The Cecil Whig., 1863-02-07
Correspondence.
Correspondence of The Cecil Whis I

CAMP near FALMOUTH, Va. Jan. 80, 'G3
Mr.. EDroR- Dear Sir The mails having
been so irregular for weeks past, the men
receiving few or no letters at all, but as they
are now supposed to be regular once more,
thought few lines from an old member OF
Company s. c." Big Elk Rangers, would be
acceptable and interr sting to the families and
friends Of the Company. The reason for the
irTrguariiy Of the mails is simply this:-
Through neglect or mistake our bug for
weeks has been sent to Howard's Division
headquarters. and allowed To rem in tor some
days, and then sent back to Washington I" ho
placed in the dead letter or some other office,
instead Of being sent to Ilancock's.
The Paymaster visited us on the 2ith inst ,
and welcome visitor he was, too: vet he
only paid the regiment Of two months (Srp-
tembcr and Octohcr.) There is now nearly,
or quite three months due us. We have 10
cause to complain, yet the wants Of many of
the soldiers families are what We look at.
You Know if regiment has anything like a
su.lcr every soldier owes him more or less
consequently if he draws on the sutiIer fer
three months and only gets paid for two the
sut'lcr presents each man his bin in full
sporting the calculations of the soldier, and
he falls short of money aud possibly has to
wait two to four months more before getting
paid.
There was another movement on foot some
me ago can advance) but owing to a heavy
rain, falling the night before. the whole thing
was abandoned, the roads being in such a
dreadful condition, knee deep with mud ;
notwithstanding the artillery and infantry
where all in position before day break. The
Pontoons, OF course, stuck again, but in the
mud this time. Yesterday we had quite a
snow storm which continued all night. There
is now some inches Of snow on the ground ;
to day is most beautiful the sun shining
brightly, with a clear sky, yet sloppy under
loot. The Soldi rs are all very well shod
with Uncle SONS brogans.
There is little or no excitement hercabouts
everything is quiet along the lines. There
are comparatively few sick in the regiment,
none seriously i'll; one man of Company "F''
died and was buried on Sunday, with mill
lary honors. His name was Carr. The hos
pital is now empty, Company ssC'' only hav-
ing one man on the sick list. and he is able
to be about. We have some 80 men doing
Provost Duty at the peighboling farm house
and barns. Company 'C'' has a large num-
Der on that duty, it being yet the largest
company in the regiment. They all live high
and are comfortably fixed, yet singular it may
seem, some of those houses are owned By, in
fact some rampant seccssionists live in ss,ne
Of those we are guarding, yet we try to do the
fair thing and will allow no wanton destruc-
ton of property. 1t was anghab!e to see the
DE" pcdlers coming into camp ON Sunday
after Fay day, with all sorts of notions, catch
pennies, &c. Mind they would not come in
before the men were paid off, but now they
meet with very little success, as our Licuten-
ant Colonel calls them "hlood suckers and
drives them off by saying he will conliscate
all II they do not leave soon, they take the
hint before receiving kick, and skcdatldle
Our Brigade has been relieved by Acting
Brig. Gen. Brooks, consequently we will
have to go to the rear. The new cnmp
ground is situated about two and half miles
northeast of Falmouth. We haze sent
details out to clear the ground, which is y
most beautiful place. Bordering a'lsides o (
the Brigade will be left standing neat fringe
Of tall pine trees. But the men do not like
the idea OF leaving their old quarters as they
have to build new ones, the plans Tor which
are all drawn. Each cabin or hut. as the
soldiers call their qarters. will be by l6
feet, all of uniform size in every respect
with company parade ground lG feet IN width
Kitchens ID feet to rear of mems quarters {;
line officers 10 feet to rear Of Kitchens Field
and Staff Is feet to rear of line officers
which, when completed, il we are allowed the
time by Hooker, will be good camp and a
neat one. The officers are slim in the regi-
ment, and you can see them dropping their way
through the camp as il they Were lost, owing
to so many of the officers being absent
wounded and sick. Those that are present
pass their time very drelrily, and they are in
hopes of them all re joining the regiment soon.
There is little or no amusement going on, the
men all very quiet and sct,, d down liks old
age; in fact camp life in this section of the
country is dreary enough at the best of lines.
will not intrudc any longer. All the men
from Big Elk and its vicinity heartily join in
sending then best respects to their families
and friends. C.J.