The Grand Haven news. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1858-18??, 1862-06-11
LETTER FROM REV. ]. AMBER
SON,
CHAPLAIN So MrcH. INFANTRY.
F." CAMP WITHIN MILES OF RICHMOND, !
Sabbath, June !, 1862. (

W '''N~ s@NNS~ @%'uN''S,i vi WIZ
River, the same evening. i slept on
board, and next day arrived at Despatch
Station, by rail, where | met train. OF
provision wagons, from our Michigan
Third. 1 got aboard one of them and ar
rived at Headquarters about 3 o'clock I.
M. The tents we're pitched in wood.
All baggage beyond travelling bag pro-
hibted. / accordingly was compelled to
send back my trunk across the Chicka-
hominy, in the rear. Soldiers are living
in little shelter tents and sleeping on the
ground. So my first acquaintance of
camp life was coffee and hard crackers,
and a bed of cedar boughs, with blanket
thrown over me. Friday we received the
to march. We struck tents and marched
three miles in advance and pitched again.
In the afternoon Capt. Lowing and l
took stroll of six or seven miles. |
wished TO see and examine for myself the
character Of the country and its inhabit-
ants.
"The inhabitants are very sparse-houses
generally inferior to ours-no paint
sometimes they are whitewashed, AND
very generally the underpinning is not all
round, bat like the Dutch Church, at
Grand Haven, partial only. The chin
neys are invariably built outside. have
not seen anything like barn. The state
of agriculture is wretched-above all you
can conceive. They plough with one
horse only, and never deeper than from
six to eight inches, and this is the case,
not merely in this portion Of the State,
but | have it from the most reliable infor-
nation that the same is true all the way
from Norfolk here, which is one CT the
best portions of the State, being the pc
nnsula between the York and James Riy.
ors.
"The roads arc beyond description
Just imagine the worst roads possible,
and then believe they are ninety-nine
times worse than your imagination and
you may then come near the truth. You
may believe this to be an exaggeratiou.
We'll, may be il is. But when you con-
slider the character Of the sofia sandy
clav-and that here it has rained almost
every day since | came, and that cannon,
ambulances, and heavy army wagons are
constantly passing and repassing you can
really scarcely Imagine the terrible state
of the roads, Ben. Luce told me that on
passing three miles he counted no less
than seven dead horses and mules. Dc
not, then, be surprised that the move
ments of our army are so slow.
"The manners and education of the
people are at very low ebb; but few
can read and write-and this is true o.
some who are far above the mud-sils o.
society. / called into several houses, the
owners Of which occupied above thou
sand acres Of land and one hundred mig
gers. There was no carpet except on one
room. The lady had none Of the fine
ness Of finish that northern lady would
have. The children mot the niger chill
dren,) were barefooted and dirty, and The
young geese and chickens were running
through the sitting-room.
"Col. Champln, who is now lying be
side me, wounded in Yesterdays battle
but not dangerously, said to me few
moments ago that 'Tho civilization o
the inhabitants was no higher than tina
of the dark ages
"Capt. Lowing and l returned drench
ed to the skin. l had a change Of every
thing but pants, and these l borrowet
from our Quartermaster. The night wa
the most tremendous storm Of rain, thun
der and lightning l ever witnessed.
had to get up and shake the water iron
my quilt which soon soaked through, bu
so tired was l that l slept most of th
night--a rough beginning, you will say
: to the experience Of my camp life. Upo
: rising in the morning the booming of can
! non and musketry, about two miles of
f proved that the battle with rebels ha
b commenced. The enemy attacked Ger
y Casey's and COUGHS Divisions, and drov
them in, and then our Division, unde
+ General Kearney, was ordered up to as
, sist Casey's. Our Third Regiment wen
y forth like brave fellows, as they are, bu
G soon the wounded and dead began l.