The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1862-03-20

A Soldiers Letter--No. ".
CAMP GRIFFIN, Va. March s


EDITOR FREEMAN II frequently receive letter
inqulring how we live here in camp, and wha
we have to eat, Sc. suppose our kind friend
in Vermont have some anxiety as well as curlos
ily to prompt these inquiries, and if it DC NJ
intrusion l will, through your columns, give
kind of Wholesale reply to them. in my rougl
| way.
| First, then, on the list Of tdlUles, stands whca
| bread, sometimes sour, but nevertheless con
tanning the principal element of nutrition. 0
| course it is wholly unaduterated by milk, lard
cream, or any superhulties of that kind. L,
| eat with this, VIC have sometimes fresh meat, bu
most generally boiled salt meat; The boys call i
"sah boss and | am not inclined to risk my
reputation for veracity by disputjns its merit It
that title. The want of no one thing is ielt Sc
much as the lack of butter. or it's substitutes
in our ratons. The suffers furnish butter for
thirty cents per pound, and the boys generally
supply themselves with it while they have plenty
of money, but when that is gone they must go
without, unless their more prudent comrades are
willing to lend to them, for getting trusted at
the suffers is "played out" Meat and bread
or, for change, bread and meat, with cup of
coffee forms the principal aple of fodder for all
except the officers. Potatoes are sometimes fur
nlShed us, but their cost and the trouble of
transporting them, makes it too expensive for
Uncle Sam to indulge us IN this luxury to any
great extent. Beans we have occasionally, say
once week. Peas, enthusiastically. Boiled
rice and hominy are thrown in as incidentals.
The hominy being made of coarse white South
ern corn does not taste bad, from the fact that
it requires pretty hungry man to perceive that
it has any taste at all. plate Of soup, twice
as greasy as any dishwater ought to be, is some
times served to each of US, and it relishes first.
rate. On u march we take hard crackers ex-
clusieey, because they are light and occupy but
little space. man with poor teeth is certainly
an object OF pity on these occasions
When the drum beats, or the cooks halloo.
company -- fall in y for breakfast, dinner,
or supper, as the case may be, We all rush pell
nell tor the cooks stand, which is IL log shanty
or tent, or both, and crowding our way up to
the door receive our bread and meat and cup of
coffee. Now if We can back out without having
our cotfee spilled. and our bread knocked out of
our hands, why, all right; If not, volley Of
oaths and threats are pretty apt to be tho con-
sequence. Those that have fire. places in their
tents can improve the favor of their bread by
toasting it before the ,:fe. Toastne- sticks are
the moat important culinary utensils that we use
Most OF lis have frying pans, and We hash up
our meat and bread together and make it quite
palatablc. AS regards etiquette and politeness
we arc not one whit behind the most fashionable
of swine
Let it not be understood that write this in
complaining mood. On the contrary, our fare.
though PLAN; IS wholesome and amply sufficient
to supply our wants. Some Of our good friends
at home entertain the idea that we sutfer greatly
IN this respect, but it is not necessarily So
lr'le, our supplies may sometimes be short ow-
ing to unforeseen and unavoidable circumstances
and 1t may happen just as We are about to march
or do some other severe duty, but these excep-
lions ought not to be made the basis of such
sweeping comments as many Of the boys love to
indulge in, in their letters to their friends As
general lule more ratiOns are allowed us than
We can possibly eat
The priyatcs in this reg iment have presented
their Colonel with sword and Announcements
costing nearly four hundred dollars, and he
made line appearance in his new dress at our
usual srec'lon this morning Col. Whiting
Is much more popular with his command now
than formerly. Strict discipline, faithfully en-
iJrced, though it may engender bitter and angry
feelings for the time, is sure, in the end to com
mand respect. a man with unyielding princi-
piles and firm resolution, blended with Judgment
and kindness, if clothed with authority will
make good dsciplinarian and one that will be
respected: That our Colonel possesses these
high qualities and many others, is abundantIv
proved by this token aud manifestation of regard
from tho men under him. COL Whiting is a
praying man and consistent Christian, which.
though d rare, Is 10 no sense mean commenda
ton for an officer IN the American army.
Tie GROUND is rapidly drying up, and mud
cnno; ZACH longer be pleaded in Justification of
me 'Asterly inactivity of the Army Of the
p"on.Ac.' ANTI.REBEL,
ID Regiment.