Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1862-01-29
Camp correspondence.
CAMP WooD. MAMFoRDsvILLE Ky,
January 10, 1862.

| FRIEND Lutte Il have neglected wri-
ting partly on account of having nothing
of importance to communicate through
your columns, and partly because tho't
there might be something rotten in
Denmark" That the mails were over
hauled, and thereby rendering it mere
waste of good intention, as we could get
no papers from Wisconsin for several
weeks. But | was awakened to the ut
ter falacy of such thought by the re-
ceipt of the JOURNAL the other evening.
1t was hailed, as usual, with much graft
tude on the part of tho boys.
We have been encamped here almost
five weeks, and should this warning Of
the elements continue, in all probability
we shall be doomed to five weeks more in
the clay. 1t is mud, mad, MUD. Mud
around and below us if may judge
from what ] have seen, thirteen inch
boot legs can fnd no bottom. With this
exception things remain in the same quiet
state as in other departments of the
army.
Since the excitement occasioned on the
18th ult. there has been but little doing
except "Dress Parade" Picketing. and
work on the Railroad Bridge. The lat
ter is nearly "playod out ;" the Bridge
is now passablo for teams. The first en-
gine crossed on the evening of the Sth
inst. But pcketing is a duty not to be
dispensed with, and during the rainy
season is not eagerly sought. 1t becomes
more duty than n source Of pleasure.
And "Drcss Parade" could be more
appropriately STYLED "Mud Review"
l say no excitement existed in camp
from the date above named until the 18th
of JAN, when the alarm was given that
there was fighting being done on the op-
posite side of the river. As the advance
pickets were n Regiment from this Brig
ade, our ever ''wide awake" Col. was
the first to take the hint We were in
line, loaded our pieces, and were on the
move at short notice. Although mile
from the Pontoon Bridge, the farthest of
any regiment encampcd here, we were
the first to cross. Mud, water, clay
slides were of no notice. The boys were
going to "Dixie." We were stationed
in the woods, about mile from the river
and one-eighth of a mile from the Rail-
road, where we were soon joined by the
32d Pa, Col. WilIiek. After standing
nearly an hour in this cover, we were
thanked for our promptness in coming
out, and ordered back to camp.
1t appears, upon ascertaining the facts
relative to the alarm, that Col. HAM
bright, 10th Pa, who was on picket,
had sent three companies on reconnoit-
ering excursion, leaving at 8 O'Clock A. N.
The pickets being ignorant of this, upon
their return, about noon, mistook them
for an enemy, while ut quite distance
some of them discharging their pieces,
and crying orally p Fortunately, no
one was hurt, and we returned to our
quarters little out of breath; very much
discomftted by the slop, and perhaps
benefited by the exercise.
1t would seem that nothing but the in
clemency of the weather hinders an ad-
vance move. But what the plan of opera
tons may be is known only to Gen. Buell..
1t is generally thought here. that there
will be no seige at Bowling Green. But
that his (Buckner's) means for procur
ring supplies will be destroyed, and hold
him in check while Buell. and Halleck
unite their forces and advance to Nash
vile, there forming one Grand Corps de
Ar0ae. to move onward to the Gulf.
One thing seems inevitable; an adj
vance will soon be. made from one or
more points in Ky. Probably within the
next ten days.
We are momentarily expecting impor-
tant news from the fleet from Cairo.
There has been heavy firing heard in
South eastern direction from here
Thought by some to be an encounter
with Zolicoffer, who, it is thought, is on
his way to Bowling Green.
The boys are well with the exception
of VIM. HI. Peabody and James w. For
man. Both in the Hospital. Many
have been afflicted with colds, but are
now, believe, in good fighting order.
Company F exchanged their muskets
for the "Rifled Minnie Musket" a few
DAYS since. This is a change which has
long been sought by both officers and
men. Our arms are now such as give us
confidence chat we had not while bur-