Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1861-11-21
dbe Gtntrt 9tmotrat.
ARMY CORRESPONDENCE.
HCAHp Hale" F."
CAMP HALE,
Near Bladensburg, Nov. 9, 1861. J

Near Bladensburg, Nov. y, 1901.
MR. EEIroR Having desire TO interest
Your readers have for the third time writ
ten preface of letter TO you, and as the
old adage of, I" a third time IS the charm"
this should be final attempt, and perhaps
will prove success.
We left Camp Curtin"-Harrisburg
about two weeks ago. and after a merry ride
of tw davs through very acet rain, we arr
rived in the city where Uncle Abe abides,
were accommodated with food and rest at the
Soldiers Retreat" two long buildings for
merly used by the Mount Vernon Associa-
tion for the mandatory of canes. but Low
converted into sleeping and eating rooms for
she accommodation of such as your huuble
scribler. After visit to the Capital, long
and fati giug climb to the Dome, and the in
scriting O name, as other ambitious Yankee
boys have done, we descended to tbs " Re-
treat" slung our knapsacks and after mud
dy march OF II miles, pitched our tents on
the outskirts of Washington, on the ground
last occupied by the eallant but now la
mented COL Baker, of whose death your
readers are made aware ere this :; after a
stay of one week we pulled our stakes and
trod over five miles more of their chiralrous
land, forming our camp again on an artif-
cial hill which was thrown up in 1912, and
where the battle of Bladensburg" was
fought in the came year. At noon of each
day the tide flows in, completely surrounds
ing us. and often flooding Bladensburg,
small village one mile from camp.
Last night our camp was ssluted by
heavy rain storm which continued until this
evening, flooding our tents. A greater part
of the Regiment ha taken refuge in the
houses and barns near camp Such is the
life of soldier. We lny in mud and .Sater
as night. and in the morn wake up in mer-
~ mood. each one whistling or singing TO
drive rude care away, not caring for the mor-
row. Such as satisfy the wants Of :he day
we ask for and often get. A soldier car tru-
ly with fOld TrGpper" agree in his phyo>
sephical proverb-" To day is thy watch, 0,
sentinep what more to. day is our reprieve,
but must HE to things of more importance.
ne the ever turning fortune of war bids Us
ie ready to shoulder our guus and march az
midnight for some other city, and perhaps
before you get this we will have routed the
traitors snd obtained the golden ht,rors or
abe laurste crown, that ambition has bid Us
strive for. Our striving, we think, shall not
be in vain, as our cause it is just, and we
have girded on the strong armor of Truth in
v hom Justice reposes. None can judge has
sily or rashly ia The judging of the tra'sorous
hordes who have struck at the heart of cur
happiness and almost destroyed the best sys.
= tenn of Government ever esta 1lished by our
All-wiee Maker on the face Of the earth -
They wi II soon feel the avepging arm of in
dignan, Justice. We are the avengers, they
are the asgrs' sors, and We hate the silent
tongue in ihis he ine nf our cor nsry's peril.
But my writing must close, as it is midnight,
and /" a written thonght Mt midnight will re-
deem the iive-long day" so we will recon-
pence the morrow by this midnight redemp-
ton, and embalm this letter very politely by
very pleasant good-nighs. More anon.
SIN.
OF the Linn Rifes," Company D, 45th
Regiment, p V.