Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1863-08-29
For the Columbia Democrat.
From the Mcclellan Guards.
CAMP MUHLENBERG,


Near Reading, Pa, Aug. Is, 1868.
Col. TATE,
Dear Sir Although the McClel-
Ian Guards, two members excepted ARE not
from your county; yet, you, doubtless,
and the readers of the COLUMBIA DEMO-
GRAFT, will be pleased to hear from u.s.
Although our company is chiefly from the
neighboring county of Montour, and there
fore, as regards residence, we are, when
at home, only Columbia, yet, whether here
or there, we are one and the same, for the
most part with its inhabitants as regards
our political principles. Our company
consists Of s5 men, and contains some Of
the best to be found in Montour county.
Many of whom can write and talk for the
keystone as well as fight The regiment
we are in, is the SD, of which Henry
Royer of Pottsville, is Colonel. Our
Captain, Thomas Chalfant, of Dauville,
fills his Office TO the interest and saisfac-
ton of the company. Hon. j. G. Ellis
is with us, and by his willing performance
of duty, sociability and kindness, rem
ders himself universally liked. lie is a
good representative Of that class Of persons
in society, any where desirable but every
where too scarce-the useful and gener.
Gus. Our camping ground, near and over
looking the beautiful city of Reading, i:
high and dry-better adapted to comfort
and health than drilling. We have the
number of grumblers without cause witt
a company, and at the same time there
exist many causes for bitter complaint
But the NEST of US came expecting to sac
riice comfort, and we practice as mucl
, self-denial as possible. At this moment
one of the officers connected with the feet
, department, is passing through comp, ant
the men in several companies are cryini
vociferoasly ''bread," "6reaa ~ Indeed
| food that at home we would regard ne
l cessity of life, at times, here, is both
. rarity and luxury. Reading and vicinit
: has been called, and fifty perhaps, the cup
= board of Pennsylvania. Because OF til
. abundance, therefore, in this region, ou
5 treatment has been shameful. But a.
! though there is evidently one or NOR
e screws loose somewhere, yet this mlitar
f machinery is so extensive that those haV
= ing little acquaintance with it, as is tf
= case with the most of us find it diflicu
It to ascertain the precise one or ones thi
should the tight end and are therefore nc
. urjust enough to work at any particularly
!. The usual routine Of laughable incident
If common 10 camp-life occurs. These mu
u be seen, for the most part however to
+ interesting, Not not long since, guar
challenged, "Who comos there 7" {"
IS friend with BOTTLE" was the reply. Gao
II vance friend and pull the cork" rcjoine
/, the guard.
l. We volunteered, in common with thol
10 sands of our felloG Democrats, to repel th
% rebel invaders. One of the results of tn
e general uprising Of the party for State d.
e fenso, has been to prove the falsity of tn
$ malicious chargo of the abolilionists, tht
" we arc traitors. And as this rushing
d arms aided in driving the copiederates fro
Z our soil ftwo birds have been killed wit
n one stone.
al Our company, in forming, met with Il
lc strongest opposition from the Jacobn sci
US styled loyalists. In Catawissa, where ty