The weekly Lancaster gazette. (Lancaster, Ohio) 1860-1863, 1862-03-13
Army Correspondence.

as.o KY, March Let, 1869. I
EDTroRs GAZETTE: / have percbed my.
self upon the Hottest ''buDk' 10 our bar
rack room for die purpose Of ibficting a
short communication upon you, thinking
ln would, perhaps, be acceptable from one
who loog since ceased to enjoy the highly
icuphoneOus and classical cOguomen Of
Devil" in the printing establishment Of
which you are the proprietOrs. - ,.. !
Many and various have been my expe.
friences sindS parting with the ever to.bs.
remembered associations connected with
a pripter's career, and / now End myself
a member Of the United Safes Signal
Corps, the whole force Of which, belong 4
ing 10 the department, Of the Ohio, are
now stationed at Louisville. KY, awaiting
transportation TO Cairo, and from thence
TO Nashville, Tennessee. The Corps has
been organized but a month or six weeks
and is composed of Lieut.. and two men
from each regiment 10 the department. /
had the houor TO be selected from the 18Th
10. v. l. as one to act in this capacity.
| l enlisted in the 18th at Camp Dsnni-
son. Immediately after the Presidents call
for three year volunteers and was with
that regiment during all its severe cam
paign in and through Western Virginia.
William S. Smith, Of Athens, Ohio. is its
COL, than whom a braver or more ener
getic man does not wear an eagle, as he
has proven during the few engagements
We have had among the hills Of Va The
18th participated in the battle Of Carniisx
Ferry. where twenty Eve hundred Of us
drove five thousand rebels, under Floyd,
/; from their entertainments and breast.
works, across the Gauley river. We were
, also in the advance when Rossncrans
t drove Floyd from the Junction Of the Gau.
ley and Kanawa rivers. at GauleS Bridge,
and came so near "trappihg" him. It
was on that occasion that the rebel, Col.
} Croghan, o. this city, was killed by a
musket ball fred by some one Of our skir-
mishers. was SO close upon him (be
ing delloyed as a skirmisher, as 10 get 8
: pocketrknife which he dropped when he
!, fell. We marched night snd day 10 pur
II SUIT; the last night resting one hour onl,
:, and the night before about three hours
\ Blu: fear, as well as love, ''lends wings,
d and the wiley "thiei'' escaped US. H
:, since proved himself as expert q. For
Donelson.' There are many who are in
= : terested in this "littic war; would rathe
i, have Floyd taken than JEFF Davis himsel
s not Tor what he is, but for what he ha'
been. f...t...,... ,..-.-. 4,
! Things wear a very military aspcct herr
D in Louisville, although the seat of war j
n now far removed. Troops are now cen
: stantly pouring through her streets, tax
,f ing passage at the landing for scenes fur
II thsr South, The Signal Corps is wailin
e with much impatience TO be "paid off
u aud sent further on toward the point wher
. they may take a part in tie grand dram'
i. some scenes Of which have yet to te en-
le acted. We intend TO let the rebels Sc
m that. although we don':t talk much, we ca
!, 1' make signs" e.'-' -0a -r..
. Our Signal duty will be performed b
a, mtaues Of different colored flags. the di
s. ferent motions Of which indicates certai
a. numbers. which in their turn, represer
= the letters of the alphabet. Thus. you SCI
as Information may be transmitted in a sho
a. space Of time to The distance oil. man
is miles, or, as far as the eye can comman
ne by aic of the telescope. We will be n
- - quired on the battle field principally, hoV
* ever. Each man wall be furnished vii
it, North's brsech loading carbine, . heav
er sabre, std revolver; and those who wi
a. a be assigned to gunboat service will r'
!; ceive' d horse. l learn this evening th'
e. we will leave this place on Tuesday :
as The officers have, improved the dela
q made here, by getting up pay roll. tt
e. e. paymaster being in town. 1t is an hol
= ot'to our boys that most Of rkan' expre'
Ia their money home to be used in The Fl
y ture. III. cd, .... t....s., t,.
- 20 The 17Lh Regiment, | believe was raj
We cd in Fairfield county. i have not h'
lis the Happiness 10 meet it since j saw it {
Sutton Heights, in Va, since which tim
no there has been many important chang
80 ia its material, as il was tlen a Ihr'
an months regiment. They we're at or ne
eo Eogan's Cross Roads when Thomas viii
rts ped Crittenden, but | believe were n
s' called on 10 show their courage. Tn,
. have an excellent nattie, and if they a
at. under Gen. Thomas long, no doubt tn
ink will have chance to exhibit their mt
ere tie. ..... .-........-f f..,...
have nothing 10 offer you, as yet,
ma. the way ol news, as all army mOvemen
ron are kept pretty close for the present, I
ina ~ =. 20 hs;ng nrohibited from disclosi