The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-09-23
Of the Guardian.

Correspondence of the Guardian.
CAMP FRANKLIN, DUBUqUE, IowAl
Sept. 18th, 1862.
FRIEND Rich Nothing of vital i'm
portance has transpired since wrote you
last. Every day is day Of excitement
when compared with the quiet at home.
We live faster here than you do in Inde-
pendence. Time flies, and we scarce
know it is gone. Soon after my letter
was sealed DR.. Brewer came into camp
with county warrants to pay the volun
teers Of our county. Some of the boys
soon sold theirs at considerable discount,
being, presume, sadly in want of mon
ey. Others being in different circum-
stances, declared old Buchanan too good
TO be sold at discount. With this pay
came other valued favors, which were
gladly received. The barrels of eggs,
the onions, and all the dainties, refreshed
and cheered the boys. The gracious re-
mitances of these kind friends will long
be embered.
We have church frequently. Elder
Fulton, of Independence, has preached
for us several times. He is liked by the
boys, and we trust his talents may be
sufficiently appreciated in the regiment
to secure for him the chapaincy.
On Tuesday sthe 2lst, Col. Merrill,
left for Rolla, Missouri The boys were
in good spirits, and received marching
orders with great glee. Here they had
spent weeks in preparing to meet a com
mon foe, and now they marched for the
field of action, As they passed our bar
racks the air was rent with cheers, and
the heart of every soldier, | doubt not,
wished them God speed. There was
drenching rain as they marched from
camp to the city, and ceased only after
they had been pretty thoroughly soaked.
Soon after the boys had gone, the 9Th
regiment received marching orders, not
for the plains Of Dixie, to drive back the
traitors, in rebellion, nor for the rugged
Northwest, toencounter the long disturb
ing and savage foe, but for the barracks
formerly occupied by the 2lst. A num-
Der of men were detailed TO renovate
them, and in little while we, loaded
with blankets, knapsaeks and bundles OF
straw. singing, odd John Browns
knapsack is strapped upon his back, ;"
were marching to our new homes. We
were soon all again arranged. The move
in some respects is happy one. The
grove is more pleasant, and the bar
| racks were constructed with more care
On the whole, the boys seem well pleas
ed with the change. The 32d and 3Sth
are in camp. Barracks are constructed
for the accommodation Of four thousand,
and from this you may judge we have
quite respectable little village.
Amusement in camp is varied. Some
are engaged in one thing, some in an
other. In wrestling, boxing, jumping
and all other amusements, the same good
feeling and kind heartedness are uniyer-
sally prevalent 1t is surprising and
amusing to see with what ayidity a gift
| is received here. Almost as the heather
in some far-of and unciviized land re-
| ceiyes the first echoes Of truth. so do the
soldiers receive a gift. A friend came
into camp day or two since with toma-
u,
and qualification was expressed by hur-
red receival OF all his kind gifts, and
then, amid n storm of applause, wild
enough to enkinde the spark of patriot
ism in any heart, he retired from the
camp.
| The health is somewhat better than
when | last wrote We have become in.
ured, in some degree, TO the privalion
and restitution of the soldiers life. The
food we get here is quite different from
that TO which we have been accustomed.
The labor performed by the soldiers is
not hardship, nor is The greater part OF
it unpleasant. The drill is not severe.
The worst part of the service is guard,
ing; even this. in pleasant night, is not
to be dreaded When the moon beams
from the azure vault, through the gray
old clouds, it streaks the whole surroun-
ding landscape with its silver belt. Be-
come wearied in such an Lour as this,
and the moon seems suddenly arrested in
her downward course, and leaning over
the tops Of the trees, her jolly broad face
derlslyely smiles at my Impotence. A
dark and rainy night calls up other and
different feelings and actions. In such
a time as this. the guard, with slow pace,
travels his beat and longs for the APP
proach Of the relief lie then feels that
he would rather be ut home on his easy
couch, listening to the pattsring rain
drops as they fall on his chamber roof.
We have good music here Seldom
] have | heard better music than | have