New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-10-19
CaInp-Life In Virginia.

d, The following letter, descriptive of camptlifain
Virginia, is from q member of the Washington Ar
tillery, whose humorous spirited and classical con-
tributons to the Crescent, some months ago, under
the signature Of Ulysses Fishbaek,n will be re
membered by our readers. It will be seen that the
letter was not addressed to u.s., nor to aHbody in
particular, except on the envelope; but it has
come into our possession, and we publish it as de-
scrptive of the ordinary camp-life of soldiers,
written in a cheerful humorous and philosophical
spirit: ..rt -,7 ~ .'z
- .-t ORLEANS CANE mi miles les from. =. Manassas lane
/ have been lying down for the last hour Or 80,
in a good shady place, and on a toleraby soft
board. l lay there for one hour, from a sense of
enjoyment, smoking q wheezy, rheumatic pipe,
and refecting on the philosophy Of things gene
rally. But all earthly happiness is of short dura-
out. Ny board began to appear not SO soft as it
should be, and was quite certain that the sun
was creeping around into my face. Nevertheless,
as there were great many who appeared to be
envying my happiness, remained there, partly
from the force OF public opinion, and partly be-
cause | could think of nothing else to do, another
hour longer I have at length succeeded in max
ing a fair exchange-that is, for @ place to write
at, pen, ink and paper. / owe nobody aletter,
and at first had an idea of using the ink to black
en- my sabre-belt. But a brighter idea has oecur-
red to me. I will write a letter to please myself
and decide afterwards to whom shall send it 1
don't intend to trouble myself to write anything
that is interesting, or to. communicate any news,
for that would require some eXertion, and that l
have not the least idea of making. You, to whom
this letter may be SENT have right to complain,
and indeed no right to expect any letter at all.
Taking it for granted that you will. as likely as
not be disposed to be unreasonable, have great
mind to stop right here, more especially the sun
is again shining in my face. t.as,fst
think it would be an interesting study if study
ing did not imply the idea of labor, to study how
each soldier passes his time when not on duty A
certain class do nothing but talk of the great bat.
tie, and in out of the service, will eontinueto do
so for the rest of their lives-like Uncle Toby
about his celebrated SIEGE Others occupy them
selves in keeping account of the horses noticing
who rides them, and eursing because such good
luck did not fall to their share. Still others find
food for reflection in overhaaling the ammunition
chests. taking out the Implements and trying on
the pouches and thumbstalls. / have been reused
| from a sound slumber by an excited youth, who
accused me Of exchanging the tar. bucket or water
bucket of piece No l8 for that OF detachment No.
| 81. Now, when I tell you that my love for each
| bucket and piece is mpartialy distributed, you
will not wonder that my temper was mnch elafed,
ard that fell to sleep wishing the disturber of Dly
dreams, cannons, guns, horses and buckets in the
\ pandemonum from which they probably origi-
| mated. re - ~
| might describe another class who are always
fixing their tents and rearranging them, and still
| another who never fix anything. We have small
| knot of poker-payers who do nothing all day but
| "call" each other, and then there is generally
dull game of euchre, with the suggestive inquiry
OF what Is UumpS! Az uSllb we slug songs
and dance with picturesque freedom OF move
ment in front of the Majors TENT Last night,
somewhere in the small hours, our band, who had
been serenading with some of the officers wound
up By giving Us some lively old airs. We thought
at first, as we heard the preparatory note of the
trumpet, that it was the YeUeils, and instantly
sprang to our feet. Discovering our mistake, in
moment we had arranged ourselves in couples,
and in five minutes, from being in state of the
profoundest slumber, we found ourselves whirling
| around in the quickest mazes of the walta.
| We are beginning to suffer horribly for subjects
of conversation, all excepting that class that 1iI
discuss the battle, and the long winded, yarn-spn
ming rdconte,G-, who would anywhere else be voted
| q bore, has suddenly become a god-send. But the
most popular the ghost stories and those which
deal largely in the supernatural. have told most
| of Poe's Sues, Dumas and good many others,
two or three times.
While I have been writing, the dnrer-horn hes
sounded and that meal cussed and discussed to
| eyerybodys satisfaction. Our head viGtuaer is an
old soldier who has grown gray in the service, and
it is almost wonderful to see how much soldiers
mind gradually becomes like machine. You
should see his look of indignation as he says
"youve had your rations," when private Twist
comes back lor 'emore."
But dinner is finished now, and the question as
to who shall wash dishes-an issue which is gen
orally productive of much cussing--been satistac
| torily arranged: and as everybody else is lying
| loose in the shade of big arbor, believe sha
| go and DO the same. ~ sS-.-.A
Stephen Cromwell, Esq, of Camden, Oneida