Delaware State journal and statesman., 1861-10-29


of the journal and Statesman.
LETTER No. 3.
FoRrREss MONROE, Va,
Tuesday night, October -.
FRIEND EcKLL:
If you could by some system of
transmogrifeation wake up some fine morning
and find yourself, much to your Astouishment, a
brave soldier boy, away down here in Dixie that
you have read so much about, with mud ankle
deep all around you, aud weather so juicy, that
you can squeeze moisture enough out OF il ut
any moment to inundate you,-when man
can't in the language of the immortal Squibob,
perpetrate dry joke, simply because il rains
all the time where India Rubber leggins and
coat OF the same material are always in play
where the wind from the Bay contiguous performs
multitude Of antics, rustliug around the tent
creeping under the walls, wlistng through the
iap in front, eddying inside until the blaze of
the candle, which | paid half dime for, is
tanned violently, making il necessary to pile
books aud portfolio oil about il MS a matter of
economy the tallOw running down, without
performing its functions, viz feeding the wick:
| soy if you could do all this, you might then
and not till then experience the comforts Of our
situation. Did say anything about mud -
Well, since we have been here we have talked
been the engrossing theme, for it indicates the
necessity of cutting trenches around the teut,
large enough to ll0at smnll boat, and it means
splash, splash, We have talked little about
secession, for we felt good deal of present
interest in the weather. Just moment ngo |
heard fellow cxutantly exeam, .Oh Sill
just come out here and see the stars, it will do
your eyes good" The sun and moon not having
made their appearance since We have been down
in this, as yet, unseceded district, we have no
ocular evidence that they ever shed their benig-
nant light upon this portion of the 'sacred soil :"
where not eOrn.stalk or II wheat stubble a'tests
the genial influence Of the former umnary, nor
tence-not even Virginia worm fence --shows
a land mark to soil now cursed by that goddess
element secession Yet we live in hopes Of see
lug the blessed light of old Sol again, for we
shan't feel at home, unless lie occasionally mvors
us with his beams. We felt very much encour
aged this afternoon, when we asked IA man ii il
ruined all the time in this country; we rather
expected the reply of the Scotchmnn, that when
II did'nt rain II SAdiged but instead of that dis
response, he cheered us much by
us that he had been here II week, and
it had only rnined fire days in that time So
we may reasonably look for some sunshine soon.
The boys will doubtless hail it with rs much ioy
as love stricken swain would the approach Of
the evening he was to visit his bonnie lassie
for their position has been an uncomfortable one
The ground on which we encamped has been
almost submerged, aud this afternoon some of
our companies were obliged TO move their tents
TO another spot little more elevated. We have
dug almost enough bitches to-day to drain the
swamp lands Of old Sussex, anI if it should
unfortunately continue to rain mrch longer, we
sye no other alternative than to employ the same
mode of progression that they do in Holland
wish you could peep in upon me at the present
writing; you would see me sitting ut the tnble.
with my feet propped up on q stool to keen them
out of the inevitable mud, my trunk on box
to prevent it getting wet one box lid at the side
OF my cot, just to remind me of IL floor, and n
little straw which came out of some of nv
parcels scattered about and very intimately mixed
with earth. But am quite Indifferent to all
this so long as ny cot stands. am not exactly
amphiblous sufficiently to sleep with any degree
of comfort in a mixture of mud and waer.
Methinks hear you say, "dry up, if the
weather won't, and give us some of your i'm.
pressions of Fortress Monroe" would but
am mot little like the urehn who ate so much
dinner that he was too full for utterance.-
Although not two days have elapsed since made
my advent on this shore, l have experienced so
many novel sensations, that l hardly know how
to describe them. The life here is so totally
different from that known in our previous en-
campment, that it appears we ore scarcely en-
gagged in the same business. There is some eX-
citement about this. There are other regiments
about US and with whom we have already been
exchanging ciyilties. Ever and anon we hear
the heavy barking Of some of the immense war
dogs In the vicinity. moment ago | stepped
out OF my tent, and through the hazy atmosphere
were dscernable the many lights of the fleet in
the harbor, telling of something to be accom-
plished at no very distant date. The rebel pic.
kets are not more than two or three miles dis
tant from our camp, but the probability is they
Will not approach any nearer just at present
Hampton, the burnt village, is but two miles
from here. Sewall's Point is but short dis.
tance. Whenever the regiments spoil for fight
they need not go far. We have been doing well
in the gastronomic line, though for us bachelors,
house keeping is quite expensive here, Since
the State went off the handle, the COWS have
failed to come up ut night; and it is my deibe-
rate conviction that the hens in the neighbor.
hood have ceased laying, for have yet to see
the FIRST egg here.
Being in a state Of single blessodness. some
times talk about the ladies. The only ones have
seen here are ladies Oh color. Conirabands ARE
numerous The sable sons and daughters OF
Africa are aboutas thick Hs blackberres ia June
The men are dressed in uniform, they look ns
happy us an old hen with score Of chickens.
They are at work on the road that connects our
camping ground with the Island. You see them
behind the counter in the variety stores Ynu
see them everywhere. How polite they nre =
They feel grateful for their liberty They visit
the camps with their baskets on their arms
selling apples and pies
There are few or no private families residing
ON the Island, all have moved away. The resi-
dences present partial picture of what war
results IN. Every fence as far as the eye can
reach, has been consumed by the camps for fire
wood. The yard and garden palings have been
torn up; most of the houses are in military
tenure, either for hospitals, barracks or quar-
ters, and Old Point Comfort does not wear the
aspect of q fashionable watering place.
Our regiment, am pleased to say, has made
quite favorable impression. A number of
army officers came out expressly this evening,
70 see 1t on parade. As II was passing through
the streets yesterday, several very fatterine
remarks were heard about. the character of the
mem their appearance, size and number. The
belief prevails here that it is crack Regiment.
An officer stationed here said to me, :" | believe
you have splendid regiment" | like to hear
such, for it makes one proud TO think that little
delaware sent out such body of men. | trust
the Blue Hens Chickens will not dsappoint
their friends. Some of the soldiers, as our men
were passing yesterday, observed that those were
the boys that would fight.
Our Chaplain few minutes ago brought into
my tent beautiful, modest little flower, strong. |
ly characterized by delightful tnts of red white |
aud blue. We inspected and admired it, We
thought that though the secessionsts might tear
hose colors from their flags, ignoring them al
together, and make it a penal offence for aDy