Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1862-04-04
The s2d On tao March.
MooEEr1gLD, Va, March q

MooEEFIELD, Va. March "a, 1862.
EDIroR GAZETTE: On Saturday the 18th
inst, the SD Ohio Regiment actually received
real, live marching order. its effect Oh our
ruen was rather exhiiara.ing. They were not
merely jubilant-t they were wild. with excite
ment and joy. Onr fupiEeness and close con
inement amid the dalap vapo's Of Tygart's
Valley at length SeEe to be erdcd, and no one
who Is not acquainted with the dull uonotony
and insiPity Of pTetracted stay in camp or
barracks can imagine what thrilling effect there
was in those words, .marching orders"
Bat amid the general joy there werc many
faces upon which rested unwontei gloom. An
cdct had gone forth from our commandant-
Lieut.. Col, Durfee-tbat all who had not had
the measels should remain at Camp Tod
There were about q dozen of these luckless
wights in Company l. They begged hard,
some wept, others claimed to have been through
the measel mill" but twas all of no avail
their names had already been reported 10 The
Colonel. lie was inexorablc; there was no
hope for them but TO hurry and get the disease
and afterwards follow us.
Great bodies are 'proverbialIy slow in their
movements and it is especially SO with some
Railroad Superiutendents. Transportation
was not provided for our regiment until Mon
day, the 18th inst Before sunrise on the en-
suing Tuesday morning the signal TO strike
tents was sounded, and in Eve minutes the
camp, which had cost Us 50 many weeks of la
Dor to improve and beautiry. was a smoking
mass Of ruins l know of no better picture OF
deselatioU than newly abandoned camp
Endes the aaspieioas smiles Of a bright and
-=,-i-Fsliiug dawn our immense trains took up
ticir Zine Of march, and with the usual
amount oFcheers and congratulations, this new
episode IN the history of the SD commenced.
or all the metFso1s Of transporting troops, the
most inoonvenicnt, uncomfortable and weari-
some 10 the soldier is that by rail. But the
beauty and awful grandeur OF much OF the
scenery along the lisc OF the Baltimore and
Ohio fSaIiFoad cannot but make one obIivious
Of all privations and fatigucs The evidences.
too Of vast expenditure of labor and capital,
ard Of erg.Lcerirg skill 10 constructing this
road over the mountains are truly astonishing.
Ones mind is brought TO pitch of wonder
hardly surpassed Jy that excited in contem-
plating the temples, towers, pyramids and
sphynxes, Which give immortal glory to the
architectural genius Of ancient times
| Nightfall brought US toa village called New
I Creek situated on a stream O! that name, al
the foot Of tie mountains We bivouaced
| during the night aud next morning set cut up
on what has proved to be a FIVE days march
terminating IN our arrival at this point. Each
days travel was marked by its peculiar *
elements, bat will aot weary You 6y detail
1 ing them st sunrise feveille is sounded, then
breakfast eal, usually at : o'clock. Next
/ comes the signal for striking tents, at which
every teat ia camp comes down in a twink
! ling, baggage is packed and loaded, the Com
/ paHies take tAcir place is line. the word is
given and c4E we go, all withiq fifteen u4inutes
from the giving of the signal At noon arms
are stacked, knapsacks unslung, and the men
lunch by the roadside Towards evening a
camping party is sent forward, accompanied
! by guides, who well understand where TO find
q good farm, well stocked with such little con
veniences as hay and straw stacks, corn, oats,
&e.-the don;icil Of some misguided worsbiper
at the shrine Of rebellion One of these being
/ selected, rs soon as the column arrives il
is marched into some convenient meadow, arms
aFe stacked, tents pitchel and supper cooked
III g jifly. Indeed the celerity with WHICH these
canvass towns Of ours are erected esd taken
/ down s wonderful And get every articld
uiust be put IN lis proper place, and every.
thing done &ecovding to the most stringent
''rules and regulations
There is fine dash Of romance in this va
grant, guerilla kind Of soldering among these
Western Virginia mountains The roads
through the billy districts are always remarka-
bly, good, and the manner in which they lead
the trayeler upward along the gorges, and from
summit up to summit, then over the topmost