, 1862-02-11

battery ssC,s, Chicago Light ARTILLERY.
HEADQUARTERS GEN. suH91R's D1y1s1oN,
CAAp CALIFORNIA, Va, FEB. I'LL 1s82.
Editors Chicago Tribune:
I have perused your paper rather 1rregu1ariy
for the past four months, bnt it il none tic
less welcome visitor to Illinois soldiers. In
the copies have seen Of tho TRIBUNE. have
seen no mention Of Battery &C." Chicago
Light Artillery, OF its destiny Thinking per
haps that communication from mcEecr
thereof, would be Of interest to goodty NUM-
Der of your readers, pen few lines tonight,
accounting for the loss to ourselves Of the cho-
sen name under which We had hoped to meet
the traitoIous sons Of the hot blooded South
erners.
teed. Jr. Ut the great Nigwam, and was
subject Of pride to the patriotic citizens Of
the Garden City, being enlisted from Chicago
and Northern Illinois It contained men cap
able Of doing soldiers duty equal to any in
the service.
Under the command Of Captain Bustecd,
aided by Lieutenant Cudney, (. J. Parker, 8,
A. McClelland, and 3. E. Rogers, we start
ed from your city on the 1st day Of October,
with hi.h hopes Of soon meeting the enemy.
Everything promised we'll for Battery *.
Arriving ii Washington on the fourth of Dc
tober tie following morning, stter day and n.
ed tents in Camp Dancan, the ''artiliery re-.
serve" encampmcnt, under the command Of
Col Hunt, Of the regular army. In this camp
wewcre kept under Instruction for one month,
the last few days Of which time, We were IN
der orders TO march "oyer the nYcr'' to join
! General Heintzclu,an's Division VIC waited
anxiors1y for the ordcrto march, much Tleascd
to be placed under the command Of so good 4
man, resolved that, should the occasion be
| GRANTED, We would win honor to the tt Sucker
But, a1as. 1'thcre's n1any Sip 'twixt the cup
and the lip" The day before we were to cross
| the Potomac aud encamp upon }iryin1a's 't sa-
| cred soi,' Brig Gen. Barry gave an order
transferring the horses, guns asd al Govern
ment property in onr charge to an Independent
| Lieut.. Parker, better known to the lake
| travelling world as Capt. Parker, the popular
| Commander Of the ''Ontario," asked for a
| court-uartial, Which took place I short time
| since when he was exoneratcd, not IN iota ol
| proof appearing AGAINST him. Captain Bus
was to be disbanded4 It is reported and BE-
liettd that his record is not clean as it shond
lie, but will make no charges.
He 7nfor7,lcd us that Battery "C.'' Chicago
| ARTILLERY was distandcd and gave us thirty-si,
hours to decide Us TO which battery VIC SHOULD
choose. Al but eleven chose to be trans
fcrred to the '.1st n. i. Artillery Regiment
under the command Of Col G. D. Bailey w
wrrc there divided, Is, headed By Licut- Nc
C1clland,. being attached to battery "G:
|
Frank, who having served A fourteen years
apprenticeship in the regular army, is il
truth 4 soldier and tic compliment
Battery "G'' has received from those capabl
| of judging, proves that he is Il model ttlscf
plinarian- The remainder Of the members Q
| Bustced's Battery, under the leadership O
Lieut. r. E. Rogers, were attached to batter
t.B,' Captain Pettir, man worthy the title 9
| Captain.
Both these batteries arc cnea1nped sid
by side in Camp California, {Geuera
t Summers diyislon,1 two and L 1Elf mile
west If Alexandria, near the line Of the OTaus
and Alexandria Railroad. Under thu comman
| Of two such Captains is Frank all
| Pettet, VIC have become very proficien
in drill. Captaln Frank says that b
will place Battery "G'' against any To1untcc
battery in the service.
The old battery was distandcd on accour
Of charges having been made against a Sc
, .reant, and LieuteDauts Cudney and r. j. Pa
ker for selling Government horses. Tho st
| geant has been court. nartlalcd, but as hay
not heard the official sentence, suppress u
/ / name. Lieut.. Cudney, after acknow1ed.rin
his guilt before the men Of the battery, Al
| being placed under arrest, left Washington b
tween two days under 4 disguise.
, Last Sunday, tic .,nd inst, the members
: Battcrr '*G 7" presented 'our Captain Frank
,, with sword, belt, sash, and gauntlcts, cos
.. | ing about $50. The presentation speech
, c. J. Poore Of DECATUR, Michigan, and K
Captains reply, we're short but patriotic
| Not wishing to trcspass too much on yor
: space this time, I will not illS.T them.
This is from
"TKrTu7t1 SEcEER."