Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1863-03-10
MATTERS about Newport News.
Correspondence of the Star Chronicle.
NEWPORT News, Feb. 25, 1868.


Newport News is NO town. There are
one or two houses near the shore-two
piers that run out into the James River
some log barracks surrounded by an EN-
bank ment with a dry ditch, and some
earthen works where guns had been
mounted. Standing in our camp ground,
you can see water down toward Fl. Mon
zoe to the left, up the James river to the
right, and water over toward Norfolk.
For several hundred yards from the shore
it is bare sand plain, on:e cultivated,
now without fence, tree or shrub. Back
Of that it is swampy, and backed with
heavy pitch timber. Thus it is up as far
as you can see and here the troops are
epcamped. Our life is as bare Of incl
dent as the sandy plain is of trees. Back
OF US there are roads running through the
woods, where VIC have outposts. Trivial
ties afford US some little amuse ment.
There is an old Scotebman living there who
sells ale at the rate Of about thirty dollars
the half barrel, and butter at 40 cents the
pound Oue of our Lieutenauts was on
duty out there, one dark night not long
ago, and hearing noise, like the scream
of a goose, pursued; crossing the field be
saw man standing there, and hailiug him
asked where that goose was he heard
scream. "Be jhbers, don't know. |
heard one squalIing about her somewhere"
On closer Investigation, Paddy was found
standing with his foot on the goose's neck
The lieutenant picked it up and carried
it back to the house, aud coming into the
light found his gloves and coat covered
with blood-,he throat had been cut and
life was extinct. The old lady recognized
it-her only goose, and bemoaned its loss
with tears. Dear me, the poor things
dead had her this three years, aud she
was a setting, and hoped to have gos-
lings. l have none but the old gsnder
now" Bad wind that blows nobody good.
The Lieutenant dined on it the next day,
by her invitation.
The weather is delightful to-day again,
in contrast with Saturday night, when We
had furious storm of rain and snow
Many tents went down, and officers and
men we're exposed to its pitiless peltings
Our condition is improved by q limited is
sue of new tents, and the men show q
rare readiness in adapting themselves to
circumstances.
A review, such as We had to-day, is a
bore. Every one has to furbish himself up
as if he were to undergo personal inspection:
marches on to the ground-stands several
hours until his legs ache-the General
rides on to the ground and rides of iu a
very short time and the whole thing is
over, as quick as the white clouds of the
salute fade away, and We toddle back to
quarters, more tired than after a long
days march, and much Inclined to think
Of the old expression "vanity and vexa.
tion of spirit" 1t was . sight, the ap.
pearance Of half dozen ladies', infusing
some life into our tired spirits. One can
appreciate the inspiring effect of the
flag that midshipman Easy hois,ed to the
mast of the Nostra Signora del Carmen,
when Spanish corvette was pursuing him
on one side and the English sloop of war
was on the other side and neither could
make out who he was. J.M,L.