The Portland daily press., 1863-01-24
Saturday Morning. Jan. "a, 1868.

rAMP "PINE GRovE.o


Headquarters ioth Maine regiment,
Fairlax otatioh, va, jan 10, 1868. }
To the Editors of the Portland Press:
Alter delays many and various, as well as
vexatious, find myself tonight at the en-
campment of the 10th Maine, the sole occu-
pant of Q. NJ Thompson's quarters. The OBJ
liging Quartermaster, in consideration of NV
rank-my commission bearing an earlier date
2han that of this worthy ofiicer-has vacated
and spend part of my evening of solitary
state in writing to you and your readers
1t is, of course, impossible TO go into regi-
mental details. Suffice it to say, the Tenth
are doing their duty. They have always held
high position In military esteem. and to-day
rank as high as any other regiment in the
neld. Other regiments have had more out
SIDE praise, but none ever deserved more than
the gallant Col. Beal and his brave troops, and
their reward is yet TO come.
On my way out, visited hospitals in New
York, Baltimore, Harper's Ferry, Frederick,
and washington. In all found and convers-
50 eu Win VIII 10y Maine soldiers, sick aud wounded.
10 o. gave iroh 70 10 % cents each, 10 the
rest, postage stamps, paper, envelopes, &c,
&c, making auii eyes brighten and pallid lips
sniie at tnis token VI nome remembrance. l
also purchased barrel OF Boston crackers
ana sundry otner iuxuries for our sick at the
Ferry, ana thus made glad many languid
sunerer' whose neart beat more hopefully for
sucn an expression Oh cordial goodwill:
oul IooPs nave not Deen paid TOR SIX
months, and OF course Government green
pachs are mol oiten seen. man with a
wounaeu reg OF arm wishes ior some slight ar
.oie una. oniy money can procure 10 such
quarter of dollar is fortune; and felt,
~ the Destowai OF IL, That each recipient knew
pest wnat luxury 1t would purchase. The
Committee who donated it may rest assured
lnae IL WIZ DC spoken OF as perpetual memo
nal.
l,,ua lUuaa lou, oul hosP,'ais IN the man, better
suppiieu tnan couiu De expected, owing TO
lneH crowded conaition. ms Is true OF the
Guy hospitals put IN the 'front.', or outside OF
CITY limits, am sorry 10 say there Is culpable
hegiect on the part OF "somebodo." This
UBIQUITOUS person seems 10 nave forgotten the
CohVaiesceht lamp near Washington. The
poor sufferers there call il Camp Convusion-
or lamp Misery. 1t is impossible to give you
an idea oil lts utter unftness for animals
much more for poor suffering humanity.
Yesterday visited the 25th Maine in their
encampmenL A fine manly set of fellows
they are. was proud OF them. Co. A were
on onty at Long BRIDGE On my return TO
tne CITY sooppeu at the guards quarters, and
spent Pheasant nall hour with Capt Jones
anu Lieut.. aan. ioung HAN looks every
inch Ihe soIer, as 40 the entire company
.he iorlano poys are nne specimens OF young
Americans. In this regiment eleven have
uisu, anu aoout tnirty are now SICK IN hospi-
ai Iher encampment is model. One can
easily trace the line OF Maine troops, or select
tneir quarters, out OF an entire army corps
Our sturdy backwoodsmen know how to hew
WOOD and pile 1t, and their quarters show
tneir handicraft. Like garrulous mother
Always love TO praise our boys; SO you must
pardon my State pride.
Wish some OF our Portland Ladies' Com-
mittee could be here tonight, TO hear what
our men say when woman from home enters
camp brought dried apples, blackberries,
raspberries, &c, some tinct. ginger, two
quarts OF good brandy, some towels, socks,
DC, for the sick in camp, and went into the
hospital tent and gave each man bouncing
apple from the Pine Tree State The old home
smile was beautiful. One and all exclaimed.
"You are welcomed You are the first woman
we have seen since we moved from Berlin
God bless youT Old faces came looming up
and the warm hand grasp assured me words
didn't express the half the heart felt. 1t is
nonsense TO talk of the camp being no place
for 8 woman, that is, If the encampment is near
comfortable dwellings. The soldiers say the
memory of the cups of tea and coffee used to
make them is in their mouths yet | was sor-
ry had no tea to offer them tonight. but the
article is not tn ha had in c.nn a, ,,as