Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-05-23
Letter from Camp Anderson.

ers are all aware that Capt Tallman's com
pany Of Belmont boys are in the 18th Regi-
inent, at Camp Anderson, Lancaster, Ohio
and, according to promise, / will try to give
you some account Of their situation, &c.
We are ina most beautiful cainp-occupy-
ing the fair grounds of the Fairfield County
Agricultural Socicty-a beautiful level piece
Of ground, about one mile North Of the city
Of Lancaster, well supplied with good water
and covered with a nice green sod.
| Our daily avocations are those of every
well regulated military camp. At o clock
in the morning the revelle beats, and the
| Orderly Sergeants commence getting the
boys out of their hunks. All round the camp
you can hear them shouting TO the drowsy
ones, Company X (Capt, Talman's) has a
good many drowsy ones The roll is called,
and all must answer TO their names. 1t is
amusing to see the boys turning out half.
dressed as their names are reached, and
scampering into ranks. After the roll call
is finished they are dismissed for half an
hour to wash and dress then go into ranks
again and drill until clock, when Com
pany K gets breakfast. This is the hardest
part of the days work with the most Of u.s.
Three hours out of bed before breakfast is
no doubt very healthy, but not many of us
are used to such habits. The boys manage
to save piece over from the night supper
for morning piece, and 50 fare pretty well.
| After breakfast we are dismissed until 9
or half-past o'clock when we meet for
drill again. We get dinner at o clock, and
are then dismissed till evening, when we
dtill again. Supper at I, and then dismissed
| till nine. when the tattoo beats and all must
to bed. This is imperative, and after hard
day work great many do not wait to hear
the drum beat. AT fifteen minutes past nine
there is scarcely a sound in camp. Our
rules art strict and any violation gets the
offender in the dreaded guard-house
Our company is as well drilled as any COM
pany in the regiment, and | am well salts
fed that when uniformed will be the fnest
looking company by far in camp. We have
dress parade at four clock every evening"
when the whole regiment appears upon pa
rade. Our company has not heretofore
shown quite so well as some others, on ac-
count Of the want of uniforms, but most of
us have the red shirt now, and begin to shine
with the rest of them.
The camp is well and strictly guarded
about one hundred and twenty-five being re-
quired as guard every day.
We are being broken into all the discipline
of the soldier. Is is almost impossible to
|
members of each company getting pass on
one day, so you see We are confined in the
camp, being able to get out only every tenth
day in regular order, unless there is an abso-
lutte necessity for it. Commissioned officers
pass at their pleasure There has been quite
a number of commissions in this camp, you
may rest assured, and it has been so that al
most any sprightly looking fellow who could
call himself an officer, could pass the guards,
: but that game will lsoon be ended: the officers
are becoming known and getting their uni
forms, which will put an end to the poor
priyates playing. officer.
4 Our time off duty is spent in as many va
rious ways as there are various tastes and
dispositions in the camp. Some of our boys
spend most of their leisure time in reading
and writing, others in playing 'euchrc" and
'seven up" Most of them seem to be en-
joying themselves in their own way There
, are great many here who have come with
their Bibles in their pockets, and earnest
piety and religion in their souls. They have
left homes of plenty, and even luxury, tol
the tented field and are here to defend at
any cost the free and glorious Constitution
that secures to them the privilege Of wor-
shipping their God in their own way
These men are not scarce in Camp Ander-
t son. One company Capt Stinchcomb's, $, Of
. Lancaster, is composed almost entirely 0i
church members. They have prayers in
| their quarters night and morning, and or
last Friday, they together with all Other
church members who desired it, partook o.
Y the sacrament in the camp ground. 1t wa!
E an impressive sight to see the assembling OF
Y these men in the midst of the tented field
e commemorating this most holy rite of tht
| ah h,,f % th,,s
D gagged others in hearing distance were play
: ing cards and swearing.
All seem to be anxious to get into activ,
service, and nothing would be received will
more pleasure by this regiment than order
to 90 where we would be likely to have al
q enemy in reach.
y Major Steele took leave of our compan,
i last week in a neat little speech, thankin
nj them for their kindness, and assuring then
!. that though he was leaving them as an off
!. Ger of their company he would do all an
everything in his power as an officer of tn
q regiment to promote the interests of tn
h company. Clem. is pronounced by the unan
~ imous vote of the Belmont Tigers" to be
, . ''bully good fellow" "Long may he wave
:, . The stogas' sent out to the compan
~ ~ have been faithfully distributed and receive
- - with many thanks by the boys, and yestel
, day morning Mrs. Ryan's cigars for Sunda
,r smoking were handed round the quarters
j and were enjoyed hugely. We hope ou
st friends will not let us suffer for cigars, q
% p they seem to be almost necessity to Vi
n. penned up here as we are.
u We have been boarding thus far, and {
~ ~ to the kind and quality of our fare l sha
~ u. say nothing, for fear | should conflict wit
N the Gazette of last week. We, however
70 70 understand that we are to do our own cool
70 70 ing after to. day, and if our friends will sen
40 ~ us out something for Sunday dinner "
~ :. will eat it all up with grateful stomachs
i Our sleeping quarters are perfectly con
g, fortable-many, many thanks to our kir
III friends at home.
~ have strung this letter out too long q
l., ready. We got the CHRONICLES last weel
y and they were eagerly grabbed up ard rea
h. h. Send them on. Twill try and write aga
u. next week.
VI Boys are all well.