Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1863-11-13
Letter from the 72d Reg,o.v.L.
srrAH Boar oRrESr,

Mississippi River, Nov. I'd, 1869.
DKAR JoURNAL:-I find am getting irregu-
lar in my relations with you. The most can
do now is to acknowledge my short eoInings,--
make no promises for fear I shall break them,--
and go ahead
l left the Regiment few days ago, and am
bound North. had the misfortune 10 get upon
this craft because she was the frst TO leave, but
If she is not the last boat that ever reaches Cal
ro l shall wonder. At all events shall reship
at Memphis, aud maybe get faster craft The
river is rising, and with the rise navigation has
very much improved, aud, ! should Judge, is
now pretty good.
Matters with the regiment when ] left was
about as usual. 1t had been on tramp or scout,
with the balance Of the division, and Gen. Lo-
gan's division, toward Canton, and was gone
some eight days. We succeeded in finding quite
body Of rebel Cavalry, but had no fighting OF
consequence The rebels hovered about us
closely, and lost no opportunity to gobble up
stragglers They succeeded in catching or
shooting two men of our regiment, viz: Thomas
Hemmingcr, Co. @, and Thomas Finn Co. /.
Finn is known to have been shot, and severely
wounded.
We passed through Brownsville, thence to-
ward Canton, and turning SOUTH passed through
Clinton and back TO Camp via Champion Hills,
having been gone just eight days.
We went into Camp about eight miles in rear
of Vicksburg, Buckland's Brigade being on the
Palo Ridge Road. Our present Camp is a very
pretty one, but lacks the convenience of water.
| DIR. Rice arrived from home on the 28th, look
| ing in excellent health. / believe he must have
found his journey north very beneficial. 1t j
w. Watterson, r. Q. NJ, arrived at the regiment
on the 29th, in good health. met Captain
Nuhfer on his way from Vicksburg to the Camp
The Captain is one of the best men of the reg
iment, and il could i'll afford to part with so val
liable an officer. Few officers have so full and
conscientious sense of duty as Capt. N, and
none do their duty better.
Gen. Buckland was stopping at the Wash
ington Hotel in Vcksburg. His arm was much
better, and he would go out TO the Brigade on
the following Monday, (to-day) The men will
surely be very glad to see the General again, fol
! they think no one can do quite as well as lie.
Nov. Sd, Is63.-Still we 90 humping along
up this turbid stream, with no immediate pros
pect of reaching any desirable point. We are
nearing Helena and will make the place before
noon. From thence to Memphis will require at
least "a hours, at which place / confidently ex-
pect to leave the Orient for something little
more speedy. The weather has been and con-
tnues warm and murky and Just now bodies
|
friend lately handed me copy ofthe Mes
senger of your place, containing letter from q
Mr.. Helsel of Co. A., I'D WI / have nc
wish to do young Helsel any harm, but in view
of the fact that Bean attempted to make much
from this letter, and of Helseps rather notorious
character in the regiment, | wish to state one OIL
| two facts in reference to him.
| When we were about 10 storm the rebel works
at Vcksburg, this "valiant" youth cowardly ant
disgracefully deserted his company and regimen
| and meanly skulked to the rear. Nor did h,
return until brought back under guard as dc
Scrtcrl He is merely the ordinary compound O
Copperhead, coward and deserter. No mem
| Der of the regiment bears so odious and con
| temptible reputation as this same Helsel.
is as impossible TO keep him in the ranks wher
| going into action as it would be to keep Bear
sober. His ignorance equals his cowardice. HI
| lives in Seneca county, but supposed at election
/ he could vote in Sandusky county, and thereby
/ lost his vote. OF course he wrote Bean a letter
which Bean, after sundry emendations and al.
| terations published A more foolish thing he
could not have done. Geo. Helsel has never
been worth cent TO the army, and is a disgract
to his company and regiment and is fit asso
ciate for Bean.
If any of my readers are fond of curiosities
| advise them to call and see Helsel's letter. i
would be rich assure them. Bean deserves
credit for getting it into such good shape as he
did. One more fact let me mention: Nearly al
the votes cast for Vallandigham in our regiment
were given by returned deserters or by habitu
al sneaks and towards Not one good soldier
voted for the great rebel.
Travelling on this river is dull business. No
a word of news or of interest Times are dull
and prosy. This has ceased to be the point o
interest. Chattanooga is now the Central spot
| whittier our two greatest men, Grant and Sher'
man have gone to give our country victory ant
triumph. SEVENTY SIX.