Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-09-19
Letter from the o7th Ohio regiment.

SUFFOLK, Va, Sept. 7th, 1862
r.pESD EELER:-The 9th has again chang
ed it' base, and in SO doing has changed its mode
of operations. We are now in a"Band Box Di.
vision," and are what our boys call band box
soldiers with two exceptions, VIZ: camp equip
age and not having ictito gloves. Our tents are
the old fashioned shelter tents, which are made
of common coarse drilling about six feet square
with buttons and button holes, SO that two ol
four pieces can be fastened together and thrown
over pole, and the corners fastened down.
When dry each piece will weigh about two and
a half pounds Each soldier is expected to
have one piece. Our bed is a rubber blanket
Gf we are fortunate enough to have one, spread
upon terra yf'na, with coat and pants for pill
low. Our duties are chiefly to garrison the
place and protect our advance lines. We took
the place of some three months troops, whose
time had expired.
This place is considered by military men a
very important one as being the out post of the
Union forces south of the james river. The
town is very pleasantly situated at the head of
steamboat navigation on the Nansemond river,
and two miles west of the north end of the Dis
NAL Swamp. There are two Railroads connect
ing itwth Norfolk and Portsmouth on the east,
and one running south west to North Carolina,
and one north west to Pittsburg. 1t has one
very pleasant street. with beautiful shade trees
and the residences of some of the F. f. VS.
The place has four principal wagon roads, one
the Ellington road south east along the Dismal
Swamp one the Summerton road leading di-
rcctly south; one leading southwest to Black
water river, and the fourth to Richmond. Each
of these roads are strongly guarded with pick
cts and the different regiments are encamped so
as to be convenient to these routes in case of an
attack.
There is very little marketing except what
is brought in by the colored folks in their old
Virginia carts. These carts are very numerous
and very cheap having no iron at all about them
except the hub-boxes. The harness consists of
an old fashioned cart saddle, the draft being
fastened to the names with ropes. These carts
mounted by negroes and drawn by oxen or
mules, are the only vehicles used in this section
Yesterday l saw one that had come from ''way
down South" North Carolina, fifty miles, to
market with a few chickens, eggs and peas.
Suffolk is very important station on the un-
derground railroad at present. Almost every
day there is caravan Of human chattles pass
ing this way to Norfolk and Fortress Monroe.
They usually carry their baggage with them,
Each man carries a bundle ON his back and each
woman, (who does not have baby to carry, }
one on her head.
The weather is very pleasant but must say
the nights are rather cold, so cold that good
heavy blanket would not come amiss But our
boys had the misfortune to lose theirs in the
move from Harrison's Landing. They were
loaded, with their knapsacks, on an old barge
which sunk and all were lost, and we have not
been able to get any others in their place yet
However, we expect them very soon.
Our living is very good at present; our ''color-
ed brethren" bring us plenty of potatoes, fruit
aud cider, and our ~colored sisters" supply us
daily with pies and cakes of all sorts and sizes.
Some of them come four or five miles with a
basket full of pies for the soldiers The market
prices of these articles are as follows: Irish po-
tatoes so cts. per bushel; sweet potatoes, 81;
apples and peaches, so cts. to 81; butter 25 cts.
per pound eggs 20 cts. per dozen; pies TO 10
cts. each; Cider 10 cts. a quart and IS barrel.
Wereceive daily mail, and New York papers
one day after publication. We are not entirely
shut out from the civilized world. The enlist
ing at home, the draft and the situation at Wash
ingtou, are the principal topics Of discussion
We are not discouraged at the late movements
of troops. We shall soon see who is who,
Respectfully yours, j. CO.