Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1863-05-23
Army Correspondence
CAMP COLUMBIA,
williamsburg, Va, May II, 1863.


Of a newspaper correspondent is not to be
cnvied; it is neither pleasant or lucrative;
and I would prefer not being placed in
that crank" Yet would claim the priv
ilege Of communicating the Whereabouts
and proceedings of the l7sth Penn. Reg
iment, of which | am humble member. (
This regiment, as you will see by my
heading, lies at Williamsburg, on the
sacred soil of the "Old D,minion," where
it has been since the 18th of April, doing
picket duty. The rebel Wise made raid
upon this place, as you have been Informed,
some four weeks ago, drove our pickets out
Of town, attacked Fort Magruder, and in
the meanwhile sent regiment around on
our left, through deep ravine, getting in
our rear and entirely destroying the Camp
of the Penn. Cavalry, capturing and kill
ing several horses, besides carrying off a
considerable amount Of equippage, and to
cap the climax made safe their retreat the
same way they came in. This has been
considered by all bold dash, although it
certainly benefited them but little, more
than a qualification if any. 1t may be
said to pretty we'll balance off some of the
raids our troops had been making in Glou
cester county short time previous. | am
not an advocate of these raids as my i'm
preston is, it only tends to create and stir
up still greater animosity and bitter hatred
towards our cause. | cannot see the pro-
priety of destroying property, such as
grain, houses and barns, in communities
composed only of negroes and helpless
women, dependent entirely upon what
grain they have and the coming crop, for
their support. These things have been
practced to an enormous extent. Women
and children, besides slaves without num-
ber, have been deprived the necessares of
life, By these parties sent out to commit
such depredations, and this not being suf-
ficiont, the very shelters have been dcs-
troyed from over their heads, thus leaving
them to seek refuge and safety somewhere
else, or remain subject to the pelting
storms and perish. This is only some Of
the results and dongs of this rebellion
What blessing will our country enjoy
when this accursed war shall cease. l
believe there is not soldier who does not
wish to the innermost cells of his heart
that this rebellion was over There may
be few unprincipled men in the higher
ranks who delight in the continuance of
the war, and who are making out Of it
their thousands But there is day oil
retributive justice awaiting these scoun-
drels.
Since my last letter there has not much
Of interest transpired in our regiment,
hence my long silence. We are in the front
now and are liable to smell powder almost
any hour. Although from the weakly be-
slowed castigation upon me, by my er Isl
Lieutenant w. II. ReimbOM, in his CORES
pondence to the Reombican of your place
one would suppose that was not willing to
hazard myself so much as to smell the
ignitable gun powder. If I was considered
"secesh' as he states "the boys call me,
should think my Captain would not allow
me 10 do picket duty day and night, as
have been doing. This same would be-
patriotic Lieutenant was cited before a
board of examination, his abilities being
questioned for the position he held. He
knowing, or perhaps some one told him
that he was greatly deficient in military
discipline, and being hard pushed for q
substantial cause to found resignation
he once owned aud acknowledged the
truth, by sending to our corps commander
a resignation of sncompetency. 1t was i'm
mediately accepted. Further, this same
, Lieutenant belonged to that class Of officer,
to which our chaplain made an allusior
some few days since, in the following Ian
guagc as nearly as we remember: "Iol
have elected some officers in this regimen
who do not possess a sufficient amount o
brains to fill the quill of humming bird
, and if blown into tue eye Of a gnat would
r not injurc it, Yet this ex Lieutenant set
= himself up as chief magistrate to decide
D on the loyalty Of his "prvates." He vii
r return to his nativity ere long, if not thcr
already, where he may stand gooi for tn
= next draft, out of which he will not b
y able to extricate himself SO easily, AM
$ enter the army in different channel a
i he did in the former draft | will give
short history of his former draft He wa
n drafted in Columbia county on the 9th @
" last October, claimed and procured ex
q a., L. Il