New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-06-27

make him BriQadier- General, il i were President
Of the United States. He has allotted the half Of
two days in the week, Wednesday and Saturday, to
the sacred duty Of washing clothes His soldiers are
not permitted to dirty clothes, nor even to have
dirty clothes. The radical law Of bis regiment is
CLEANLINESS IN ALL RESPECTS. The hair OF both
men aud officers is kept constantly close.
The eve is pleasantly smitteD with the remarkable
superficial Cleanliness of this camp. Not scrap
of paper-not bit of hard bread--nor ofal OF meat
no litter of any description Whatsoever, can be
found from one side of it to the other The super
fetal cleanliness of the mess pans and kettles, en-
forced by daily inspection not only Of the Kitchens
and utensils but of the cooking and the food when
cooked, ia also pleasant TO behold. But let no en-
yions man say that this life, admirable as it is in
Ia Volunteer regiment, is purely exterior and la.
boriouslv gotten up for exhibition. The care OF the
faithful officer who has established it, pursues his
troops everywhere, and stands sentry night and day
over their health. He never allows a soldier to
have wet feet if he can help it, In rainy or in cold
weather. his established rule is to have huge log
fires kndled at the end of each street in the camp,
and the soldiers required to gather there in bv-
ouac and dry their shoes aud warm their feet If they
have been wetted.
What is the result OF such wise and faithful care
of soldiers in the field Why the health Of Mcleod
Murphy's regiment is unprecedented in the history
of the American armies. In no other on this PENN
sua is the ratio of sickness and death 80 small as IN
this. The sanitary contrasts between this regiment
and those camped on each eide OF it-between TINS
regiment and those which succeed il and occupy It's
ground, but don't succeed to Its laws of material life
are striking and in the highest degree instructive
The regular service does not present. even In garr
son life, more carefully cared for more cleanly
dressed healthier, and happier looking troops than
Mcleod Murphy musters from day to day here in
his camp In the Chickahominy swamp. And yet
this admirable result is attained at a very trifing
cost of trouble and care on the part Of both COM
mander and men.
impose violent restraint on myself when l
avoid making the logical and the dutiiul application
of the truths which cluster about the discipline Of
this regiment. But 90 by them, and away from
blazingeyed grave, but MORALLY earnest man, with
a captain's straps upon his shoulders and l salute
him with reverted palm 10 the visor Of my cap, and
say: Titus, make your bed wide enough for two
tonight
III will do so, ny lad, with the greatest pleasure"
The German pipe is withdrawn from the heavy,
grizzled mustache, and the rails and hemock boughs,
foundation for the bed Of single blessedness, are
spread for the doube-seeping of domestic felicity.
Allow me to show you. When horseman IN
the field in presence Of the enemy, goes 10 bed, he
should be prepared to get quickly and without con-
fusion into bis clothes and into his saddle Recollect
that we are not more than two miles from 10000
Rebels every one of whom would esteem ii privil-
eye, rs well as a duty, TO Kill you. III you rH
undress place your pantaloons aud your coat under
NOur ledQi put YOUR eNOeb lHtlc az ioOt VI
hemlook. But long before this, my friend, take up
the saddle and get out the blanket place the saddle
on the rack; put your blanket on top OF it hit up
the stirrups and lap them over the blanket; take
your bride, disentsngle the reiDs, loop them up 70
the headband and tie them there loosely, thus and
thea hang your bride ON the ssddlc-bow. You can
take that saddle and that bride, and put them
On horse wi,hou, confusion, Ia tie darkest night
that ever shrouded an army.
! Oh, the eetness OIL the breath Of the hemlock
the infinite bliss OF soft bed TO the weary body and
the weary soul; the Strengthening contact with q
lionhesried man, who III quie! voice gives you 10
the vgils Of the night the wisdom Of wel.mAtured
life spent amid the Aash of bayonets and the rattle
OF sabers, and with the outlying pickets who play
hide and seek with death.
| IL have hunted deer in Northern Michigan, aud
in the John Brown tract, since was fourteen years
DID, have learned the Indian ways Of tracking a
forest. can approach game noiselessly. see all
things. I hear all sounds. My observation has
been shsrpened by culture with ride in my hand,
till feel that it would be but sport for me to 20 ont
into that swamp, and xii every Rebel picket on q
line from here 10 the camp this side OF Richmond.
I know / could do it, and come back withou, a
scratch. This confidence the result Of familiarity
with the forest and life long pursuit OF large game,
makes il no hardship whatever for ne, at midnight,
to mount my horse and go through four miles Of
picket line and see if all is right"
! II was the I'd Of June-the dead Of the Seven
Pines lying yet unburedand our own wounded not yet
/
/ o clock in the morning. Roll ROLL! r-o-l-li!l
OF musketry fired by files in the far advance. The
Captain placed his hand on my breast. " Lie still
| will zee what 1t is" And he dressed enough to
90 out and wake very quietly his orderly and bid
him saddle bis horse and came back for bis coat and
overcoat, and sword, and pistos. Filling and light
| ing his pipe, he said "Good-by" in low, sweet
voice and went out and his horses hoofs were soon
too far away 10 make echoes in Peck's little camp.
The soldier had disturbed no sleeper; had made no
ftfE I'D ,,sn tln MI md ,la,y
into danger, without demon straiion. "Use doth eat
senss" Of peril as well as other things, and was
asleep when the rafting OF saber being hung up
10 the tent awakened me to the Captains return.
"A reconnaissance in too much force down that
cross.road through the swamp, whore have always
told them we were vulnerable. II shall be plugged
Tomorrow" And be slept Immediately. lay
awake and unused upon the social phenomena Of this
war wondering why zOnle men were Brigadier-
Generals whom God had only commissioned Us at
tornies Of low degree, ana other men Colonies, TO
the grief Of the lager-beer interest, and other nea
Captains in whose palms the chrome itching for the
hair-dreeser's tOngs was Vet unsubdued; and why
the man at my side capable Of commanding q brig
ade, should be 50 placed III the army that il un-
certain If he was lieutenant or a captain. The
Of soldier, the grandson OF soldier he fifty received
sergeants commission al fourteen years OF age, and
went through every grade Of the infantry cavalry
aud artillery regiment before lie was thirty. When
the Rebellion famed 10 q head In the bombaIdment
oil Sumter, this gentleman abandoned lucrative
business instanily--ierelly tumbed his operatives
into the street-stopped bis s,eam-engine and put
out its fiIes-locked the doors aud threw the keys
away. and then hunted for the regiment that would
sOOles march TO the protection Of the National Capt.
tai. Bankers and men Of business, who knew bis
worth and military experience, begged him 10 wait
and take command Of u regiment. His arcor would
know no restraint. Washington was in DANGER and
one ann, at least, should strike for its relief He
marched for,hwith-ss q simple adusnt. For
moro than year he labored in forming his regi-