Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1861-12-05
ARMY CORRESPONDENCE
HEAD QUARTERS, .PENNs VALLEY INFANTRY,
CAMP GRIFFIN VA Nov Dad '6I

Mr. EDITOR We have been looking for march
ing orders, as anxiously as our friends have been,
Tor some decisive news from the Grand Army, but
as yet we silently watching our rebel foes
from almost the same outposts that we occupied a
month ago. We are healthy and as jolly as we
possibly could be if we were at home going to tie
singing and apple cuttings, common to the season
In our native valley, though no doubt Just now
we should set peculiar value on an expert en- ce
OF that kind just BY tcay Of reriety. We have lost
two men of the 10Th Regiment both members of
Capt. Green's company, Messrs Null and Confare,
both died in the Regimental Hospital, of typhoid
fsver, or disease of similar nature Yet we have
been remarkably heaity compared with other reg
iments and have no men seriously sick at pres :
ent
Nothing has given our boys so ,much satisfac-
tlon lately as the recent visit of the Paymaster
and his liberality in dispensing the bounty of our
venerable Uncle Samuel All our boys have been
sporting pockets full of the aforesaid Uncle Sam
uels promises to pay" and they have been ex-
hlbl'lng their good sense by renting large por-
ton OF 1t to their friends at home. Our company
OF seventy men have sent, in all about e1euen INN
dred dollars to Centre county of their first ,,eo
months pay. We received Treasury notes for the
whole amount for which gold was procured by
those who preferred it from the paymaster after
the payment. Vesy few took the trouble to ex-
ehange 'heU paper for gold. We have unbouu-
oeu laitn IN our Government, the soldiers remark
IN tpat !" If 6e altoio our Government to over
THROWN We do not deserre any pay" Our men
have oeen preparing themselves with many sub
etantiai comforts since pay day, and have gener-
ally exhibited great judgement and good sense in
the use maze of their funds and have been as qui-
ct, sober and orderly as before their payment. In
fact, Mr.. Editor, we fell inclined to boast little
of our gallant little company. We have but four
married men in it, and only few others who ar Q
old enough to be considered candidates for that
interesting state. Halt of the company are under
the age of twenty one gears, and Of the rest but
fire are over twenty five. Those wbe have not
seen active service might think this q disadyaa-
tage, but Experience prsves that these yeung men
endure far batter than older oaes, the rigors of
military service and more cbeerf ul and conten.
ted than these whose rudely broken up habits had
become almost necessity of existence. cannot
dismiss this rather egotistc topic without convey
ing to the friends of our merry boys at home,
the assurance of those who know that we have the
most o6edi:nt, prompt. intelligent, and pleasant
company of men, Itoneatly believe, there is to be
found in th 8 Grand Army Of the PotolTiae. Th Gil
friends, doubt lot, are proud Of them, and the 8
ought to BE- Tell all your lady readers that if for
tune favors us We will be young and free after th
war, and that we accordingly expect warm vel
como from them to those Of US who may return
after the booming can non shall be silent in our
borders, for until then we inger to hear the stern
music of war.
The Forty ninth has ret-a troublesome pet
it has been, too. We are detailed as the support
of Motts Battery, and it is understood that the
Forty ninth and Motifs little bull dogs arc to ira v
ell together on this trip. Our Battery is posted on
the hill, which was once the residence of Doctor
Mackall, now Surgeon in the Rebel Army, is
now our Brigade Head quarters. The hill is a
beautiful natural mound commanding view OF
the co untry around fer two three miles, cover
ed with forest trees, goodiy number Of which VIC
have removed, and having good frame house on
| its summit. Our pet is ditch or earthwork run
ming around near the summit of the HILL and JUS
long enough to hold the Regiment in two ranks.
At first two of our companies compelled to
sleep in, or at the ditch, every night, which was
all we'll enough in pleasant weather, but uapleas-
ant when it rains. At first the boys were in love
with the ditch, but this guarding it was serou;
item of duty, and our kind General was highly
| praised when he excused US from all but the nee
essary guard duty.
| Your read, rs have. no doubt, all heard of the
GRIND Review of the serenity thousand, and read a
dozen different accounts of it. 1t was truly mag
nifcent, and spectacle which we shall have to
tive long # we ever ceas, to remember. AS far as
| the eye e1ud reach the dark lines of our Batal-
ions, their movements scarcely discernable in the
distance met the visw. The column presented a
front of about eighty men, and being in divisions
of two ranks within six PAGES of each otheT it re-
quired this column, marching in quick time, about
four hours to pass the Reviewing Officers. We
had a review of our Division again yesterday by
Gen. Smith, at the close of which we were formed
in line of battle, and with onr Artillery and Cav
ally properly disposed. We went through the diff
feI ent frings with blank cartridges; the Cavalr V
charging, and all tae evoutions the battle field
be ng Observed Our front was over mile long
When we go down to Centreville we expect anoth :
er such drill, with the music of our rafting
musketry varied by the whist log of Rebel bullets
and the bursting of bombs. May we be as cool
and successful as yesterday
1t is small matter to face the dangers of for.
egn ba tie field. No one doubts that physical
courage is very common endo'cment of men, that
it is not SO noble quality as moral courage and
that the ,oorSt Of men may be found (as the most
reckless generally are to possess it, yet it does
requj'e aud very respectable degree of
courage to march cut away from home and it's
comforts to field of death. And yet while there
is boa sting, Dragging irisa to be called out,
there is reliable determination, and an alacrity to
respond to call for picket or seout duiy that tells
us what these men mean by being here and gives
confidence in the future. Just before the en-
counter at Balls Bluff, most of US could see indea-
tious, which a soldier understands very readily, of
move Those indications are before us again
and you need not be surprised if you hear news
from the Grand Army which will send a thrill of
joy through loyal hearts, and mayhap also drape
in mourning the hearthstoues of our native Pena-
sylyana But it may be otherwise. We cannot
decide anything here from appearances alone
But must close my letter. and in doing SO, if it
were not forbidden, would testify to the great
toortA and real kindness of cur handsome and po3
ular Captain, and convey to our friends the assu>