The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-09-11
OUR C0RRESPONDENCE.
CAMP Dis Sore, NEAR CoCKLgTowS, !
York cO Sapt : 1851 {

YORK CO., sept. 7, 1861.
Ii has been nearly two months, think,
since any member of our regiment has troubled
your readers with a line upon any subject
We have been SO deeply Interested in the even is
about Manassa that we were not at all dis
posed to call attention from that spot towards
which both the citizen and stra ger henceforth
shall travel and of which the muses. shall sing
in the coming centuries. But my object in
dropping you line to-day, is one Of utility
rather than entertainment.
Day before yesterday, at one o'clock our re-
glInent broke up camp near williamsburg
where we had remained 20 long as to have dis
paused with the wash basin for 1.-The tray as
well as the 'bread basket and exchanged
tin cups for granite China coffee cups. and had
SO much TO eat and TO spare that RI IS and mice
had become regular occupants. We had ais O
allowed chickens the liberty of quitting their
narrow cOOlS TO and wander over the fields
The boys in our company, instead Of cooking
their own bread and doing their own wash
ing, nave IN many cases, regular cooks and
washers ut the negro quarters, and it was
rely touching just before we took up the line
OF march, while our company was standing in
line before their late quarters, now represent
ed simply by the vacant wooden f1oorS-it vas
touching. l say, to witness the leave taking.
The men were awaiting the roll call and lean
ing upon their guns, when half dozen negro
women and very old man approached, and
beginning at the head of the company. be gan
to shake hands and call down the blessings
upon the heads of " my dear massa" .'GooL
bye, Aun Sally was uttered by many lips
with deep feeling, and when the aged won an
with the strong grasp Of youth, said '' fare
tceu massa,' felt that natural sadness which
these sad words must always excite when
we know they issue for the lost tfme from an
honest heart. They never fail TO bring before
me pictures ofthe great future which lies be-
fore humanity. The scene at the " breaking
up" would have been a fine subject for the
painter. The tents were all struck, leav wing
only the bare floors, strewed with boxes, bot
ties and jars, &c, &c. In the small area Of
M htrnx
knapsacks, barrels, wagons half loaded, and
braying mules and neighing horses. Pre-
sently the whole line, followed by % wagons
and several ambulances, took up the line of
march, and we bid adieu to fields and woods
with which we had become 80 familiar as to
speak Of them with the affection Of home
scenes.
After dusty and fatiguing march OF thir-
teen miles, ina dusty road, we enca ped near
Yorktown, after dark. The wagons which
contained all our baggage, including the
knapsacks of the men, had been delaye by
the breaking down of several Of them, and at
10 o'clock We had TO come to the discouraRing
conclusion that we should spend the night
upon the ground, now saturated with heavy
rain, which had fallen here few hours be-
fore our arrival. Building a large fire Of
brushwood, we lay down around it, upon wet
pine branches, without particle Of covering.
If our beds had been soft, we might have
slept in spite of the wet; but, unfortunately,
they were composed OF branches, sticks and
kening, at O'Clock, as if had been beat Sc
verely with stick. Some Of the men have
been complaining of cold since, but, fortu-
nately, only few of them. Leaving York
town yesterday, after the wagons got mp,
g A. M. y we arrived at this place about 2
O'Clock and went into camp at once. The
weeds are growing luxnriously in my tent,
and everything is In tho greatest confusion;
but in few days we expect to be very COM
Portable.
Yesterday when we got here many Of our
men were very hungry, and q farmer near by
only charged hve cents apiece for biscuit Of
ordinary size, and twenty-five cents for
corn ash cake. This is the spirit that per
vades many If not most of the people Of this
section. The farmer referred to above also
refused to give the men straw TO put In to their
tents. We're in command, would teach
these people a lesson they would not forget.
But for the presence of our troops ne would
never have made his wheat, and now he
makes us pay five prices for that which our
own hands have preserved. Al our last
camp We paid twenty Ave cents gallon for
buttermilk, fourteen cents Richmond price,,
and forty cents for sweet milk, thirty -one
cents for butter, twenty five cents per doI-
on for cornin tho ear, and TWEEN ty five cents
per dozen for eggs. Could Yankees them
selves have given us more hospitable recep-
ton In New York and PennsyIvania, we're
we enoamped there, arm sure we would not
b tssusd upoa this subject. The men are
getting tred OF II. They respect private
property, snd these are the returns. con.
1ess there are some exesptions; but state
the "prtese current ! asspss ysu. Dut !
object Off u letter: 70 Wit, hat ali psSsons
sending L-..ss OF clothing, Ac., TO the Tif-
tenth Regiment Virginia yoluuteera. must
send thsm 70 Cosklstown, via Yorktown .
We Will endAavor to get some friend at York.