The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1861-12-20

OUR ARMY CORREsPONDENCE.
Latter from the Camp OF the First
Regiment.
BRTGADE DRILLS-CAxP RUM0RS-PAYLNG
orr PRINTERS CELEBRATION INTER
VIEW WITH THE REBELS-PERS0NAL
NOTICES-DEATHS, ETC.
CAMP STONE, EDWARDS FERRY,
November 80, 1861.
To the Editor ofthe Pioneer and Democrat.
Nearly month has elapsed since l adj
dressed you, and although have no re-
markable events to record, I deem it proper
to send you short letter before entering
on the last month of the eventful year 1861.
1 will briefly, then, give you few thoughts
as they occur to private Of company A.,
First Minnesota, in camp on the Upper
Potomac.
!. During the month we have had the usual,
perhaps an improved, activity in drill and
general camp duty. Besides the company
drill with knapsacks, and battalion drills
under the mastery lead of our new Colonel,
Gen. German has had brigade drills twice
a week, in which the whole brigade, con-
sisting of the New York Second, Thirty
Fourth, and First Minnesota, has been en-
gagged. These brigade drills afford US not
only an opportunity for improving in the
execution of field movements, but they serve
to contrast our efficiency with the other
regiments in Gorman's brigade. Without
particularizing, let me assure you, on the
authority of many eye witnesses, that the
First Minnesota compares favorably, in fact,
excels the other battalions in the brigade.
For this highly satisfactory result, we are
greatly indebted to the superiority of our
officers over those of other regiments, and
chiefly to Colonel Dana, who leads his com.
panies and divisions through the various
movements with regularity, facility, and
ease, while the other battalions frequently
get into disorder and confusion, embarrass-
ing to their officers and unpleasant to the
men.
The weather during the month has been
wretched-wet, rainy, foggy, cloudy,
gloomy, and chilly-in short, we have had
the incipient stages of a cheerless Southern
winter. A bright pleasant day once in a
while is thrown in for the sake of contrast.
Madame Rumor has been as busy as
usual among US. Sometimes she has sent
US to Kentucky; sometimes she has cheer
ed US with a general advance along the
whole Potomac, and promised us an unin-
terrupted march to the Confederate capitol;
sometimes she has beloved on Us a smile
and talked favorably of our departure
with naval expedition for the Southern
coast or the Gulf; then she would frown
again, and tell us that we should have to
build winter quarters here; and finally, she
says that the Confederates are about march
ing on us-that they intend to take the
Federal capital on the day when Congress
meets, and take them prisoners in body
just at the moment they are calling the
rolls. In the execution of this plan they
are said to confidently assert, that they ap-
prehend no trouble, except an accidental
difficulty with the patrol in the National
capital. We are yet here, however no
promising indication of general advance ;
no orders to build barracks for winter quar-,
ters-in short We are enjoying the delights
ful hardships of camp life at this unseason-
able season of the year, waiting with pa.
tient eagerness for something to turn up.
With profound correspondent from the
Federal capital, we think that something
will turn up sometime somewhere-that the
country may look out for such events as
the indications of the times seem to warrant
that we feel confident, should nothing
prevent, that these predictions will eventu>
ally prove true-and finally, that we shall
see what we shall see.
From the 1st to Goth instant, we were
daily expecting the arrival OF the Paymas-
ter. Many rumor foated 10 camp
during this period, that he would arrive on
the convenient day tomorrow but one
tomorrow after another only brought
US succession OF disappointments, until we
began to seriously question if the paymaster
was Ia rerum aatura. This difficult pro-
blem was at last satisfactorily settled by
the appearance of the Paymaster on the
evening Of the 18th, and on the following
day we realized our great expectations
S26. We were paid of principally in
Treasury Notes of the denomination of fives
and tens; but we have no difficulty in get.
ting gold or silver for change-the Suttler
being always ready to take the Treasury
notes and give gold and silver in change.
| fear our friends in Minnesota will not re.
ceive so large amounts this time as former
ly. The boys are supplying themselves