Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1862-08-22

lege assembling at the Court House with
the citizens, at a preconcerted signal ad
|journed en- naasse to the College Chapel
where,l after brief deliberation, they
agreed almost unanimously to hold
themselves in readiness to go.
/ The next day, when it was learned
thatthe emergency was not so great as
before supposed, and that men would
not be accepted for less than 80 days,
many thought that duty did not call
themto go; nevertheless, we had quite
Ia respectable company raised by night,
and the next afternoon, Wednesday
May 18th, we started with about IS men
up the Muskingum, en- route for Camp
I Chaser
I could hardly entertain you oy de-
scribing at any length our trip to Colum-
bus; will only say that we had pleas
ant journey, finding amusement in re-
spending to the cheers and waving OF
handkerchiefs that greeted Us all along
the way; and withal feeling quite brave
and patriotic as we attacked with valor-
Gus appetites the tables loaded with
crackers and cheese and prime ham.
We arrived at Columbus late Thurs
day evening, marched up to the State
House, where we listened to nice lit
tie speech from the Governor, and
marched back to the lunch Of crackers
and lcoffee, and quarters on the floors
oe occupied tavern stand. The
next5 we took up our quarters at
Camp Chase. We spent the first two
weeks of our stay there in recruiting,
organizing, arguing and quarrelling gen.
orally. We had come to camp entirely
unorganized, and, in fact, not regularly
enlisted, having nothing to bind US but
honor. The Gov in his call offered the
choice either Of going to protect Wash
ington(!) or of remaining at Camp
Chase to relieve troops doing guard duty
there. The greater portion of us, in
cited by love Of travel and adventure,
and willing to undergo danger if need
be for our country, enlisted with the
former intention. But we had few
timid ones, and number of boys who
were bound by promises to their paren. IS,
who intended to choose the latter alter
native. We gathered, however, from
certain hints dropped by Gov. Davie,
that old Uncle Samuel had been more
scared than hurt, and that the dilemma
now would be either to enter the Gen
eral service, subject to the orders of the
4 ar Department, OF the State services, to
be under the control of the Governor
About three -fourths of our boys were
hi Il in favor Of the General service; but
keing induced by the persuasion Of
Judge p, in order to keep our com
pany together, we at length reluctantly
Consented to enter the State service, and
became Co. C. 85th Reg't. We re
manned in the s5th typ weeks longer,
Amaking four weeks in yhe State service
I presume Camp Chase is about as
good camp as any similar one, where
large bodies Of men congregate, though h
[ should by no means recommend 1T as
place of summer resort. We had
pretty good shantics, very fair soldier S
grub, and the camp was well policed;
but the ground being bare, and hard, and
destitute Of trees, the heat was very
oppressive when hot days did come
which, thank Heaven, were compara-
lively few for the season. The dust,
raised by the slightest breeze from the
broad, fat parade ground, swept In al
most binding clouds, when the wind
blew hard, and penetrated every crevlce
and Granny Of our shanties-just multi
ply the dust Of Pomerey by three, and
you will have about the product Of Camp
IChase. The water, though not posi-
lively unwholesome, was not good, be-
ing strongly impregnated with sulphur.
There were about 1900 or 1400 pris-
oners at Camp Chase. The prisons in
which these are confined, are merely
portions of the camp, enclosed by close
board fence about 20 #. high, with a
walk near the top for the guards. Our
principal business at Camp Chase was,
of course, to guard these prisoners-that
is to walk back and forth with loaded
gun, carried in military position, and
keep them from coming within ten feet
of the fenee-such is the glory of State
service. Among these prisoners may be
found all varieties Of character from the
wealthy and courteous Southern gentle
men, down to the degraded ragalnuffin n
bush -whacker. They all seem to be
quiet and orderly, with few and occa-
sional exceptions.
Well, to be brief, we soon became
tired of this kind of service, and when
the opportunity Of transfer was offered
US, we gladly accepted it, and, leaving
about 20 of our men in the S5th, and re-
| -. ,o boo,-,o ~