The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1862-04-03
From the Cambria Regiment.
CAMP CAMPBELL, near Washington ID. C.
March 81, 1862.

| TO the Editor Of The Atteghaaian:
Long have we looked and longed, and
looked and longed in vain for a copy of
"1He AHeghonian.' Not even a stray
copy has reached us since we left Camp
Curtin. It used to be one of our most
regular and welcome visitors We have
heretofore excused its remissness upon
the grounds that the muddy roads to our
camp prevented is coming, but this ex-
cuse will do no longer
l would take great pleasure in furnish
ing you regularly with camp efusion,
had anything to write about. The or
dinary routine of duty presents nothing
worthy of the pen of correspondent
When we take up the line of march, I
will then have an ample scope, and hope
to improve the opportunity.
The camp fire at night presents the on
ly feature of interest. Here the lover of
fun can enjoy himself in listening to the
yarns spun by the soldier on his fellow
comrade. Among the most ludlcrous [
have heard is one told of soldier, but
not Of the 54th, standing guard near a
mud-hole of considerable depth, one dark
! night. Sometime during the night, the
''Oficer of the Day" started On his tour
of inspection. With his escort he ap-
preached the guard.
"NNho comes there ?" challenged the
sentinel.
Just at this moment the Sergeant of
the guard missed his footing, and stepped
into the mud hole
"Jesus Christ ~ exclaimed tie Ser
geant. Taking this to be the name of
the party approaching, the guard sang out ::
"AdvaDce, Jesus Christ, and give the
countersign.''
1t is unnecessary for me to add that
this is decidedly the best story Of guard
duty we have yet heard. But there are
hundreds of others told FOR truth by the
mystic circle at the guard tent.
Except the regular service and drills,
we have but little to do as a general rule.
This life is admirably calculated to make
one lazy and doless. Plenty to eat and
wear, and but little hard labor, has a ten
dency, at any time, to enervate the man,
but when you add to this the close con-
fnement of the camp, you only tend to
hasten the result. The march and battle
alone call forth the energy of the soldier.
What the result of the coming summers
campaign will have upon our boys, we
can only conjecture. But we sincerely
desire to be sent to Dixie ere old Sol
travels too far Northward. Far more is
to be dreaded, the army surgeons say,
from sickness consequent upon an advance
into warm climate by Northern troops,
than from the destructiveness Of powder
and lead. The destruction in time of
battle, the history of this war has shown,
Notwithstanding the number of troops en-
gagged, and the improved weapons of Of
fense and defence employed, is remarka-
bly, small.
What striking contrast the history of
ancient battles presents to those of mod
ern times On the one hand we read:
''And the Philistines fought, and Israel
was smitten, and there fell one hundred and
twerty and five thousand on that day"
Whilst on the other we find
Victory
Terrible Fighttng'
A Terrific Hand TO Hand Struggle!
Terrible Loss Of Life on both Sides
Ten Rebels LEFT Dead on the Field!
Only Tsoo Of the Federals Killed!
And then the writer uses three columns