ehrrches III Deiaware F
would look with the stars and stripes waving
over them. From there / crossed the Ohio
and visited the Newport Barracks; found 500
well drilled soldiers, all uniformed, and seem
ingly in good spirits. had but little time to
Spctd on Southern soil, but long enough to
convince me that small force with heavy can-
non could destroy the city in a short space oil
time by firing from the heights on the Ken
tucky shore. l hurried back in time for the
o'clock train, piled aboard, and in twenty-five
minutes arrived at the camp in time for tea
none the worse for wear.
Hark hear Capt. Powell, officer of the
day, enocEsing at my door. Says Lights out
you are half an hour late now" So good
night. Very respectfully
w. l.. WARNER.