New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-12-31

A commissioned officer who desires to be b. pooihn
careful will also require that the soldier fin. ~
cure the approving signature Of bis sergeant be,>
! he, the officer, will sign it himself. On Christina
! Day these orders are numerOusy given, and any
slight after. irregularities OF the men overlooked
the officer being either out Of the way or being con
veniently blind on that day. Should man, faow.
ever become too outrageous, he must, as usual
take bis "a hours in the Guard-House.
Drill, parade, and all duties that can be omitted
are dispensed with, and gnard-duty, police, etc.
relaxed aud made as little irksome pssible The
reglmental aid brigade bands play favorite air. for
q number of hours both morning and evening, and
as the soldier becomes passiOnately fond OF
music however little he may have cared for 1t in
his pre-army life, this open air concert is certainly
the purest and In very many cases. Is the creates!
enjoyment he has.
This whole country abounds in rabbits, and though
the army has been here for time the little bob
tailed gray.backs' are still found every day.
When one of the frightened little fellows starts mp
and dashes Off instantly hue and cry IL started,
and dozen men OF more take mp the pursuit, and
soon Mr.. Rabbit dies the death. In many of our
tents rabbit-pie was our Christmas dinner, and the
branches Of holly our tents, combined with this
somewhat better fare, served to remind us Of the
better day.
Along the river edges, where the Grayback and
the Union pickets within speaking distance the
Christmas greetings were frequent, and were as
sincere, fervent, and honest in many, in most
cases. rs if the men had been Arrays neighbors, in
stead of only for the few past hours, when the
chances and requirements OF barbarian war com
PEELED them to exchange their L" compliments OF the
season." with musket in hand and knife at belt.
And 40 We privates got through our Christmas
day, the second one that some of us have spent in
camp God grant that there may be no third one
like il. God send that long, long before another
" merry Christmas" comes TO us this war may be
among the things that were; that this horrible dream
may pass, and we oil awake from this sad and
troubled sleep never more to dream the like while
the earth stands; that the world may gladly rec us
once again united and ten times stronger 10 our new
born love than If TINT world had never mournfully
behed our quarrel that South and North may stand
shoulder to shoulder, hand joined in hand, truer
friends perhaps and stronger allies than II Antiean
and Fredericksburg had never been; that the dark,
dire curse Of Slavery, our national sin, national
crime for which We have been smitten SO heavily
may be lifted from our national heart, its terrible
influence cease to clog national growth, spot our
national honor and stain national h1g-and that
we, "a regenerate nation, stand pure aud stainless
before Heaven and the Angels; and may the same
God grant that nowhere beneath the stars ana under
the broad sky, may be found land wherein shall
80 truly reign peace Oh earth, and good VIII to
men, az in this our loved America, when upon 1t
shall glow the welcome dawn 0; blessed Christmas
Dav again. ELDREDGE.