Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1861-09-25
mo. %.
Camp Correspondence.
CAMP Lyons, NEAR CHAIN BRtDGr. Nd, }
September is, 1861.

. beat, and as the moon shines beautiful
upon the now quiet white city of the Gil
Regiment my thoughts wander to tn
! friends in far Prescott. Our tents have
cow been moved to this spot, aud mine
is so placed as to overlook the whole en-
campment, and even while write | car
see the canvass homes of thousands of
soldiers beyond the Potomac, on the an-
! cient hills of once noble, now fallen VIZ
ginia. The soldiers are all in their tents,
and it seems strange that this close To-
the enemy, in a place upon which tho
eyes Of the whole people are looking with
such intense anxiety, the great center
whence flows the startling news of war,
where tho tide of political and military
life is thought ever to move, it could be
as calm and quiet as peaceful moonlight
night on the banks of the St. Croix.--
The candle burns blue" the crckets
sing the same song, the distant bay OF tho
cog comes with as familiar sound, amt
the very air is as placid as when Pc. &C
smiled upon the land. forget, as these
thoughts swept through my brain, the
huge thirty-two Founders just above me,
pointing with such grim significance to
the otl err side of the river, the dull boom
inc of artillery in the distance, the qnic!;
and thrilling long roll in dead hours of
midnight, and all the exciting scenes of
camp. But It's we'll that memory thus
wanders at times. In such hours home
and all the bright ycc?Dec.ions Of the
past crowd in such viyilneSs upon the
mind that one feels the man has not been
lost in the soldier. Charley, excuse me
there is nc intention on my part to write
any more such IDEAS but these were the
first that come into my head, and they
would come out at the finger ends.
Since writing last Cornelius Clark, OF
COM any B, has died of typhoid fever ut
the general hospital near ashlngton.-
He came from Mnomonce to Prescott
and Joined the company there. He was
buried Sept. II.
The company generally is in pretty
good health. Lieutenant Colonel AT
wood has resigned on account of i'll
health. Major Sweet will likely take his
place and then the question is, who will
be Major 1t is tho desire Of Captain
Dips friends that he may be appointed.
But it is pretty hard to get the ruin of
the ropes and there is yet no telling who
will be the favored one. BY general
order the rank of all officers is deterinin-
ed by the time of their being sworn into
the United States service; and as those
of the 9th Regiment were all sworn III
nj the same time, those in tho same
grade are on an equality; hence promo
ton will not be made by the date of COM
missions. The Governor will appoint
whoever he thinks fit.
TIE Regiment was paid off to-day
The amount due to q private was $l9,28,
and he was paid with ten dollars in
Treasury notes and the balance in specie.
With a pocket full of money and suit
of new blue clothes, the general excIama-
ton about camp is, Z" Who wouldn't be
q soldier 2" The blue suits will be the
fourth uniform the Prescott boys have
had, the red shirts and grey caps furnish
ed by the good people Of Prescott being
the first.
There is yet no indication to US Of an
advance movement on our part Prot
Lowe, who for the last few days has niada
this starting point for his balloon trips.
reports that there are signs of Hi advance
by the enemy. | hope they may al
vance, for woe unto the enemy that en-
deavors to march on Washington. 1t
were better if a milestone were hung
about their necks aud they cast into tho
midst of the sea-" Whom 81 general en-
oaoement comes again the result cannot
be doubted. With Mcclellan at the
head of seventy five thousand troops.
and the stigma Of Bull Run staring the
Union forces in the face, the rebels will
be swept back from their strongholds like
burning prairie drives the buffalo across
the plain. ..
There are mary facts that wnnlG DO of
use to companies and regiments now
forming for service if they were aware
of them, and | propose TO mention a few
for the benefit of those who read the
transcript. The new Infantry Tactics
approved May lst, 1861, contains the
drill adopted by commanders here. The
musket is carried when at shoulder in the
right hand. a..s..
The step is ei her quick or double
quick, common time not being rec"g
nized, and the companies always march
BY the flank, in four ranks instead of two.
When marching by the front the guide
is always left. These things of course
are taught in the book, but by being men
toned here I only wish to call attention
to the necessity of them in the company
drills. Something might probably be
said concerning the articles necessary for
volunteer to carry with him and the
errors that have been made and felt by
us after rendezvousng preparatory toour
march to Washington and winch might
be avoided by other regiments, but space
will permit the meantime of but one
thing. A regiment as soon as it goes
into quarters at Madison should begin to
cook for itself, for then all boxing utter sis
and furniture necessary can be easily fnr-
uished as needed and there is no danger
that part of the necessary utensils Will be
FORGOTTEN in the hurry of moving, and by
IL ,4,coro shorid form mes