The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1862-02-26
OUR ARMY CoRREsP0NDEMCE.
4 \ HEADoUARTERs I'd INIT. U.S.E. !
CAMP HALL, Charles Co, MD.
Feb. l7th. 1862

! has passed since the southern breeze bore
Jus the booming of Rebel cannon investing
Fort Sumter, vet the stirring events
crowded into that short space give to the
opening scene dignity of age far beyond
It's years. The brave defense of Ander.
son and bis gallant baud can no longer
be called a cotemporary event. And even
other events of much later date, come
to our memory almost as dream Of child
hood. Ellsworth, Lyon, and Baker, are
names of the past Yet in this ominous
calm that presages the storm, the mind
sometimes allays its eager expectancy by
reverting to the opening scenes of this
daring rebellion.
Though matter of but little impor-
tapce, perhaps you and yourreaders would
vet be interested in learning something
of small band of twenty-five or thirty
Potter boys. who enlisted iu what has
been generally known as the 'Slckles
Brigade" about the first of july last
Our "reminiscences Of Camp Scott, with
its motley crowd of citizens, land sharks,
shoulder STRAPPED importers, and new fedg-
ed recruits, are ludicrous in the extreme,
All had learned to consider guard duty
as . sacred trust, but the looseness of dis
ciplne on that camp, | believe, gave
maug, new ideas on the subject that have
not ceased to be troublesome to this day.
AS an instance Of sentry's fear Of the
powers that were, [ will mention an Incl
dent that occurred day or two after our
arrival: Walking near the lines Of the
camp [ came upon a fine looking son OF
the "Faderland" rromenadlng up and
down his beat with an old rusty musket
barrel minus stock aud lock, and with
about six inches of broken bayonet af-
fixed to the end thrown across his back.
This exercise was evidently much against
his inclination, for suddenly stopping, he
thrust hls venerable weapon into the
ground in an upright position, thus ad-
dressing It, There, mustret, | have
stood guard my hour now stand yours,
and taking a double quick over the hill,
he was soon imbibing freely at low grog
shop hard by. But this loose game oi
playing soiiier was suddenly brought to
a close. The sad story Of the 2lst OF
July put new face upon affairs, Wash
ington was in danger, McDowell's force
was dsorganized, the three months men
were leaving for their homes, and others
must take their places. The order came
from the war department for the forces
already organized in the north to be sent
forward This included the Regis. at
Camp Scott, and although we were not
uniformed, were undiscip plined and but
poorly armed, yet the Slckles Brigade
twas ready and were among the first at
the seat OF war Could the ID Regt as
it then was, be drawn up side by side
with the Regt now commanded by the
gallant Co. Geo. 3. Hall, think that
any one would be obliged to acknowledge
that six months can accomplish much IL
transforming the citizen into the soldier
E Our passage to Washington was mostly
devoid of interest; but one little incden'
occurred that greatly amused no at tht
time. Ali of the way until we reached
e the Maryland line, the people seemed tt
9 look upon US more as heroes returning
! from victory, than as raw recruits wh'
had vet to fight their first battle, this
conduct, we of course attribute to its true
scource viz: the patriotism of the peo
pie; after crossing the line this outburs
! of feeling suddenly ceased, and we saw
c no more of it until about midway from
j. the Pa. line to Baltimore we passed MAJ
f whose feelings burst out as fire from
smothcred volcano. He was stundin&
Oil the piazza of his house carelessl,
watching the approaching tram, when
Il suddenly, something about it attracted
e his attention bending eagerly forward
he scrutinized its living freight fora mo
ment, when drawing himself up to hi
full height, be uttered a whoop, hear(
shrill and clear above the noise of tn
train, and then as if his whole system
mad been suddenly charged with elecrri
J. fire, he went through a series of panto
/. mimic feats that would have defed tn
concentrated power of dozen Fourth o
, July's to have produced.
On arriving III Washington | was strucl
. with the feeling Of feveriSh insecurit,
s that prevailed amoug all classes of peo
n pie. And ii seems TO me that there wa
J. reason for it. That the Rebel General
!. did not then strike home, and inhict
blow on the north that would have givel
them the right of recognition abroad
proves that their highest trump was played
and the result of the game merely a mat
- ter of time
For months we lay In the vicinity .
Washington until that mighty current 0
Dorthernmen that set TO the south afte
$ the 21st of July was marshaIed into tn
> majestic columns of the Army of tn