Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1862-01-03
Army Correspondenco.
letter IRON Ikop,uety.

that TO you ana tho Ieaue's VI bo o'ohNN ''ey
prove acceptable.
This is Christmas day and although We arol
far away, our memories cling TO home recollec-
tons No day would sooner remind the Chris
tian and Patriot Of early scenes and bring back
to memory dear home influences than Christ
mas day. Old associations crowd upon my
memory to-day The old-hshioned Christmas
dinners; the squealing of the young pOrkers: the
cackls Of the chickens; the sudden disappear
Snce Of turkeys; hard cider and oysters fried
and stewed; the family gathering and the cheer
fllness at the Festive Board. All these are
pleasant recollectiops Of the past
But how changed and varied are the scenes
now. The family gathering is broken. The
household is not so happy now, for there are
some absent ones. They have left their fire.
sides and are now warring for Home, Liberty,
and the perpetuity Of Free Government.
Times have indeed changed. Instead of pur-
suing the peaceful calling of American citizens,
we are warriors seeking the blood OF those we
once fondly called our brothers. We arc fight
ing our own blood, striving to slay upon the
battlefield old friends, those who in the log
school house were school mates together. 1t
seems hard to realize that such a state Of things
exist. 1t is an unnatural and brutal war brought
on by the demagogues and slavery propagan-
dists at the South, aided and abetted by the
leperous and Internal scOundrels that have in-
tested the Democratic party at the North. The
one is seeking for the expansion of Slavery, the
other for the spOils and public plumber.
Instead of being with our families enjoying
the pleasures Of home, we are upon the tented
field, soldering for Constitution and ono
Country, and that country Ameyicdi With our
bayonets glistening in the rays of Southern
sun, and our hearts nerved for The right we anx-
iously wait for the 6UgIe-eaR to go forth to the
fight. The only question in our minds is how
many precious hearts shall be made to feel the
Rebel steel or be pierced by Rebel bullets
But we ready for the contest. Side by side
we will stand or fall, and our blood shall freely
flow from its fountain, ere this land shall be
subduded by those who not only lord it over
the negro, but who wish also to lord it over the
non Shareholder.
But there is no need of further reAections.-
This is Christmas day, and we hope our friends
at home may enjoy it, and live to enjoy many
more Christmas days under the benign institu-
tions reared by our fathers.
The day was ushered in this morning by
bountiful supply of mud. The sky is clouded
and every thing indicates mudy day.
There was grand review and inspection this
morning. After Parade was over the boys
were briskly engaged in serving up their Christ
mas dinners.
The boys of the 2lst Ohio regiment are here,
and the guests of our Regiment. They are
having pleasant time recounting to each other
their long marches chances of fighting hard
bread, DC, and fording the rivers of Kentucky,
seem to be the chief topics. The 2lst boast of
their march along Big Sandy while our boys
boast of their valiant charge across Green River.
How warm soldiers greetingt Every one
of them has heart within him as large as a
barrel.
The inviting call has been heard to go and
partake of bounteous rcpast prepared by our
moss Adieu.
9 O'clock, P. M.-Dinner over; old times come
again, and must confess feel goutish. 1t re-
minds me of stopping at some city hotel where
the appearance of eatables are not very hatter-
ing at the table. But presently bill of fare is
thrust at you by the waiter and after looking at
a list of French names, you know very little
/ about what you are going to eat. But with
; Black Srcdmpcrs in such predicament, the only
/ alternative is to commence by calling for every
thing on the Bill, and after eating through il
three or four times, you will discover you arc
tsiIAi6us. So with us after eating through our
bill Of fare. We commenced on sOups-beef
potato and oyster. Then we went in on smash
ed potatoes, fried beef, chickens oysters, geese
, and ham. Vegetables-Onions, cabbage and
pumpkins. Snuce-apple, peach and cherry.
Pastry-pumpkin and peach pies. Cakes
fruit pound and sponge. Desert-Indian pud-
ding, apples and Pecean nuts. Extras-Bour.
bon and pickles.
Such was the kind of a dinner prepared for
; US by our handsome mess cooks. Long will it be
remembered by us all, for no man could eat
more, and when / left the table they were all
crying sasi.fed
The health of the Regiment is good We are
healthily located.
To-day news has been received in Camp that
Buckner has retreated from Bowling Green and
destroyed the town. The report needs confir-
nation. The rebels near here have all retreated
and prophecy that there will be no fighting
done by this Division in Kentucky. l think
we will get fight with the rebels at Nashville
Tennessee. There is no indications Of for
ward move from here before two weeks.
close this letter by wishing old friends a
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.