Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1861-08-10
From the Fifth Regiment.
CAMP CoBB, BALr1MoRE. !
FRIDAY, Aug. 2, 1861. {

- AOo1'
Friend Jack:-Here l am sitting
under the shade of a locust tree, in the
south corner of what we have dubbed
"Camp Cobb, in honor of our Colonel
There is another name, but I do not
know it. We have splendid view Of
old Baltimore, which is grand old
town, though full of secessionists. Fed
eral Hill is about miles from rs, but
does not look more than mile of. /
was up there yesterday, along with my
old school-mate, Bob Brand, who be-
longs to our Regimental Band. Fort
McHenry is about miles further down,
and about Or 5 miles from us. Ches-
apeake Bay looks beautiful in The still,
calm sunshine, with it's splendid clip
pers and other kinds of sailing craft.
Among the most prominent and inter
esting objects presented to the eye from
our Camp, is the magnificent monu-
mcnt Of George Washington, given by
the citizens of Baltimore. The statute
Of the old hero is Is feet high; the
monument altogether 100 feet. Next
is the shot tower, nearly 200 feet high,
and built of red brick-the kind OF
brick that is used here altogether. A
splendid Catholic Church is opposite
our Camp.
The place NE are in is an enclosure
OF about $50 PAGES square, and is par
TALLY enclosed by the remnant Of an
old fence, about feet high on one side
and on the other about 5 feet. There
is large two-story house on the ground,
which is occupied by the sick, the field
officers, the daughter Of the regiment,
and such other ladies as are in the reg,
iment. In one corner is reservoir
what they call the old reservoir. The
one that supplies the town at present
is miles from here, and right on the
line Of the railroad. Fort McEenry
looks beautiful now. There are about
5000 troops there at present. Some
distance down are vessels of war, which
are stationed to watch the vessels as
they come in, and examine them. The
people here are about evenly divided
as to Unionists and Secessionists but
the Southern feeling is pretty strong.
They say the cause of so much hard
feeling here is, the hardness of the
times, and they lay it all to the Repub-
lican party--calling it the abolition
party; and even the Unionists call Old
Abe anything but an honest man. Il
is of no use to talk to them, for You
cannot convince them that their argu-
ments are fables.
We left Camp Curtin in hurry. We
were ordered to leave at o'clock on
Wednesday morning; SO we got up
early, and waited around home till
about l O'Clock, when order was given
to get ready and start. We found out
that we had only half of the company,
and had to start up town with a squad
to hunt them up, and when we return
ed were put aboard Of hog train
After we crossed the Susquehanna, we
had to wait for an engine till about six
o'clock, when we steered for Baltimore.
The country along the first part of the
railroad is rough, rocky and billy, and
in one or two places is cut entirely out
OF the rock, which is very steep and
high. We stopped in one place to wait
for the passenger train, where there
was spring, the water of which run
through spout. Here the boys filed
their eanteens. You had better believe
that there was some squabbling to get
the water as it run through small
leaden spout, and the boys crowded
two or three, and sometimes more can
teens at once, each one forgetting that
IT they would each take his turn thew
would do it quicker. l had Col. Cobb's
cantcen, and had a job to get it filled.
We then went and gathered blackber-
ries until the train passed us, when we
went on until about 10 P. NJ. Then
we tied up for the night, not wishing
to so into Baltimore in the night.
The most Of us had very comforta-
nights sleep, and in the morning awole
in front of a pond and washed our
selves, and then started. We found