The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1861-06-27
From Fofi Wayne.s-Letter From Dowa.
siac Boy.

From Fofi Wayne.s-Letter Froma Dowa.
siac Boy.
FoRr WArNE, Mich, June oath, 1861.
EDITOR REPUBLICAN Dear STR
Thinking that perhaps we had left
some friends in Cass County who would
like to hear from us occasionally,
take this, my first opportunity of Civ
ing them our experience in camp or
rather fort life. Upon parting with
many friends and taking the train on
Wednesday morning the 10th, we
found the Officers of four Companies
on board: viz !; the st. Joseph Volun-
teers,. Capt. Wheeler, the Berrien Co.
Rifles, Capt. Griffin, and the Beardsley
Guards, Capt. Bacon. We had a
pleasant trip down, meeting several
Companies at the stations who could not
get aboard for want of room and came
on the Express about half an hour after
wards. Among these / noticed the
Schoolcraft Company at Kalamazoo
which is the finest appearing company
in fort. They had uniformed them
selves with a very tasty grey frock
coat, pants and cap with the belt and
military buttons and the commissioned
officers with epaulets. think, with
out Boosting, that when uniformed, the
Dowagiac Light Infantry will rate at
least Sd if not I'd in appearance, intel
lect and steadiness of purpose, on the
ground, but you know appearances are
often deceiving. We arrived at the M.
c. r. r. depot at 500 P. M. and imme-
diately took passage down the river to
the fort on board the steamer Clara.
The fort consists of stone building
somewhat longer than your Union
School building and about the same
size otherwise. In this building the
non-commissioned officers are quar-
tered, sleeping on straw beds on the
floor with each blanket, and mess
Hotel fashion on the ground floor. /
have not yet had the pleasure of eat
ing with them but they tell me they
have as good board as they usually
find at Village Hotels. Around this
stone building at sufficient distance for
a parade ground, are trenches and
earthworks about 20 feet in heighth,
over these is a draw-bridge for the use
of teams guarded by a cannon, and
stone archways underground for pri-
vate entrance, closed with heavy iron
doors. Lying at the Pier is the steam
err Mississippi, upon which the commits
stoned officers are quartered, lodging
in the state rooms and using the cabin
as dining hall, making as comforta-
BILE quarters as one could wish, and our
board is good enough CHATS all, moth
ing to spare.)
They get us up at J A. NJ, for roll
call and inspection, drill ,'one hour be-
fore breakfast, giving us splendid ap-
petite. Breakfast at 6, dress parade
at Z, Inspection by Staff Officers and
receiving general orders. Drill from
8 to IL; dine at IL; drill from D to
81; Supper at 81; evening parade at
z; tattoo and call to quarters at 81.
You will see that we are employing
our time to the best possible advantage,
in order to make this really camp of
Instruction.
The camp was thrown into great
glee few days since by the report
that the Governor had received an or
der for the 5th and 9th Regiments.
Everybody but the members of the
18th put on smiling, hopeful counte-
nance and commenced shaking hands,
congratulating each other upon the
prospect ahead. But that dish was
upset by the news the next morning
that the 4th would march Immediately,
but not the 5th and 9th. The prospect
now is that we remain here until about
the LIST of September, and then the 5th
will probably be called into rendezvous
here in the Fort and the 9th at Kala.
mazoo.
The necessity of this Camp of In.
struction for officers is made apparent
to the most casual observer, for if all
the different commands which one
hears given here were collected and
put into volume they would make an
entire new system of Military tactics
entirely ahead of either Hardee or
Scott. tls.a3
You must not think by my descrip-
ton of our employment that it is all
work and no play. We have for our
Drum Major the notable Yankee Dan
and such fund of novelty and amuse-
ment as he possesses, 1 never saw in
any human being before.
He has splendid voice for singing