Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1861-08-01

Dear Friends at Home
You are doubtless getting anxious to
hear from me. and also from the war. as |
am now in the cnemy's country. We are
pleasantly situated in Camp at Beverly.
Randolph county, Va. We left Indiansp-
oils on the 4th inst. and after forty-eight
hours travel on the Railroad we reached
Clarksburg. Harrison county. Va /. ON the
9th. we could then so no further by Rail-
road. SO the next morning (Sunday the
9Th. we started on foot. and never felt
such hot weather as that day; FIVE of our
men were sun struck. aud one died almost
instantly; the others got well. After sew
eral hours hard travel through the heat
and dust. we stopped i'm the woods; come
just 81 miles. The next day it rained and
was cool. and we Travelled 81 miles. to
Buckanon. All along. the road thus far
we found all onion people but two. who
thought TO show their authority and we
took them prisoners. and made them
come TO terms, and then released them.-
After two days travel sonth from Bnckan-
on the regiment arrived at Camp McCleI-
Ian in Randolph county. There were
about 600 rebels as near as we could learn
IN camp "a miles from there. and about
5000 Union troops IN Camp sMcCIellsu.
On the llth inst. the Indiana 9Th. 10th,
and 18Th, and the Ohio 10Th Regiments
started out to sttsek The rebel camp, and
about 8 p. Al. they came together and
bloody battle ensued which lasted about
three hours The rebels at last had 10
back ground and run. They wcro right in
the mountains and they left their breast
works and climbed the hills like Antelopes.
l did not get TO see it. Twas left behind
the day before to guard bridge, to keep
the rebels from burning II. and then could
no: get to the camp in time to go with the
Regiment. and was left in the camp to
help guard that. What they did not
whip that etening got scared and left next
morning without any fight. and we took
possession of their camp. thirty five wag-
Ions. seventy-two horses anil other war &C
coutrcments. such as cooking utensils,
arms. de-. together with six cannon. all
amounting in value to abont 5000
They brought into Camp Mcclellan on
the l2,h nineteen prisoners and the seces-
sion flag. The excitement OF the men in
camp can better be immsgined than des-
cribed On hunting mp the dead on the
battle field there were Is Union men and
i64 secessionists found dead. besides those
wounded. which I know nothi,.y ) bout the
number on either side. Six Of our regi-
meut were killed aud i helped bury them.
The rebel troops lived I great deal bet
ter in camp than We do; in fact. there is NO
doubt but that they lived better in camp
than 1t home. for they make business Of
stealing everything they can find that Il
good to eat. and they had 81 kinds oI
fancy provisions, such Is preserves,
sweetmeats. &c. tell you we lived on
the top Of the pot" when we first got into
their camp. Then there was thousands o
fine clothes left in the camp. hundreds o.
dollars worth were destroyed. as they had q
run over the hills to get away, they could
take nothing with them.
They left that camp on the 18th ant
came here, distance Of 8 miles. Wher
we got here we found about 700 rebe
prisoners with oil their arms and mum
tons. They are keeping them here DON
know what they are going to do Will
them. ! helped fire the loads ont Of thei
guns. some hunters rifles aud double bar
rel shot guns. We viii leave here before
long and travel on toward Eastern Virgin
Is. lam pow more anxious for Ugh
to-day than I was the day / left Plym
outh. ] wish we would have an attscl
tomorrow. -
AsI am too scarce Of money to write 4
al my friend (neither have time if M
pocket was full Of money! l wish yol
would hand this to al Of my friends.