Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1861-06-07
Letters from the Camp.

CAMP TRoUsDALE, June 6, 1861.
viii you correspond with friend who sits on
q valise and writes on a cigar box If not return
this familiar epistle unread. / am to-day lieuten.
ant of the guard, and having every alternate hour
in the twenty four at my disposal | cannot more
agreeably employ my leisure than in giving You q
sketch of camp life. ! give it with no attempt at
eloquence As Yoltaire wittily said, adectives are
the greatest enemies TO nouns, although they do
agree with them in gender, number, and case. One
good effect will como of this revolution, if none
other. Public speakers will be compelled to get a
new stock of eloquence. The old star spsngled
banner with all its gaseous progeny of stump ora
tory, being used up.
Please TO excuse this rambling commencement,
and remember that it is, in one sense, rambling
life for a limb of the law to be leading. Here are
more than five thousand sinners metamorphosed in
a day from civilians into soldiers. In what other
quarter of the world could such a camp be thus
formed, thus constituted and yet be orderly as
the city of Nashville? This division of the army
of Tennessee is entitled to that high praise. l dned
yesterday with the mess of neighboring regiment.
Two ministers of the gospel sat with US, and grace
was said before we broke bread. One of them
waggshly remarked that if Lincoln expects to starve
US out he must commence from to-day and give us
running start at that, for that dinner alone would
support life some days to come.
The SOuthmay be proud of the patriotism of the
pulpit. The company to the right of my own is
commanded by preacher. The company our
left numbers one hundred and four rank and file,
besides some dozen servants who accompany their
young masters to the field. In one of its tents
prayer meeting is regularly held. sat in the dark
them last night Smoking the cigar of comfor
and as heard the familiar hymn tunes, mingling
with the still more familiar air of Dixie the ban
joes of the negroes the laugh and the murmurring
sound of the great encampment, L could but ask
myself, can these men be conquered? They may
think so who choose. You know it has been my
opinion always that the people of Middle Tennessee
are the finest under the sun. If anything need
ed to confirm me in the opinion it would have been
my experience so far of their ready adaptation TO
life in The tented field.
Our literature is restricted to one book, Hardee's
Tactics. How they will take to the Enfield rife s
yet to be seen, but with the old rife half the me
in my company can bring squirrel from the top Of
the tallest tree. | may be mistaken fatally mis-.
taken, but were the general officer, / would be
willing in another week to fight them against an
equal number of regulars.
d In politics, of course, the army is unit. 1t would
amuse you TO see the names of the various streets
into which the camp is laid off. Beauregard street,
Wigfall avenue, ancey street. Such are the names
neatly nailed to the old oaks between the long
double lines of white tents. The approaching cleo
ton Is discussed by the men with a calmness and
moderation worthy of their high spirit. heard
one last night remark that our friends at
home may vote themselves not TO be rebels by vo-
ting halter around our necks, but that We would
never turn our arms against the old State The
sentiment received with quiet nod.
would like to tell some of the quaint wtticisms
with which the camp abounds, but my letter is al
ready long. ! have moved my seat from valise to
old log hear the chigoes calling to each other
to come eat me the companies marching in
from drill the shades of night falling fast, and
] am 10 see the guard relieved. Tother night while
it rained young fellow delicately raised, marched
out to stand sentry. Instead of being low spirited
at the duty assigned him. he remarked with laugh
that If he had thought he would not be killed before
now he should not have come. Yours.