The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1862-11-05
FROM HARRISBURG.
CAMp SIMMONS. Oct. 24th, 1852.

CAMP SIMMONS, Oct Gath, 1852.
As I agreed with you. I now proceed
to post up to this date in regard to our
whereabouts and condition. After very
tedious ride to Wellsvilie we were put
into duty, hog pen of a car, compound
ed Of the itch aud small pox, which, for
tuuatelv for US broke down in few miles,
when we were transferred TO decent
carriage, and, with the usual vexatIons Of
a night ride arrived at Harrisburg on
Tuesday about two o'clock and marched
to Camp Simmons Immediately. There
was but little of the enthusiasm manifest
ed that was shown towards the volunteers
year ago, Occasionally, at towns where
the drafted men were ready to take trans
portation with US TO this place we were
received with cheers and parted with by
tie waving Of hats, hands and handker-
chiefs, but generally a settled gloom ap-
pearcd on the faces of spectators; proba-
bly, they were thinking Of the time when
their turn would come.
We we're the first draft in Camp; the
record Of our acquisitions leading the reg
lister. The volunteers in camp showed
decided disposition to ridicule the drafted
men by cheers and shouts of derision.
There were many exceptions, however,
aDd gentlemen among them fastened to
our quarters to apologize for the rudeness
Of their men and thank Us for the timely
aid we were likely to afford them. But
this soon wore off, and to day there is
probably twice as many drafts in camp as
volunteers And the cry is, "still they
come" The roads ara everywhere full
of them from morning until night and we
have ceased to look at them or their quar-
ters. As if by magic, city of tents has
grown up around Us and we find ourselves
in the niddie of acres and acres of canvas.
There is great contrast in the appear
aaco of the volunteers aud draft The
former are many of them mere boys-one
large company of cavalry being composed
almost exclusively Of them-while the
latter are generally men Of mature age,
and look and speak determined.
/ OCT 25.-Since writing the above We
have been joined by twenty men from
Mexican county, under the command of
ID Lieut.. Mapes To-day the Tioga mcu
came in. We are expecting a few Of them
to join US and I'LL up our company.
| must confess had no idea of the
magnitude Of our army arrangements.
Such vast quantities Of stores and provi
sions cannot be adequately described by
figures but must be seen to be appreciated.
Aud this for only small fraction cf the
array. To say so many pounds of bacoa
or bread, so many thousand tents o. tens
of thousands blankets conveys but mea-
gre idea of them but to see box after
box, barrel after barrel, ca>k after cask
opened, ard its contents distributed as
fast as thousands Of men can carry thcm
off, all day long, is to get an idea of what
it takes to keep an army. The men are
generally we'll and feel in the best of
spirits. Yesterday was election day with
US. After the Mexican men came in a
vote was taken for officers, which resulted
as follows:
Captain.--Rufus Rice, Potter.
1st Lieut.-E. 0. Austin, Z"
2d Liem-Thomas Mapes, Mexican.
The other officers will be selected as
soon as the company is full The follow
ing is a list of ali absentees of the drafted
men and their substitutes, with the rea-
son for the absence, of all who started
with US, so far as is known to me.
Allen Shepherd, enlisted in Cavalry.
II. \. Fisher, d"
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