Fayetteville observer. [volume] (Fayetteville, Tenn.) 1850-1966, 1861-05-02
From tbe Cult ut Me1irp
LIFE IN THE CAMP
N O. L.


Written 70, The Fayetteville Observer.
3 Fort MORGAN, April 18th, 1861.
|, As soon as we could conveniently
arrange our baggage we we're messei
off in bodies of 6, and proceeded t,
press on the evening repast. My
mess consists OF four besides myself
all followers Of Coke, and you may
we'll imagine that cur supper was NO
as palatable as an epicure would de
sire. ] Was pronounced Chief Cook
\ by occlamation { bottle washers ere
not needed in our camrl and sue.
ceeded admirably in making 40 ex.
collent decoction from a few ball
ground half p7rched coffee grains,
but being a novice in the Culinary
art made complete failure with; tie
fat bacon which copslilutedour nights S
ralious, bot with true soldicr-like for
titude contented the inner man with
eoffte (bad) and some navy biscuit
| which from their adamantine quali'y =
are called by our faeeiious fellows
sheet iron crackers which was a
great tax on our patriotism consider
ing the fact That we had no dinner
previous. No one thought of mur-
muriDg, however, and in short time
after CLEARING up the dishes "a tin
cup and a tin pan each) began to ar
range ourselves for resting our wea-
ry limbs for the first time 10 the
"tented field" and to realize some.
thing of that life which We so admi.
red when perusing the Camp Fife of
The Revolution, but The reality Of
which falls far short of that imagina-
ry charm in which we bad clothed
the camp, proving to be more roman.
tic than comfortable. Full prepara.
tion had not been made for US, and
there we're but 6 tents for tie entire
company. With The ingenuity Of a
Market St. packer, they all soon
crowded in 'crossed and piled there
beiDg'litile respect for the dignity Of
position, presenting picture that
would furnish a iae Object for the ge-
MUS Of Porte Crayon.
More fortunate than my compan-
ions in ranks. Ireceivt d kind 10.
vitation by Capt Ragsdale Of jack
son Guards. and formerly Of Colum.
tia. Tenn, to spend the nightst bis
marque, which courtesy l ayaiIed
myself Of and passed the Digbt very
comfortably-slept sound y and was
blessed with sweet dreams dreams
not of the beautiful but such as many
a mortal has sdesired to dream be.
fore" and wake to know it was but
dream. The scense, (which pardon
me, do not intend to portray, ills
unnecessary to state now in Fay
etteville. The 5 o'clock gun, accom-
panied by the reseille. and the hoarse
voice Of the orderly to "fall in" a.
woke me to a realization of The fact,
that / was about entering upon a
scene of different character. AZ.
ter short. drill We were dismissed
to roam ut large and make observa-
tions until 6 P. NJ.
Fort Morgan is situated upon a
point of peninsula, which sepa-
rates the bay Of Mobile from the
gulf OF Mexico, known as Mobile
point. The distance between the beach
es of these bodies of water is about
enc mile. About half way is slight
ridge of sand With few scrubby
pines growing uponit. Under chem
! the Captains of The several compa.
nies have their tents. On. either
side are arranged those Of the re-
spectiye companies, where the soldier
with no covering but single blan-
ket, lies down under bis tent upon