The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-08-12
CORES dence of the Guardian,
CAMP NEAR CoRINTH, Mondayl
July 2cth 1862 (

| the long silence which has existed be
tween us, and inf1ict on your readers an
other one of those interminable letters.
Ii The Guardian has been curtailed in its
spondence OF late, and the prodigies
of valor displayed by the Fifth unrecord
ed, during their memorable campaign
with the mosquitoes, feas and cred bugs, }
| am sorry. But really the weather has
been SO hot, provoking sense Of listless
languor and laziness, impossible TO re.
sist, while the numerous specimens o.
animated nature effeclually prevented one
from closing his eyes at nighttall, that
to undertake to write letter was a task
Of no common magnitude. The only
thing thata person can do to perfection in
this country, is sleeping As soon as coffee
is swallowed in the morning. the soldier,
if not on duty, procures paper and
turns into his bunk for com Portable sea
son. The telegrapnic dispatches are has
lilly glanced over, the letters from our
especial correspondents" read, and he
is just ready to dip into a lengthy edit,
orial on the estate of the country, "
when all at once the limbs become relax
ed, and snore OF most tremendous vol
ume proclaims the fact that the ardent
disciple of Mars is fast asleep. Mid wars
and rumors of wars, with a generous
supply of crackers in the kitchen larder,
or on shor; rations, with a plelhoric
purse or nary red, with letter in his
waistcoat pocket conveying the blest as
surance that his sweetheart is faithful to
him OF keeping company with another
chap. it is all the same. He will sleep
on perfectly obliyious of all external
things until awakened by the Orderly
Sergeant to answer roll call, and failing
TO shake the drowsy influence in time to
appear, gets stuck on double duty.
That part Of the corps de Qrnaee until
lately under the command of Gen. Pope
is now camped four miles south of Cor
inlh, near small stream called Clear
Creek. The ground is admirably suited
! for a summer cantonment, there being
high ridges covered with fine growth
of pine and other forest trees, which af-
ford a grateful shade, while good pure
spring water, is found in abundance.
New Eng land herself cannot excel these
springs. They gush forth from the base
of the bluffs and ravines, ripping with
their silyery music beneath bowers Of
myrtle, and interlacing vines, and afford
ing the blest cooling liquid to thousands
The most famous one Of these is near the
headquarters of Gen. Schuyler Hamilton
Two lateral ridges roll smoothly, grand
ly down, and meeting at the foot Of a IA.
vine, terminate abruptly. Just beneath
bubbles the spring, and the small stream
kisses the base Of the rugged heights
and then hides itselfin the foliage, CLEAN.
ing through the interstices of the leaves
like molten silver. A large tank or res
eryoir, built of plank, has been placed
over The fountain head, and spout in
serted, through which all the water runs
into an aqueduct below 1t is quite q
sight to stand here and view the crowd
that come hilher 10 draw" FRS
comes the sturdy volunteer, smoking his
pipe of sweet brier, and bearing mis-
cellaneous assortment Of canteens, mess
kettles, coffee pots, etc, etc, which he
has probably come distance Of m lie
to fill. Here is sweaty, dirty. ragged
mule driver, who drinks and drinks, as
though he could never get enough, VOW
ing meanwhile, that it is "just the nj
cest water that old Adam ever brewed /"
Next comes stout, dumpy, daughter Of
Ham, bearing on her head large wash
tub ,and followed by group Of picca-
ninnies, whose black skins glsten in the
sun, the cunningest looking urchins in
| the world. The mother makes a reyer.
entail curtesy 10 the soldiers, and asks il
they wouldn't be "jis kind enough to let
her have some water 10 rinse with" Sol
dlers, civilians, negroes, all heterogen-
Gus mass, crowd around with the great.
ST familiarity, and were it not for the alb
sence of the softer sex, and baggage per-
tanning thereto, the place would present
all the leading characteristics of a fash
ionable watering place.
The troops have recently been paid off,
and are now luxuriating on the good
things that the suffers shops afford
Straw berries and pine apples at 1925
per can, meet with a ready sale. Gran
ges, lemons and dried fruits, sell by the
wholesale, while through all the camps
extempore pedars are vending out pies,
candy, and bucketsful of lemonade 1t