Pomeroy weekly telegraph. [volume] (Pomeroy, Meigs County, Ohio) 1860-1866, 1862-08-15
For the Pomeroy Weekly Telegraph.
Letter From the Camp.
CAMP MEADOW BLUFFS, VA, J
August 3, 1862. I

August ), 1862.
Dear Te1egraph-If blessed with =
retentlve memory, you will recognize
your correspondent from Gauley Bridge
Since L wrote you, detachment Of the
Ninth Va. Reg't did some tall scouting
for bush whackers, beyond Sommerville.
III Nicholas, Webster and Pocahontas
Counties; of which / intended to give
you description. But the recent sad
disaster at Sommerville, to-wit: The
capture of Lieut.. Col. Starr, Capt. Davis,
tLieute1ants Stivers and Ewing. and
about fifty n-commissioned officers
and prlvates of the two Companies, A
and f, stationed there; the loss of their
arms, and the destruction of our com
mlssary stores, and the surrender of the
post, by our Regiment-these things in
cline US to silence, as to our operations
IN that section of secessia and total de-
pravity.
1t Was heavy blow to us. Had our
officers been on the alert, and made a.
fair fight, We should feel proud of them,
though captives. As it is, but little, if
any sympathy is, or can be, felt for
them.
In the midst of citizens, sworn. It's
true, but none the less cursed with the
leprosy of secession, who secretly give
information of our strength OF wea kness.
of our discipline or the want of it. of
our caution or earelessness, it be-
hooved every soldier, and still more
every officer, to watch with argus eye,
the insidious approach of the willy
enemy. Had this been done, Com
panies A and L would have been the
pet lambs of the Regiment, and the
subjects Of an honorable record, instead
OF one, shameful and demoralizing. A
truce to subject so unpleasant
Here we are, the rest Of US, with Big
and Little Sewell between you and US;
fifteen miles from Lewisbgrg, Va. The
weather for the most part is delightful!
1 might, if l had the ability and incli-
nation, give description of the scenery
which would outriyal some imaginary
novelistlc pictures, but I forbear. lam
glad to state that the health ofour men is
rapidly improving, which is, indeed, but
poor consideration for some families, |
whose sons, brothers, husbands anl ,
fathers, have been disabled by disease,
or bound in the icy fetters of death.-
Alas! for the brave boys who answered
their countrys call, and who, before an
occasion offered to demonstrate their
and prowess by deeds on the
battle e-feld, have been drafted from the
great army of our country, into that
other vast, silent army, which, till the
'lose of the worlds drama, shall be
oivouaced, here, there, everywhere.
l cannot resist the inclination to men
lion, in this connection, the case of
serg't John P. Rugg, with whom the
writer, and many OF your readers, were
Intimately acquainted. Possessed of
good judgment, quick perception, and
'teadiness beyond his years, he was
rusted to much greater degree than
S usual, having been promoted first to
! sergeancy, and more recently to the ,
position of regimeutal ordnance Ser ]
seant. He had friend in 'severy one
Who knew him.
Alas! for the blighted hopes and +, !
of friends, now clad in sable /
arb for the brave, departed one! A $
'atriot's tear on the grave of the brave r
oung Sergeant, and a patriots curse $
n the traitors, whose crimes against r
God and their native land" called for o
by his steady hand and
7l!ling arm! And thanks to God for
he self-sacrifcing devotion Of such
oung men! =,
Where and wherefore we are to
love, are questions asked here in camp,
Il the more anxiously, inasmuch as no 81
ne, outside of precious fe W, is able to Sc
nswer them. According to warnings Of
wen certain officer, who, a short NJ
me since, carried flag of truce to the 'e
'bel forces son the other side of ou1 of
ordan,' alias, Greenbriar River, we L
ould be compelled to fall back within m
n days" :" The period has expired, e'
I'd we have fallen back on our old fort
crackers, coffee and beef
We, of the Ninth Va, are in good II
mpany now, and plenty of it, and are la
lproVlng, too, as consequence Of SO
ch association; which is, no doubt, cl;
'inciple in military, as in social and Pr
vii life. Everybody here, except a
W officers, lives in huts, and the boys
Joy the mode of life finely. I will
lite you again, soon, and perhaps fre- t
'ently. if | continue to be your living ca
FRANK.