Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1861-10-19
Correspondence.
[Fu the "sunbury Amercnn.'1
Letter from the Sunbury Guards.
"CANr CuEsSur," Va,
Ortnbpr 18th 1861


DEAR WILvpRr AS you perceive we have
again moved and are now ten miles distant
from Washington The location Of our
camp is ine nu6 the scenery uontd be splen.
did il the view was not DISTRACTED by heavy
thickets of pine and innumerable chesuut
trees The country around Us is excellent
for the Rebel scouts to display their bravery
that is, to lurk in the dense woods and pick
OF one of our unsosppcting pickets. Last
night, however, they 1.-THE Rebels) calculated
wide Of their mark some Of tbe New York
33d boys were out on picket; some fourteen
or fifteen shots were exchanged, when our
eide succeeded in bringing to the dust, Tor
rather mud an officer and two rrivatps OF
the enemy's mounted pickets. The officer
was shot by q Lieutenant in company Ii, ol
the 33d.
Our own boys have seen hard service since
W. have been on the sacred soil" One day
md pigbt on picket, next day working on
entertainments at the Fort, ETHAN Allen
another on guard, next on march and so on
continually. bat the hardest was on picket
from last Thursday morning iii Saturday
m morniug-sll the time four miles from camp,
and both OF the nights the rain poured in
torrents so much so that their clothes were
com pletely saturated with the rain. They
stood il nobly-not one complaining but
from the size Of their haversacks on their
return IL is no wonder they were satisfied
and ore so enger to go ogsin TO morrow.
heard one OF them say "tbere was such nice
cabbage, sweet and Irish potatoes ;urnips,
&c, out where their DUTY called them, and
then there was Likelihood Of Rebel sheep
or young porker advancing over our lines and
then he could take them ss 'contrsbaDd" and
huve them for his own use." When they
we're out they saw about dozen OF the
Rebel cavalry and would have bad bout
with them, had it not been for an unlucky
circumstance-o Of the men caught the
hammer Of his rife in the strap of his knap.
sack and caused his gun TO fire the Rebels
heard the report ond scampered in quick
time. much faster than they did at Failing
Waters" when the Bloody llth" was after
them.
There was quite on excitement here yes.
terjay our whole division was called out
all expecting q fight. After supplying the
regiments with ammunition the arms were
stacked and the men were ordered to hold
themselves in readiness, as an attack was
momentarily expected. At night the men
were ordered TO sleep on their arms and have
their ammunition buckled around them ready
for action. Coffee wss made and provisions
cooked for any emergency, but the enemy
kept out Of danger aud we were not moested
however, every precaution is taken and if we
get in fight with them they will with wrrm
reception.
think it will not be long ere there will be
heavy engagement, if there is one ! vii
write, that is if don't get popped" but as
you have telegraph aud newspaper facilities
better than we have | suppose the news
wonld be in the american" before you could
receive letter from me. The boys are al
well, and as q jockey would, say in "Gne
condition"
Yours, fraternally.
H. d. w.