Cincinnati daily press. [volume] (Cincinnati [Ohio]) 1860-1862, 1861-11-08


CAMP AT ELkwATER, October 80, 1861.
\ To he Editors of he Daity Press;
The 'breathing spelp' your readers have
enjoyed the month past, during which time
your correspondent has been laboring under
and recovering from a slight attack of that
most miserable of all diseases incidental to
military life-camp fever-is, you will per-
ceive, to be as summarily ended as it was be-
gun. You have never "had tech" of the
above mentioned delectable disease; Of course
not, for you have never been in camp long
enough. l fervently hope you may never
have occasion to experience the mental aud
physical lassitude it subjects one to-a sort
Of feeling that makes you doubt at times
whether you are now, ever have been, or
ever will be-in short, which causes you to
question your identity, and to seriously in
quire of yourself what you were ever made
for-so prostrating are its effects With con-
| valescence comes an appetite that transforms
| salt pork and 'cylinder. head" crackers into
the most delicious visnds-in fact desire to
deyour that would appall a cheap boarding
| housekeeper in these hard times
But there are topics of greater interest to
your readers than the above, the most i'm
| hortant of which is the sudden transition
| from the semi.nude to the we'll clad state,
| experienced by the Sixth Ohio Regiment
during the past two weeks. First there
| came the welcome faces of Messrs. Larz An
| deTson, John Stettinus and Charles Horn,
bringing with them the liberal and we'll
| selected donations of the citizens of Cincin-
/ natl, together with the private packages sent
| by anxious relatives and friends to many a
suffering soldier. Had they been present to
witness the distribution that ensued-the
illy.repressed qualification that was reflected
from the hearts to the faces of those who in
q few hours were changed into well.clothed,
contented soldiers, they certainly would
never have regretted their generous fore
thought. A few days more brought US our
energetic Quartermaster, Lieutenant Shoe
maker, with full supplies of overcosts, heavy
and warm; lined hlouses, psntaloons Of su-
perior texture; good, substantial bootees, and
the new-regulation cap, with glazed cover
and cape. And it may not be improper for
| the citizens of Cincinnati to know that Lieu
| tenant Shoemaker was enabled to get these
articles and personally superintend their
transit to our regiment, through General
Mitchell, whose requisition upon Captain
Dick erson was promptly and cheerfully
| made.
1t is also due to Governor Deuuison to
state that he manifested the greatest anxiety
to have the necessities of the regiment
promptly relieved, and that upon his repre-
sentation of our wants to General Mitchell,
the only requisition, save that of General
Rosecrans', that would have been honored,
was Immediately complied with. If civilians
could appreciate the difference between half
naked and well-clad soldiers-not the mere
difference in personal appearance, but the
change of maDner-the air Of contentment
that pervades troops well taken care of-the
cheerful alacrity displayed in the perform
aDce off duties Of dissgreeable nature, made
l necessary by the severity of the weather.
5 they would certainly use their influence at
home to have none but good and competent
| n1onp6 in tho nneifionQ that "a ffapt this
Q branch of the service
You would be surprised, and agreeably,
l too, to zee with what facility young men
reared in a large city, and many of them
previously engaged in sedentary occupations
sdapt themselves to this mode of life, and
learn the most important part of soldiers
duty-how TO take care of themselves. II
you could see the ingenuity displayed il
building fireplaces-some Of them Of tur
d ard others of stone-and in making them
Q selves comfortable, it would give you bet
= ter idea OF the efficiency attained by The
I regiment than you could acquire from any
t other source. Some of the huts are really
admirably constructed, usiug the tent for q
roof, while the base is formed of a double
, wall of stakes or logs, chinked in and filled
=, | up with turf and leaves. And again: on 6
=, | long, tiresome march, when the battalion il
halted, either for the night or for other pre-
a paration of q meal, men who, previous tc
: their departure from home, had about OF
= much knowledge of the art of cookery as ar
n elephant might be supposed to have of thC
= Chadaic tongue, will, in an Incredibly shor
space of time, and with rather scanty mate
rials, get up very palatable dish.
i The grand feature of this week was the in
b specton of this brigade by Major Slemmer
r Our regiment was honored by being the frs
Q inspected-with what credit to itself tht
. Major will probably have occasion to STATE
in his official report Suffice it to say that i
was prepared for rigid examination iuto it
, condition-martial, sanitary and otherwise
But as the regiment had never been re
,, viewed, and as an inspection is generally
preceded by review, it was deemed best BY
, the field officers to prepare the battalion fO
any such emergency. A drill was thereto
; ordered, and in progress-the companie
having been wheeled from line of battle int
: column-when who should appear at th
left OF the regiment where no on
knew-but General Reynolds who, with hi
s quiet yet Vigilant manner, had taken tn
| liberty of seeing for himself what was goinj
on in our neighborhood. 1t was quite
| surprise, l can assure you; but he rod
| around between the companies and throuRl
/. the battalion, inspecting the arms and &C
2 / couterments, rather pleased look lllumin
y his countepance-giving US TO unders an
that he was by no means displeased with ou
appearance. General Reynolds populsrir
: with his command is quite great an
steadily increasing. ... ..- .s.
u Two scouts from our regiment, Sargean
h Choate and Corporal Martin, both of Com
pany l, returned last night. They repOI
u having penetrated as far as fourteen mile
2 beyond Big Springs, which is fifteen mile
|. from our camp on the HuntersVille road
Some distance beyond Big Springs they foun
evident traces of the enemy, whose force the
> estimated at 20,00o-the farmers in tn
e vicinity estimated it at 1900. The enem
r burned many OF their tents, and destroye
> large quantities of arms and ammunition, o
account of the condition of the roads, Whic
al are said to be absolutely impossible 70
ID wagons. A large pile of Bowie knife blade
In were found, the handles of which were burne
a and the temper of the steel des rOyed by fir
Is Wagons we're also found in the road, mireC
o. which had been set on FIRE and abandoned b
10 the retreating rebels. There is not a reb,
ly within 40 miles Of ElkwateF on the Hunters
OF vile road. 90 .r tY. rrfs
ce Many Cincinnatians will remember quit
a a proficient billiard-player, named Harr
in Royse, who for some time kept billiard
room on the corner of Fifth and Walnu
streets. During their journey our scou
|" picked up a canteen Of the usual Secesh so
no with "Harry ROyesp carved On both side
As Royse has been South for some time,
.o, Nashville, believe, and as it is known the
Is are Tennessee troops in the rebel camp, it
~ not impossible that the canteen found WI
% tha Y,roI,artv nf ouR old Gincinnai Harry