Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-11-12
Lfrn orrTrIEsoLDInis.

LfrE OFTHE sOLDIEit.
western soIdier.' seif-Reiinnce--
illustrative Incidents - Making,
Chrni, "Improvements''-- bg
Tents - Taking C-Hee - Downy
Piliows--Life in Canvass Cities,
1ttt.. etc. "-' h-
Correspondence ot the Chic sro' Jorfnsi, ...I F..
9 Army OF THE CUMBERLAND. Oct. q.
II there are men in the world gifted with
the most thorou.,h self-reliance, Western
soldiers are the men. To fight 10 the grand
anger OF battle seems to me to require less
manly fortitude, after all, than TO bear with
out murmnring the swarm of little troubles
that vex camp and march. No matter where
Or when YOU halt them they are at once st
home. THEY know precisely what to do
fact and they do it. Ihave seen them march
into q, strange region at dark, and almost as
soon as fires would show well. they we're
twinkling all over the field, the Sib blcy cones
rising like the work Of enchsnttnent every
where, and the little dog-tents lying snug TO
the ground. as If, like the mushrooms. they
had grown there, and the aroma Of coffee
and tortured bacon, suggesting creature com
forts, and the whole economy Of a life 10
canvas cities moving as steadily on as if j,
had never intermtted. The movements OF
regiments, you know, are as blind as fate.
Nobody can tell tonight where he will be
tomorrow, and yet with the first glimmer Of
morning the camp is astir. aud the prepsra-
tions begin for staying there forever; coy
little cabius Of red cedar, neatly fitted, are
going up; here boy is making fire place,
and quite artistically plastering it with the
inevitable red earth; he has found crane
somewhere and swung up. thereon a two
legged dinner pot; there fellow is finishing
out chimney With brick from an old kiln
Of secession proclivities; yonder bower
house closely woven Of eyergreens is almost
ready tor the occupants; tables. stools, bed
steads are tumbled together by the toughest
Of carpenters; the avenues between the
lines Of tents are cleared and smoo,hed-
--"policed," in camp phrase; little seat ;
with cedar awnings 10 front of the tents
give cottage look; while the interior. in a
rude way. has genuine home like air. The
bit of looking glass hangs against the cot
ton wall, handkerchief Of . carpet just be-
fore the bunk" marks the stepping-ofi
place to the land Of dreams; . violin case
IL strung up to q convenient hook, hanked
by gorgeous picture Of some hero Of some
where, mounted upon horse rampant ano
saltant, land what length Of tail behindl
The business of living has fairly begur
again. There is hardly an idle moment
and save here and there man brushing NJ
his musket, getting that damned spot
of his, bayoLet. furnishing his revolver, yor
would not suspect that these men had bu
one terrible errapd They are tutors, the
are tinkers, they are writers; fencing. boz
ing, cooking, eating, drilling-those VII
say camp life is lazy life, know little ahor
it. And then reconnoisssnces on prlva
account, every wood, rayine, hill, field,
explored; the productions, animal and vel
etable. are inventoried. and one day render
them as thoroughly conversant with the r,
gon round about as if they had been dwell
ing in there life time. They have taste
water from every spring and we'll estimate
the corn TO the aare, tried the watermelons
gagged the peaches, knocked down the per
cimmons, MIXED the cows. roasted the Pig
here and here AMI yondsr, the where
| the native girls. Ii there is a. curious ca We
q queer tree. strange rock anywhere about
they know it. You can see them with chisnl
hammer and haversack, tuaging up tn,
mountain or scrambiing down the ravins il
RtOlUklCui parcLUus buht WOuto u6VO Wbu th'
right hand OF fellowship from Hugh Miller
and home they come laden with spe cimen
| that would enrich cabinet. have in m!
possession the most exquisite fossil bud
just ready to open, beautiful shells, rar'
ing naturalists. If you think the rank ant
file have no taste for the beautiful, It is tlm'
you remembered Of what material they ar,
1 l. N..l.ns. ill .,otab snlAsor'p nx,
quicker than q patch Of velvet moss, or
fresh little flower, and many q letter leave
the camp enriched with faded souvenirs o
these expeditions. l said that nothing will
catch an old campaigner's eye quicker thai
q flower, but l was wrong; dirty, rsgget
Laby will. | have seen . thirteen dolla
man expend dollar for trinkets to ham
!, about the dingy neck Of an urchin that a
home and three years ago, he would hardl
have touched with the tongs Do you say
it is for the mothers sake? You have onl
to see the bedraggled, coarse, lank, Tobacco
chewing looking dam-is it wicked for m
to use that word in such manner?-
abandon that idea, like a founding, to tn
tender inercies of the first doorstep !
! But to come back to camp; talk of pc
fumed clouds of incense, there is nOthin
sweeter than dear, bright, red cedar FIRE
the mountain air is fairly laden With ii
|, fragrance. Ever,thing u fsd cedar, and
:. prairie man, . be sses the great camp fir
lied Nith hewu timbcrs Of the precious WOO
. would about as soon think Of cutting mp h
: grand piano---seven octave or so-into fu
for the kitchen stove. Tbs breath Of Il
.ireh cedar fires will float back 70 me like
pleasant memory. II ever l inhale sga
The sui ulphurous. Tartarisn gusts from q
. s,nosherins beds of Illinois cosl. WritiI
Of fuel, you should see the fences melt aw'
7 I anywhere within a mile Of camp; up 60
: the red cedar seain, like the prophet, Ia
!. . chariot of FIRE, and not enough left for bt
and arrow. liinE.n' T. f21aptf9 h4Ylss
The work Of Improvement soes brisl
4 On; !, week has passed., and the boys ses
|. I settIed for life. just before the tattoo, soI
!. nieht, down comes an order to march at 4
' | 10 the morning. A Ans, drisxling rain, b
4 set a.; I thick blanket OF fog has Be
/ suugly tucked srpund the camp; the fr
: look large and red and cheerful the 90
n are Just ready /" 70 turn in, " when dow
e comes the order. Nothing Is 1. yon WOO
..xtt rlrttfE