The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-06-04
FROM CAMP ICKENS.
ESPECIAL coRHE.posDBscE OF THE pIsPATcH..
CAMP PIckgss, Manassas Junction,

NAY Soba, 1901.
Camp duties have prevented nay writing to
you before this. Having now few hours
leisure l avail myself OF the opportunity TO |
give you come information of things trans |
piring here knowing that your entire COM |
munity are anxiously awaiting authentic in |
teiligence from us. Leaving the hermitage |
Fair Grounds on Saturday morning at 10 |
o'clock, we expected TO make the trip to this |
place in the usual time, but did not arrive un- |
til Sunday al 2 O'Clock L. NJ, the cause of our |
delay being the intelligence that n collision |
had taken place on the road a lew hours pre- |
yi0us, OF which yon were seNeral days ago |
apprised, the authorities deeming r proper TO |
stop at Gordonsville until 1t could be ascer |
tanned that the way was clear, and everything |
in condition for our safe conveyance.
If the hearts of our men needed lnspira ton,
the tears of our wives, mothers, sisters, and
which even bedewed the cheeks of iron man
hood at parting from US, We're enough to nerve
them TO DO battle 10 the death. Stirred as
were our softer feelings for while, the buoy
ancy Of the soldier soon returned, and song
after song beguiled the tediun OF the journey.
Along the route the greeting we received was
a perfect ovation and Il '' God speed YOU was
given to US from every farm house and dwell
ing. At each stopping place the train was
surrounded by crowds of both sexes and all
ages. Ebony faces peered from the fences,
doffing their hats or bonnets, and making an
enviable display OF ivory. Baskets filled with
bouquets, confec tioDs, tobacco, etc, were
borne along the platform from car TO car, and
their contents given to the soldiers by the fair
hands OF more lovely women than had seen
for the previous twelve months. On reaching
this place the Regiment immediately went in
10 camp in broad and gently undniatiEg
field, said TO be the property of the editor OF
the New York SUM nauked by IL beautiful
wood. The sound Gt the axe and hammer
broke the stiffness of the Sabbath day, and in
few hours the white tents of the First Regi-
ment of Virginia Volunteers We're shining in
the sun.
The country here is fair enough to look upon,
but, much to our surprise we soon found that
water was scarce; that which we are able to
get in the immediate vicinity of the camp is
| the color Of the freestone strata through
| which it flows. OF this mineral there seems
| to be an inexhaus tible quan tity, the entire
| soil partakiDg OF its dull red color. There is
| some thing Of a village here, ting of one
| tavern, two stores and several private dwell
| ings. Within the circuit of n mile or two are
| several handsome residences.
| There are numerous bodies of troops here,
/ besides our regiment, among them Col. ker-
| shaW's regiment, not long since encamped in
| Howard Grove, near your city. What our
| force is, of course l will not say; but lew or
| many, their numbers and resolution are sui'l-
cieut TO give any force that the enemy can Well
| spare from their boasted thousands welcome
| with bloody hands TO hcspitabie graves
| There is sickness of consequence among
| our men, and all are in excellent spirits, and
| rapidly acquiring that degree OF proficiency
in drill necessary to fiji them for the art OF
| war.
| On Monday morning, about 10 o'clock, the
| intelligence spread like lightning through the
| camp LDdI bWO cCOUtS, Ia Oatiicd
| too near Alexandria, We're killed, and that the
| enemy were rapidly moving upoa US. In
| stantly every man was iii arms, ana IN less
than a quarter Of an hour the ranks were
| formed and ready to march. Not cheek
! turned pale not an arm was unneryed but
| the bearing of each man bespoke every inch
| the soldier, and & thrill Of almost savage Joy
! went from heart 20 heart at the thought that
| the hour was near at hand to strike 4 blow
for our homes, our loved ones, ,and our honor
al hour OF terrible retribution for the many
insults and wrongs inflicted upon long
81 ffering people.
Never had / witnessed such a scene +; never
did the paImiest days OF Greece OF Rome wit
ness a prouder. Men who had left their
| peaceful avocations at the call al their couD-
try, all unused to scenes of bloody strife,
whose only ambition had, perhaps, been to
pass their lives in the midst OF domestic tran
guilty, were, if by the wand Of some arch
| magician, transformed INTO heroes, not only
| ready, but eager TO go forth and offer up their
lives in defence OF = principle as eternal as
| the heavens-the principle of Justice no
| cheers ''rent the air" There was none OF
| the loud talking and blusler with which
the bully seeks to hide his fear; quietly
| and quickly falling into ranks, every man
stood ready for the word OF command, and
| within less than half an hour from the mo-
| ment of the call te arms We're on our way
| to meet the foe. Our march could not have
been more disagreeable. The deep dust that
! filed the road was hurled into our faces in
binding clouds by high wind, binding and
almost sufocating us. But this was almost
| unheeded, and our columns pressed rapidly
on. Arriving al small stream called Bull
| Greek, distant about four miles from Manas
| saS Junction the com nand was given to halt
| in order to allow few moments to get
| water. While there, we were net by 4 por-
| tion of the :. T.. Regiment. They had prece
| ded us several hours in anticipation of fight
| and were then returning. From them We
| learned that the rumored killing of our scou Is
and the advance OF the enemy Were unbound
| ed, every thing being quiet ahead. Great was
their disappointment and our own and threw
ing themselves upon the grass under the pro
| tecting shade of the beautiful wood that bor.
dered the pretty little stream, our men gave
free expression TO their regret that they wer,
| not yet 10 have a brush. Just at this time, Gen
Bonhan, first in command here, came riding
down the road from the direction opposite X
that from which we had come. Our Captain
REV. +. j. Boggs, "a Grays,) had had an ink
, ling that the General would soon make hi
appearance, and, while the other companie
, of the regiment were laying about at ease
: our Captain, in the pride OF promptness, com
mendabie in soldier above all other men
. | quickly and quietly formed US into line, anC
: as the General Came 10 onr front, our piece
| were promptly brought 10 Il present" I'm
| mediateiy refining up his horse, he raised hi
! | hat in acknowledgment OF our salute, and a
: | the other companies came running up, deliy
cred Il short and highly eonplimen Ia r
/. | speech, expressing his pride and qualification
| at the readiness With which eur soldiers ha
| responded to the call TO arms, accepting it a
, | an evidence OF the spirit which animafe
, | them, ana OF What Wouio De tnelf acuo
l | when the enemy was really at hand. Thre
, | cheers and a "tiger" testified the pleasure G
our men at this compliment, as the Genera
{ | rode away towards camp, whittier we 500
: followed him, and from which l hope to dat
: : | & few more letters.
u 4 few words in conclusion, and, in thos
few words, an appeal. Of all the companie
. here, the Second Grays and Co. "I" al
2 | without tents, and we are sleeping with II
| shelter from the wea ther but boughs of W HE
. | we have constructed rude huts. Should
:, | heavy rain come, we should be in a sorr
| piight--ourselves chilled, and clothing the
! roughly wet, and our guns dishgured wit
. | rust Have we any generous friends in Rich
: | m ond do they miss at home or is the oil
a adage true, "out of sight, out of mind :"
y VIA.
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