Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-02-12
Camp corres2Ondencs.
CAAP KELLY, Virginia,
Jan. 26, 1862.

| JAN 70, lSOz-
Msssrs. Faitors We are encamped in
avery muddy and unpleasant place. Nat
urally swampy piece of ground, it il
now made almost uncomfortable BY reason
OF the necessary trade about camp The
water Is miserable, indeed, and on the
whole, there is but little that is pleasant
about camp Kelly, and yet a stronger po-
sition, or more secure place for troops
could scarcely be found. small force
could do great execution agninst great
odds. There has for some time been no
little excitement in camp. oceasioned 10y
the anticipation Of an attack from the reb-
el Gen. jackson. But it is now generally
understood, that Jackson does not design
making an attack; but Is manouvering
for some other end. All signs of rebel
forces have disappeared from the vicinity
of New Creek. The regiments that were
at that place being drawn into Romney or
elsewhere. Scouts report the enemy as
evacuating Romney- | think probabili-
ties favor the report / am unable to SEQ
what the rebels are to gain by holding
| ROmney. They must have at least forty
miles over which to convey their supplies.
Everything is eaten up that was eatable
around Romney. Hence conclude that
they not only gain nothing by it as a mil
itary position, for certainly rs such, it ia
at present worthless to either party but
they gain nothing in the way Of subsist-
ence, and at the same time they must
be to great expense in sustaining an ar
my there. What Romney was to us, it is
to the rebels-an unnecessary expense.
The probable result viii be, that the
rebels will concentrate their forces at
Manassas, and risk everything on that
point.
The late victory in Kentucky has much
improved the spirit of our men. ] believe
that our soldiers are daily gaining conf
dence in their cause as well as in the abil-
ity of their leaders. There seems to be a
feeling generally pervading the minds of
the soldiers, that there are to be no more
defeats. t
The health Of the troops is good-bet-
ter than when We were in Western Vir-
ginia, which is partly owing to the fact
that the more unhealthy are already used
up and none but the toughest are left.
and partly on account of the season of the
year. We are well elothed-have more
blankets than We can possibly carry on a
march. and all the eatableS that we can
possibly dispose of. The reason the men
lost so much on the evacuation of ROM
ney, was that they had accumulated much
more than regulations allow. and the sGr-
plus had to be thrown away for want Of
conveyance. Our Sibley tents, with their
stoves in them, are as warm and cOmfor--
able as our home parlors, though perhaps
not so pleasant and agreeable. | think
that we would all be glad to spend our
hours in home circles better than here,
but at the same time we are not suffering
from cold as some suppose. The depar'-
ment has been organized, and the trool
are brigaded; the brigades being under
command of senior COlonels.~ Col. KIM
ball has command of the first brigade,
Col. Dunning of second, and Col Tyler.
of the third. Troops are daily arriving,
and it is not improbable that more brig
AIDES will have TO be formed. At present
Col Tyler has command of the 7th Ohio,
the eth Indiana, the 1st Virginia, the
10th Pennsylvania, and the 18th Indi-
ana. The troops seem to have confidence
in their new General.
Since my last, chaplain has arrived
to fill the place of Mr.. Brown Of course
he has not been here long enough to ena-
bic US to form an opinion of him. We
have no doubt, however that he is a good
man. To-day he appeared before the
regiment for the first time. We hope Mr..
Wright may be successful in filling the
place Of our excellent Mr.. Brown.
Ever yours, CAsE.