The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1862-10-08
COMMUNICATIONS.

CAMP E. ID. KEYEs,
Augusta, October 9th, 1862.

<H'6AStn3 oSeoNSA Stif, Act-.
To the Editors the Portland Press.
Knowing the interest you take In the wei.
fare and happiness of the Maine Volunteers; !;
and hoping it might interest your numerous
readers, who have friends stationed at this
camp to know some Of the events transpiring
here; enclose you the following letter which
you can publish, or not, as you may think
proper. M9tt IN
Camp Z. d. Keyes, is located on a hill, about
half mile outside and west of Augusta. The
location is very pleasant, commanding a fine
viewof Augusta, and its environs. Standing
on the brow Of the hin you look down upon
the city, at the right is the Capital and Camp
Abraham Lincoln, tthe rendezvous of recruits
for the old Regiments.) Across the river ON
gradually rising ground stands the Arsenal
and the Insane Hospital, Surrounded with their
tastefully arranged grounds, forming picture
unsurpassed for beauty in the. State
The Camp Is very healthy from its eleva-
ton, but viii be bleak and cold in the winter.
The CommipAry Department has been well
administered, d yet, the food Of the soldiers
being as good as'can be expected.
There has been much dissatisfaction arising
from the disappointment of not being muster
ed into the United States service as soon as
they expected, inasmuch as the opinion OBJ
tains among the men, that their, nine mouths
service does not commence until the day OF
their mastering in, and they fear that by this
means, they will be detained In the South,
through the sickly months. tss...
There is also dissatisfaction in some Com
panies with their officers, and in some quarters
with those higher in authority. As to the
line officers some of them have reached an ell
vation higher than they expected, and to un-
prejudiced observers, much higher than nature
or education evidently intended for them In
deed the haste manifested by some of these,
would be soldiers to obtain their uniforms, and
to don their shoulder straps, not to mention,
the ridiculous airs which they assume, their
lordly strut as they parade the streets, and the
pompous tones in which they Ignorant of all
military knowledge, and destitute of every sol
dierly quality, Issue orders which they them
selves cannot execute, are sufficient to disgust
any patriotic man who has the welfare of his
country at heart; If he were ignorant of the
contemplate means by which they obtained
their present position.
As TO Others there are grave reasons for the
dislike that obtains against them. Many here
believe that they are interested in several
speculative concerns on and around the camp
ground for the sale of a few articles necessary
TO the soldier and many that are not Now in
heavens name is it not time that the officers
of our army should be men above all such sus-
pcions. In such times as these, the country
certainly demands that the men occupying
high official stations, should be men whose in
tegrity, Hike that Of President Lincoln,) is
above all selfish interest. Until we have such
men filling all prominent places there is little
hope that the moral revolution now progress
ing in this nation will be complete
The health Of the troops here are very good,
there are few cases of the measles at Camp
Abraham Lincoln, but they are doing as wen
as could be expected. Governor Washburn
has said that we shall be mustered into the
United States service on the sth, and there is
avery general desire among the men, that this
might take place and that they may leave for
the seat ofwar as soon as may be.
The scenes of the Camp here are rather mo-
notonous, only as they are occasionally enliv-
ened with now and then patriotic song, to
which the men listen, as If it eminated from
some Syren of Liberty. CATO.