The daily Evansville journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1862-1863, 1862-06-11
ARMY CORRESPONDENCE
CAMP MARION, TESNALLTowS. D. c.,

CAMP MARION, TENNALLTowS, D. c.,
June lst, 1862.
DEAR j URNAL Knowing that large
number OF the citiz ns of Southern Indiana
bad enlisted in the 63d regiment, | have
concluded that letter. stating its condition,
would be welcomed by their friends. When
we were at Indianapolis we were grumbling
over the slow and irksOm duties of guarding
secesh aud the little prospecLof change.
You may imagine the surprise and JOY o.
our boys when the news came that we were
ordered to Washington City. l. was about
bali past eight o'clock A. NJ, the usual hour
for drill when the orders came The squad
was dismissed and every man saw a full
days work before him to get ready by nine
o'clock P. M. for the long and tedious journey.
We left the camp cI,ar of everything that
concerned us, and marched to the depot,
distance of three miles. by eight o'clock in
the afte; noon. There we had to remain
until about two o'clock the next morning
before transportation was provided " The
long looked for came 1T lsst," and we were
for the first time on our way to the seat of
war" Tuesday morning at sunrise, we
found ourselves at Auucie, Indiana, but
were soon careeing our way sloag the g. esn
fields and verdent pastures of Ohio.
Indeed, we appeared TO be in the paradise
of the West 80 beautiful were the far
stretching and wsil-tiIled farms, that would
irresistibly catch the eye. Added TO the
charms of spring, were the loyal manifesto
tions of the inhabitants. The ploughman
ceased his tolls, to move his well worn hat,
in token of his apprt citation. The maiden
forsook her toilet, to come forward and sp-
plaud the sturdy patriots who had left all
the endearments of home for the tented
field. The aged rotiered forth with well
come smiles, and earnest prayers for the
success of our arms. Even Young America,
with his wild shout, plainly manifested
that, come what would they were for the
Union, teeth and toe nails" Indeed, our
journey, from beginning TO end, appeared
more like one of triumph than one to rein
force retreatiug General, or defend a
threatened capital.
When noon came we were just preparing
to get some of our rusty bacon and hard
bread for dinner, when We stopped at Ma
rion. Here, to cur surprise, we were well
coined by about three hundred citizens,
mostly ladies, with we'll filled baskets of the
best articles of food, and large quantities of
fresh milk, for our empty s'Onachs and
parched lips Indeed, our new haversscks
were not slIghted in the distribution. AT
quarter of one we ere At Cresliue, and at
eight arrived in Pittsburg, where we were
Immediately conducted to the City Hall,
and there, spread before us by the warm
hearted ladies, was one of the best kind OF
suppers, " hich We devoured in double-quick
hroa oh ~
ed again on the double track PittSburg and
Harrisburg railroad for the east side of the
Alleehanies Being accommodated with
sleeping cars, we were not long in appro-
priating them for that purpose
Wednesday morning we found ourselves
at Cameo, on the west side of the noun
tains through which We passed, enjoying
nature in all her beauty and grandeur. AT
Antoni breakfast was prepared for Us, but
we did not stop TO partake- We passed |
through Marysville, Little York, on to Bal |
timorp, where we arrived about seven in
the evening.
Our officers judging the future by the |
past, had given orders to issue to each man |
forty rounds of cartridges. On being drawn !
up IN line after debarking we were, for the /
first time, in view of an attack, ordered to |
load at will and fx bayOnets. But such |
precaution proved to be entirely unneces-
sary, for instead of being pelted with stones, |
we were profusely pelted with bouquets, |
and our color bearer was presented with |
nice wreath by the ladies. The starry |
banner was displayed from almost every
house.
After marching through the city we were
taken to the Soldiers Refreshment Rooms, |
where a good meal awaits every passing /
regiment. This institution is carried on |
and supported by the loyal citizens, and |
sometimes accommodates two or three |
thousand men in one day with one or /
more meals. They have large rooms and |
can accommodate as many with sleeping |