The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-03-15
Letter from Our Boys at Chicago.


CAMP DOUGLAS, March 8, 1862
Mr.. EDITOR you was kind enough to
| request me to write you occasionally, Civ
ing you such stray items as | could pick
up, as time permitted. shall be happy
to comply with your request, if you will
be content to publish hastily written and
imperfect letters, for | need not inform
one so familiar with camp-life as yourself
that none other can be expected from a
soldier. Your readers have been informed
that the SD was ordered to this camp to
guard some IF the rebel prisoners, taken
at Fort Donelson the length of our stay
hete is not known, though all sorts of ru-
mors prevail, some avering that we shall
remain as long as the prisoners do, and
others that we shall leave next Tuesday.
add the two extremes and divide by two
shall remain.
Our boys are now very comfortably
situated, as the barracks are more com
nodious and better constructed than thew
were at Camp Cushman-their duties,
however, are largely increased, as there
are but very few men in camp but ours
officers are q as thick as leaves in Vallum-
busa' and it requires yearly half a regi-
ment each day for guard
The SD receives many enconiums from
visitors for their soldierly bearing, the
manner in which they perform their
duties, and their general good conduct
and very justly too, for / do not think
there is a regiment in the State that can
equal ours, considering the length Of time
we have been in the service
We have now an excellent Regimental
struments to be had in Chicago, and the
lively, pleasant strains of music which
daily greet our ears, does much to relieve
the monotony OF campliie or cheer US
when fatigued by duty. The rebels have
also band AID occasionally B" do" little
music, or what they call such.
The secesh prisoners are az motley a
looking set a you ever saw. There are of
course among 50 large a number many in
telli,eut faces are 10 be seen, but their uni
form @ causes them TO appear far worse
than oar common day laborers. when
dressed in their every day workinti suit
The said uniform Is OF al! shades Of color,
gray. brndle and bu,ternu;. the last pre-
dominating; hats and caps Of al shades.
forms and qualities and boots and shoes
ditto. Even the six rebel surgeons who
are here though really sentiernes in man
ner, are no better dressed. though some of
Thorn b4y w. made ar utt,f NJ fii-tsr.tro,
by shoulder straps and gold @ lace on
their coat sleeves.
They, the men, are generally a quiet. in
offensive set, seldom addressing u unless
spoken 70, when some frankly admit that
they have been deceived by theirs leaders ;
that they find public opinion and the
object OF the war TO be quite different
from What they have been led To believe.
and that they VIII never again be found
fighting against their country Indeed
quite a number Of the pr!souer--solae
four or five Luudred-have a ked to be
discharged on taking the oath of ale
glance. TIM, making IL impossible for them
t. be Ieb-. soldier. again.
The reports about the sickness and
death among the prisoners mas been great
is exaggerated There has Of course been
much sickness amoar the prisoners, ave
. - ~ y o-pui pJt case WIN perhaps - or
deaths daily: bu;, when W. come 10
consider that these men were sent here
Immediately after battle, that they are
every one Of southern paTentage. aud that
the weather has been severely trying for
even us who are accIisnatei to the climate
the wonder is that their mortality bills
are not greater tl-..n they are.
zee that | am making it so long that
many OF your readers may dislike to wade
/ through it, and VIII close with an anec-
dote which seems TO have point enough
to make 1T worthy Of publication
When the news Of our late naval reverses
was brought TO camp one of our officers
remarked, knew there was something
coming. for the o;her Sunday ihe Colonel
detailed two of his best men 10 20 To town
and attend Church for his whole regiment
+ The lot tell upon the PaIson aud |, and
( the preacher, before his sermon. PRAYED
/ for the army and our land forces generally.
/ but his prayer was not big enough TO cover
the nary now see the result, We've got
d-naby whipped all because h was so
dryilish careless! REyIELLE