New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1862-12-31
Christmas in Camp.


Special Correspondents" by way of theological
variety drop for the time my Christian faith and be-
come heather, and devout believer in the
chameleon doctrine of metempsychosis, adding,
however, for my own personal convenience, new
article to the ancient faith, making my netamor-
phoss vountary-a matter of my own individual
wil-rather than to have it at the pleasure of those
uncertain old chaps, the gods
This do, not that have the slightest doubt that
if the gods of my schoolboy days still in COM
mission they would willingly, in grateful recog-
milton of my early respect and veneration for their
Serene Highnesses and Lownesses, Henesses and
Shenesses cheerfully change Inc into any sort Of
reputable animal | should designate; still, should
nv old supernal friends have followed the current
fashions and have fes gned, tho new corners might
not be so ready TO recognize my schoolboyc
calico-reportoria claims. Fer instance should old
Jupiter have been superseded by Vulcan, (whom |
always despised for sulky fellow with wife too
coed for him. might chance to be transformed into
kangaroo. or pig, or an owl, o.. awful contem-
plation for a rsporter into lackass, for old Jupe
could MT hell ne, instead Of merely becoming for
the night n common soldier ut thirteen dollars q
month, payable as often rs he can catch the Pay
master.
Therefore by nv newly-invented improvement
patent applied for on the old heather mythology
which by the way, you will observe, Is AZ mythol-
oCy al all but some other fellows thoogyl, be
Kind enough to suppose your correspondent trans
formed into private soldier, positively for one
night only.
We had all hoped to spend our Christmas Nv Rich
mond exultioQ over the wreck aud ruin OF the Re
beli0n; rejoicng over Tue deiel' aud dismay OF the
Rebel army eating fatnees aud fun for ourselves,
. A. 1. H. 80 4 70
1t may be new and valuable information for you 10
know that we are not yet 10 nchmoud that the
Rebellion is not ~ wrecked and ruined as 1t mi gh
be-, and that j. ID. il still oXtaut.
Ever tlnce the return from our little fxcursion 70
Fredericksburg we have known that our merry
{ rirtmas' must be spent either under tenis, or
the march. and that Tor merriment we must rely on
our ow n powers
Some of us got letters from homeland oh, il
friends at home knew the priceless value OF home
letters, e,psciiy at such times they would be more
thoughtful and they ~Ouic oitcner make us happy
OF Christmas cheer we bad little 10 expect-
" hard tack" silt Junk, " old horfe," aud bean
SOUP" though useful doubtless, not tXh laraiug
am, indulge bow often man VIII, III the widest
poslbe debauches on the mud-ilavored water OF
these sweet Virginia runs, he can scarcely DO
fairly accused Of dangerous dissipation. True, we
had been enllyened, as 10 our eyes by The stimuat
IN sigti of certain large boxes OF grateful danes
sent through the agency OF Adams LIprets' 10 Inc
brave men who Are fighting our country battles IN
=" the tented field '--neaTer examination, however
disclosed the cOusOatory TACT that our ONce!s en-
loved monopoly OF these boxes.
fl certainly ID pleasant 10 know that there are in
camp those ootbsOme delicaci,, The noble roast tur
Ike, tie tender sucking pis now III turn to he MN
self sucked; the argumeniatiVe roast duck Tue
Uel-remembered goose, stuffed with the fragrant
sape the perfumed oulon, and the sayory rauHagei
aud accompanied by goofly proportion OF Apple
his sauce. IL IL a plea 81 ihing 10 tmtn ihe JUICY
me Of mince and tlai o'afr immortal PIE 10 furnish
Iunte rial for which o., gDf 20 pumpkin gladly gave
Li- rOtund life; 10 BOO" .t Jeliies abound, ana
that tbere il 10 laca . r.fi cires 10 the fand 70
have a CONSEQUENCE ~ under various dcceiiiul,
technical and scin lc Lanes, there are, within
reach If those m0rfrIs ou whom Heaven smiles and
sDoulderstraps insiuctsely sprou, run, ana brandy
ana IN and aso wDiskies OF the klhd known 10
,he initiated as "Sc0tch," the sCrt called Of the
knowing ones Bourbon" the variety rome INES
defomit ated "lrsh,' aud tho species commonly
leo by the curious In such nnttcIs "OId Kye. IL
is grateful grd goOdly thing I.o TO kbo" thal' n
Gaze any glt eu moral with shoulder tlf4ps SHOULD
exprets a rash desire 10 be ho0rei by thal WEI
weapon oil seductive Satan, that nc calleth "Punch,
,bere ia no dear.h IN tue Old Dominion Of lemons,
either Of sugar. nor ID the spicy nutmeg absolutely
unat alnab.e. - q,
But tie officers enjoy modest monopoly OF all
these good things, aud though OF course we ouRhl
t.n i,h the chaphnl TO eJOce at TIE hhWlne,s 81
our fellow creatures, | nm not prepared to believe
TINT the Government, or The chaplain, 0r any o.her
man." expects disiulcresteduess IRON private
sol iier at thirteen dollars month"; ionr montAe pay
behind lis boots out at the tOos, ana large ana
unuapdable hole IN the knee Of his paiHde p"H'"-
looms.
Aud 20, MT deny. that when we pnvat'h
cit the TURKEY, and the rOt aud boiled cicet fat
OF tho officers mess, some OF us ala "iHn ulat
"hard tack wasn't qlte 70 nara, ana 'na' run
wafer WAS more intoxicating beverage, for ono
A n. ..fu ia saN \.
Eu.neers al p. H., ritz x attride az OAK l"b' Try
iug 70 spur II into sharp glop, AMI iheh t'reh'eh
i,J Ia re OFT a IOntOOD wagon 1Oi nov Rl'lhb tne
oou,ter-ign to tie MajOfGeneIal W whlch Term NC
Oh stnguished brushience about lVriy ro's ~ y
~. tSongnt that VI we hsd ii IItte more " merry
Cnrirfmaf" aud he not quite 50 mucH' none Vi u'
would have been tie worae Tor IL. =, -,
MANY Of ib. private soldiers spent me oay wiz
iu0 Lone- Some wens to Church service w"cheN -
ma wherever there wac any-s0me lIiJou oS' e
some pitched pennies-b0me eo' UP ''"J - t,oo,
LsIlsomo took oh their coats ana played leap iIoR,
nd other athletic games and there was universal
1i.u,siiion 10 make ihe most Of the uhy, anu W
mike The best OF their iacliies rnher Than grown
about what they DIDN'T have, ana couluh eel' -,
I'm som.-in truth, III nearly an--ieeluehts 'no
ooin.r. took off 10 great extent, the whisky EN-,
br,o nud Above the to cheer their Dehi's huu
loosen their tongues 80 Tar az " uoues' quchonei
could contribute To these fesui's . ,..
TIe uriyate solder can only legitimately procure
LIQUOR by obtaining az order rom cop''iis'"o1I1
"fhcer ybich order" il merely IA permit Tor 10,
,a,ler to cell the man whisky Shonid the suffer SCI
The man liquor without such order, he subjects hin
self TO severe penhlIirb. l. 80,
A whi,ky order generally runs somewhat N tni'
fashion. though, as eacn soldier writes his own
nsrely coming TO the officer Tor bis signature th'
forms are var.oas; TN ~, Obi,
ih' sU"'' wa WA JOHN J0SLJ