Litchfield enquirer., 1861-08-15
Frog, Ozr own Correspe3sdefaf.
9TH REGIMENT c. V., CAMP WOOSTER,
 Nenr Sazzu Hook, Nd., Aug. 6th.

tied in our camp, away up here among the mountains of Maryland, take my pen ln hahu l according to promise to give you short account of our adventures, since We bade farewell to Ne" England.
 After the customary leave-takings on the wharf at New Haven we steamed down the haroor with banner flying and music playing our national l anthems, followed by the cheers and prayers ana blessings of the vast concourse cfspectators that lined the shores. If I may speak for others, we gazed with new emotions on the hills and plains of dear old Connecticut, bathed in the soft glory of the dying sunset and as the darkness closed around us end the chill night-wind bie" freshly in our faces, we felt that we were at last falriy launched for good or i'll on our perilous mission l During thenight being crowded for quarters the companies got mixed up together and every body was piIlowing his head on somebody else 5 knapsack, and eating from somebody else's havFe- sack Morning served as resolvent to our con fusion and we embarked on the cars Ut Eliza beth Port in good order and high spirits. Our progress through New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Maryland as far as Baltimore was like a triumph al ovation We made frequent stopPages and then there would be great jingling of eanteens as the men ran for water. At Harrisburg we expected to take the cars fer Hacerstown, but re- ceNed orle.s to proceed immediately to the neighbcrhood of Harpers Ferry. Quite num- Der Of OUT officers aEd men accidentally left behind here, but joined Us in few hours amidst loud cries of "a rail a rail.,'
 | The pickets of the federal forces, in groups of two or three, occupying snug little sheds and huts, skirtsd the railroad after we entered Mary land. The boys locked exceedingly patriotic, but rather rough after three months experience of Camp life. Baltimore was quiet but think, | the fires of secession and rebellion are only ! smoothersd fer a time by the presence of an armed force, and many apparently deserted houses and cast-dovn visages of passers by show ed the disaFec:ion of many of the citizens. Here we were crowded into uncomfortable cattle-cars with benches without backs, where the gallant Fifth was doomed to pass twelve hours ito me an eteriity,j alternately sufocated with heat, and arenched with rain. The night "Wednesday was pitch dark, and tie train murdered along through desolate tract of country, enveloped in Cmmerian blacknsss except when g. vivid flash Of lightning revealed the white tents of a fedora camp OF the outlines of some huge mountain peak.
 Glad were we when day dawned, though the appearance of the forlorn little village of SandJ Hook with its dilapidsted and deserted houses looking more dreary than usua! i'll the pouring rain, was sorry welcome to our new home.- Scouts, ,pickets and expresses were ga?loping abcu
 in outlandish costumes, while the soi,!iers Of tllt neighboring camps were foraging about for thei breakfasts. l initiated their example and iE company with several of Fly fellow soldiers par took of breakfast Of sslt pork, sour bread anf weak coffee ct the hoase of a friendly I.ishwoGan l asked her if she vss got afraid Of the soldiers but she assured me if tAey didn't behave the, would go oat with ;Ee "dvi Himself ca tlsi hacks,' at the same tine showing me a rusty olt knife attached b | pistol with ws,ch she said shs had c,'' :2ss gtacer c! soldier wl.o had mad. havoc in her garden.
 After breakfsst the Ffth marched Up the hill 10 their destination, but receiving orders to re move to point nearer to the quarters of Col Thomas, commander of Our brigade, we did nc pitch oHr tents but spent the day and part of tht next in the woods sleeping of our fatigue Thursday night was memorable one, as ws bivonached in the open air exposed to imminen danger of having our brains dashed out by stan. pedes of the wagon horses which liberated iron harness charged about in every direction. pack ed up ny uniform coat carefully and placed my forage cap on it. Judge of my horror in tht morning tc find a drunken Creek wrapped II the former and the latter with his head. throng ing with ideas, close against mine. But 1 was rc paid by nice breakfast which I purchased at { neighboring farm house of bacon and hot corr cakes, made mora luxurious by the un-abolitior extras of negro walters and boys to fan and driy. of the flies. The people about here hold ou Union coaors, but 1 suspect tham one and all o being secessionisss converted for the time ,hs two arguments of lucre and bayonets.
 The mountains and hills all about us are stud ed with camps and brdc with cannon. Tester day morning, VIC had our first alarm. The sharp angry rattle of musketry wss heard at distance ending in dull roar as the sound echoed and re echoed among the mountain gorses, and an es press came over ditches and fences on 8 foamns charger from the direction of Harpers Ferry- In the twinklins of an eye the dru ms of infantry and artillery beat the long rol," z to arms'' the buglas of the cavalry sounded "to horse, and every side all was hustle and preparation But it turned out to be only the returning picke guard of the Indiana Regiment I suppose we shall have many snch before we actually meet the foe.-. The Fifth will probably remain-in thei, present quarters for several weeks to come unless Johnstea makes an attack On US.
 i The men have been employed to day in casting off stones, which work they think harder than fighting, and the discontented ones say ironical i ly: yho wouldn't sell g farm and be 6 soldier P The weather is so hot tha: we can only drill in the mornings and evenings and spend the day when not on duty, loungng about under the trees in comfortable ifnot elegant undress" uniforms not provided for in Army Regulations" or visit ing our fellow soldiers in the neighboring encamp- ments.
 an excellent reputation and compares favorably