Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1862-11-27
Letter from belmont Boy in washs
ington.
"WnrR IIorss WA.vIvor,a. D. C.,

WHITE HOUSE WAs'UNar,N D. Cpl
Nov. i7th, 1912,
EDrroR CHRONICLE. When last wrote
| promised to drop you a few lines OCCASION
ally. As we have moved our quarters, I
supposed so important movement" ought
rightly to be kept quiet" lest the enemy
should gain information OF tho fact how
ever, will write you Confidential" let
ter since there have been so M my of that
kind written from this place.
We left our encampnent, at "Old Sol
diers Home, last Tuesday. The Presi-
dent left his quiet country residence on that
day for the White Hou,e: Co. X received
orders from G an. Walsworth, to "pulI
stake" and follow. (not just in that word
ing) Our present encampment is situated
in the grove, which MANY Of you will re-.
member between the White House and the
/ War Department bull ling.
We find it much nosier here, so naar
Pennsylvania Avenue, than ut the Home"
The hnnircd' of G1vernm,n teams, which
pass daily, added to the usual bls.le of this,
the principal thorpughtare Of Washington,
keeps mp a constant rattle from clock in
the morning until IL clock at night. Il
is quite sight, in these busy war times, to
sit and watch the moving throug. On one
side of the street you will see long trains Of
covered wagons with from four to six mules
attached, the wheel "horse" (mue) nous
ted generally by a contraband In tho eeutre,
the street cars pass every few mf36bs-
! Beside these, are cavalry squads, fsmbu-
lances, mounted officers, passing constantly.
: Add to this the crowded pavepsnts, and
$ you have conglomerated moving mass ]
should think about one half or two thirds
OF all the persons you see are soldiers--the
, majority Of whom are officers, from Major
and Brgadier Generals down TO Lieuten.
d ants and even Corporals. Several regi-
, ments of Artemus Wards style (officers)
might be raised here in the city. There
n certainly is a wrong somewhere. All the
Colonels, 1t. Colones, Majors, Captains,
Lieutenants which we see cannot certainly
b.. have business here. Still they walk tn,
II streets, (some with their perfumery am
,i kids ride out with the ladies, and, still
e draw their pay the same as those who ar
!, ~ in the field. | cannot see why such officer
are allowed to be absent from their respec
tive commands so much. The officers on,
would think, ought especially to be witt
l. their men and see to them, that they ar
i properly cared for. No doubt our army ha
re lost much of its eifectivenes from just sucl
al neglects.
ot The removal of McClellaS created con
Is Is siderable excitement for time. The Pre-.
IS ident would certainly not have done it, ha
III he not had plausible excuse. If Gen. Nj
Is Clellan has not accomplished what coul
ar reasonably have been expected of him
st with the time and army that he has had,
a seems but right that some one else shout,
,kI be tried. This is no time to wait for dis
play of military prowcss. tits too dear
business. "Time is money!" and nation,
;e life, too, with us now. We want still NOR
encrGy in the prosecution of the war.
VS. But must close for the present, re
d. m ain, yours, Avon.