Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-05-18
Editors Cort oepondonoo.
Camp Curtin. Mau l4h. 1861.

Dear Sir In accordance with prom
Use made to you, and in order to crafty
the curiosity of inquiring friends proceed
to write you few words about the "lron
Guards and Camp Curtin.
1t was with heavy heart that some Of
us embarked on board the Rolling Wave,
and gave our farcwclls to the assembled
hundreds at Port Noble. 1t was not re-
gret for what we had done that saddened
our thoughts, but the reflection that some
and perhaps all of us were bidding final
adieus to weeping friends. and that many
of us were bcholding the spires of Blooms
burg for the last time
We stopped short time at Cattawissa
! bridge, where number of citizens had
assembled. Our next stopping place was
Danville, where, Notwithstanding the rain
large crowd assembled A multitude
also greeted US at Northumberland, among
which was large sprinkling Of the fair sex.
The Collector was kind enough to pass us
free of toll. Our excellent band played
them few choice tunes after which we
turned our attention TO our larder, which
we found plentifully stored withthe necess.
aries of life. Our beds consisted of straw
strewn along the bottom Of the boat J his
was comfortable enough had there been
room but experience showed US that 100
men more than filled it; hence many slept
on deck. The noise and confusion even
then precluded the idea of sleep, except to
the eyes those who had been patrolng the
night before. We were all routed up at
Selinsgrove, where we were met by the
brass band. A barrel of tar was burnt to
show US up to the citizens. We proceeded
without further stoppages to Harrisburg.
Along the whole route we were cordially
welcomed, and heartily choered. One
patriotic invidual supplied the whole party
with as much milk as they could drink
Another gave quantity of bread, pies,
etc. We reached Harrisburg about 3 o
clock of the day after we started. Capt.
Ricketts, Immediately formed the company
and marched us through the principal
streets of the City and Capitol grounds
On the route the constant inquiry was,
Where are you from! As praise after
praise fell from the lips of the spectators,
we began to conceive better opinion of
ourselves and bear ourselves as soldiers in.
deed, We halted in front of the Cover
nor S room, and we're briefly reviewed by
him. The Governor, members of the Leg.
islature, and military men present pro-
nounced the Company to be the best drill
ed and equipped that had made its appear
ance in Harrisburg. We were then
marched to Camp Curtin, about a mile to
the north of the City-We found there as.
sembled some 1000 men of different de.
grces of advancement in military tactics
Some three or four hundred backwoods-
men presented an unique appearance in
their fantastic dresses, and hats ornamen-
ted with buck ta1. Our camp, was for
merly the ground of the Dauphin Co. Ag.
ricultural Society and contains about 12j
acres. The buildings are used for the ac
commodaton of soldiers A number oi
new ones are being erected. Quite num-
Der of tents are also scattered over the field
The quarters assigned us were formerly
hog pens, but we slept soundly in them
The next day two regiments left, the l4th
and 18th and We then changed our quar-
ters to those formerly occupied by the
Union Guards of Reading 1t was de-
lightful change from hog pen to horse
StaUe. Your humble servant found him
self sufficiently small to sleep under the
feed trough. 'Tis true that the roof is
somewhat Of q sieve char cter, but then as
soldiers we have become accustomed to
rain. Our Committee generously gave us
each five dollars for spending money be-
fore they left u.s. We felt sorry to part
from them and also with the band. We
did not realize our situation until they left.
The Friday after VIC reached this place
Capt. Ricketts, had the whole camp placed
under his charge. Our whole Company
were on guard for "a hours, and that, too,
during dranching rain. We soon estab.
lished a new order of things in this camp
and quiet and order soon took the place
of noise and confusion. Running in and
out of the camp was prohibited, much tc
the chagrin of many who were accustomed
to make nightly visits to Harrisburg. We
feared little trouble from the buek-tails,
but little decision on our part sent then
to their tents. even had the audacity t
refuse the commanding officer admittance