The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1861-07-24
From the Camp.
,orre.pondrnce Of The Courier.


Correspondence OF The Courier.
CAMP LroS, St. Joseph No., july 7lsGl
Mr.. EpiroE The present is favorable
moment to drop YOU line, the first have
had for more than ten days. The Cd Regi:
mcnt, and especially that portion of it known
as Co. K, has been exceedingly busy. Ny
last epi>tle think was dated at Chillicothe,
poin: on the Hannibal & st. Joseph Phil.
road, some IS miles east Of this camp. On
Tuesday of last week We received dispatch
ordering us into camp. We, that is Co. X,
obeyed, hoping that We might have change
from the dull monotony Of standing our own
guard. We arrived at Grand River and
took aboard two other companies, and start
ed on our winding way. On arriving at
Utica it was found that our Engine was too
small for SO large train. We stopped and
telegraphed for another, and waited patiently
from till II pm. before one arrived. That
afternoon was spent 'promiscous" by the
boys. Some visited the camp Of the Sd
Regiment, stationed here others in saunter-
ing around town some in playing cards,
smoking cigars, and drinking bad---lemon-
AIDE. Others in enjoying that most delight
fvl of all military attitudes, Rest. Some
slept in the cars, some on the cars, and some
on The ground. 1t was here that Sergeant
W. H. P. Norris. who was asleep on the top
Of car. received an injury which was at
first thought to be Of a serious character. l
am happy TO say that the Sergeant has fully
recovered and learned good lesson. Moth
ing further of note occurred till we arrived
in camp on Wednesday morning at 6 o'clock.
Camp Lyon had been moved during our
absence about one mile north Of its first To-
cation, on the bank of the "Big Muddy" 1t
is now most beautifully situated on the south
slope of a range Of hills fronting the south.
We are about one mile from the business
part Of st. Joseph, although there are houses
and improvements all about us. Immedi-
atcly on our front is fine large Rcgimental
parade ground To the eye Of an artist the
whole view from either froLt or rear is most
lively and charming One hundred and
twenty tents all set in military order, the
steady and never ceasing tramp ofsentinels,
the drilling of the troops by companies and
battalion, the lhrong Of visitors on foot and
in gay carriages, the mighty Missourirolling
its dark and rapid tide on our front, the
sober sided New England like hills in the rear
all together form scene magnificent and
grand Not being an artist am content
only to state the facts and let the reader fill
up the picture.
Camp life is peculiar in many particulars.
It's every day routine of duty from which
none are excused who are f1t for duty its
composition exclusively Of men the almost
hourly contact with strange faces, whose
acquaintance We have not yet made, but
whose destiny we feel is in some strange
way connected with ours, and for whom we
feel an underlined sympathy in spite of our
natural selfishress. 1t is also peculiar in a
class of social experiences, entirely unknown
in any other relation in life. Bring into
camp all the memories and associations OF
home and home friends and then be thrown
suddenly upon the sympathies Of strangers,
and endeavor out of this h, &c mass to create
a new social existence, wherein the heart can
be satisfied and wherein its sch. denial may
in some measure be compensated but where
every approach may meet repulse. and ev.
cry kind effort look of distrust and envy
perchance coldness-and you can in some
degree appreciate the situation of those who
have gone out with high expectations Of
serving their country and at the same time
hope to enjoy themselves.
An hundred pair Of eyes looking into
yours. all claiming that interest and sympa-
thy which thew never lacked at home, a SYM
pathy as readily claimed in their health and
prosperity as in their sickness and loneliness
will wake up in you experiences you never
had before. No one, I take it, not already
brutalized can go into a military hospital and
take by the hand and look into the eyes o!
one of his brave lads who has left behind him
all he holds dear. bnt who now lies PROSTATE
and helpless, entirely dependant upon stran.
gers for aid, but most Of oil upon his officer
for words Of sympathy and encouragement,
and not feel deeper sense Of his response.
bilities and greater desire that his obliga.
tons to them may be fully discharged. Nor
is it only in their sickness; not few are the
moments ofloneliness and sadness, when we
have no one to turn to, when the ones we
love and the homes we now know how to
prize are far away. when the memories Of
the past crowd thick and fast upon US. when
all the duties of the present seem irksome,
and all life's realities seem but as dream,
then would We find some one whom we
might make our confidant. to whom we might
tell all our thoughts. and thus seek the sym.
pathy and encouragement we so much need
And to whom would we so naturally 20 as
to those who by their official position are in
authority over us. And when one has lis.
tened to all their troubles, trials and com.
plants and made himself familiar with all
their peculIarities and characteristics, settled
all their grievances for the hundredth time,
and cheered and revived the discouraged,
then has he but little time to dwell upon his
own heart loneliness. and think of those he