Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-09-16
ARMY CORRESPONDENTS.
From the 5th Regiment U. S. c. 7.

DEEP BoTToN Va.
Sept 6, 1864.
Ed. Wanting something to re-
lieve the monotony Of camp life l thought Of
the Gazette, and wondered ifa letter from the
5th might not fad place in It's columns, al
though, dressed 10 the coarser garb, said to
be characteristic of soldiers.
Well to begin, after lying in rife-pits a.
the front OF Petersburg for more than two
months, we were on the 26ih ult. relieved by
the 10th Corps and moved across the james
River few miles below Dutch Gap" and
eucamped on its left bank.
One versed in topography, would say we
had healthy location, our camp being noted
for dry ground and good spriags-the two
chief requisites in determining on a good
camp-ground. Under such circumstances 1t
is to be expected that the health Of the regi-
ment will be materially improved, though our
sick list is smaller .ban that of the other regi-
ments here, but this is mainly due to the ex-
celIent sanitary arrangements of the regiment,
our Colonel paying strict attention to the
health and comfort of the men,
Our camp being situated at the bend of the
river, commands an excellent view Of the ada
iacent country Of not iess than twenty square
miles. To the front may be seen the rebel
pickets in close proximity to our own which
in consequence of the bend in the river as
,sumes diagonal shape.
Prior to an order which emanated from
Head Quarters, 18Th Army Corps, lorbdding
persons from holding any intercourse with The
enemy, our pickles used to carry on quite a
!: fro
quently exchanging papers. Some of these
conversations we're highly interesting and al
ways ending with the Jonnies declaring them
selves equal TO the emergency provided the
Chicago Convention come out all right.
They seem to place their greatest reliance on
the action of that Convention.
Yesterday while OF the picket line met
with aome Intelligent rebel officers, who ex-
pressed themselves quite freely; one of them
said the every hope of the South lay in the
election of a peace man for President When
told Of the nomination Of Little Mac" and
Pendleton, they seemed quite pleased When
asked if the South could hold out another
year, they emphalically said no, the only hope
of any possible success lays in the action of
the peace men at the North or foreign inter
vention. The latter they little hope for. and
Gen Grants magnificent move on the Wei
don railroad together with the capture of At
lanta will lessen the number OF sympathzers iu
tie North. This then was well known, and
hence the necessity of holding our army in
check until after the election of the President.
But we have no fears as TO the result. Our
brave soldiers in the field being unanimous in
favor of the administration, the reelection Of
which will be the death blow to the Southern
Confederacy, or it will be then war to the
"knife" for the next four years
We might go ou ad infnItum, recouniing
incidents transpiring each day. But time
does not always belong to the soldier, The call
fall in pickets" reminding me of this grave
fact. So will conclude. knowing you mus.
have grown weary with my ScribIing. 1 will
add that Lieut.. Griffith, a member Of the AL
Iumui OF the Delaware College, is quite sick
in the hospital. We miss hin, in The regi-
ment being kind and generous to his men, and
bravely facing the enemy in the hour Of dan
ger; we sympathise with him in his Affections.
In oar next we will tell you of what our regi-
ment think of the Copperheads in the North.
Wishing you success, we remain yours.
JAoUEs.