Nebraska advertiser., 1862-01-30
For the Nehraata Advertlser.
kansas COrreSnOndenCe.
CAMP HUNTER, Jan, 16, 1852.

for a int enveloped US, having blown
away, the dim of battle passed from our
midst, and peace and quiet restored, l
proceed to give you a short chapter in the
history of our experience as soldiers since
we left Brownville.
We arrived at Camp Hunter on the
18th of December, 1861, and found the
mastering Office closed against US, and
not a field or staff officer on the ground.
1 at once proceeded to the Headquarters
of Col. Graham, temporarily in command
of the camp, and stated to him hat / had
arrived with some additional recruits for
Col. Davis's Excelsior Cavalry Regiment,
and as the mastering Office was closed, 1
desired to know whether it would be pos
sible, under the circumstances, TO get my
recruits rationed. He promptly replied
that l could not stating at the same time
that he was feeding his recruits which
Haskell had brought down at his own ex-
pense, which / afterwards learned to be
true, Prince having refused to honor any
requisition FOR any recruits not mustered
into the service. / at once determined
to proceed to the headquarters of General
Hunter. l found him in his private
quarters with his family. His orderly
carried in my name, informing him / was
from Nebraska. He returned and gave
permission for me to enter, which / did,
introducing myself and business. He
handed me a blank form of provision re-
turn, stating that if | would fill it out he
would sign il. Believing it to be the
cheapest way to feed my recruits, l at
once accepted the terms, and got the
grub. / then proceeded to open TO him
my business as special envoy from the
citizens of Brownville on the matter of
J~ayhawking, and after co%nversing for
sometime, he told me if he could spare
any troops he would comply with the re-
quest of the citizens of Nebraska, back
ed it was by their executive.
The p~ersOneI of Maj. Gen. Hunter is
stern but rather prepossessing, coupling
the suavity of the gentleman with the
decision of the soldier. He is about 5
feet II inches in hight, well made, with
very black hair and eyes; short mus
tache; unassuming in manner in fact,
we have some corporals who are far more
sensitive about their dignity than the
General commanding.
/ will now proceed to give you a con-
densed account of the manner of a
featuring officers in the Kansas army;
and also a short chapter in my W ex-
perience. On the Sunday following my
arrival here, about noon, a small pattern
of a mar came into camp with a commits
sion from Gov. Robinson, accompanied by
an order, placing him in command of all
unattached recruits, as first lieutenant.
1 learned that his Exellency, the Cover
nor, wa in the city, and at once proceed
ed to see him, as the majority of the I'M
attached were my men; the governor
ordered that his mar should not be placed
in command of US, giving TO me assur-
ances that the desire of the men should
be respected in the selection Of their
officers. I, therefore, returned to camp,
contented to await the opening of the
mastering office, which event took place
on the Ist of January. On its arrival we
were duly mustered in, with the express
understanding hat we should select our
officers. Therefore. imagine our surprise
when we learned that before we reached
camp a full number Of company officers
we're mustered in and placed in COM
mand of a company of ninety men, the
finest on the ground and the most
beautiful feature was that not one of
those so appointed had any men of their
own recruiting in the company. Well,
now, the devils to pay, thought we, yet
we were still no given overto dispair.
Our Nebraska boys, asa unit, true to the
last, refused to obey the officers thus
thrust upon them. then drew up a Pc
tition and carried it before the General
at that time in command of the Kansas
troops. The General, a very afable man,
said, upon my statement of the case, that
he wonld transfer US to some other SER
vice, either infantry or artillery. and that
he would take council with the General
commanding, on the morrow, and visit
our camp, and hear further our grievances
and redress them as best he could
Punetual to time, the General came to
camp the next evening, accompanied by
the mastering officer, and calling out our
c.'tpany, proceeded to muster US out of