The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1864-04-22
Our Military Correspondence.
FROM BATTERY c., FIRST OHIO ARTILLERY.
NAuHATcHE VALLEY, Tenn, I
April 18th, 1864,


FRIENDS of BATTERY C:-We,in whom
you are supposed to take an interest, and Of
whom you no doubt feel proud, We, are do.
ing very we'll indeed hero, under the shadow
of grim and lofty Lookout Mountain. As
the eye turns upward at the huge old pile,
and the mind takes in the might and msjes.
ty Of so grand a spectacle in nature. the
hoart turns homeward with longing to be
there to wander, fancy free, among the
scenes of other and bette, days. Better
thero were in the byogones, surely, before
war cast veil of gloom and sadness over
all tn ings loved. Hero We arc resting from
the vexa,ions of a long journey by railroad |;
and bore we will remain a considerable timc.
On one side of camp rises Raccoon Noun
the front and rear, stretches Wauhatchie
Valley. 1t would bo we'll to cal! il tho Val.
10y of Death, where men Ito buried in their
battle-torn habiiments. grim and COSY. but
with faces, even in death, radiating in glory.
Wo will not presume. however, to say that
all of wars victims die thus. and have any
such impress of glory stamped on their
faces. Excuse depression.
Our Battery have enjoyed excellent hcalth
and good spirits, (animal spirits. of course
lately, and Capt. Gary is keeping us in
healthy exercise; just enough for digestion
of unpalatable food. Those who have boys
in this Battery, may be sure that the officers
under whom they arc to go through the ser
vigo. will do all in their power for the physi.
cal good and comfort of all. That is tho
way wo see it at present, and it is our belief
that it will continue thus to the end.
Tho additions to our number from Char.
don and its neighborhood, bid far to mako
excellent soldiers. With mon enough OF
that stripe to fill up onr decimatod detach.
monts, VIC could stump tho united armies of
Unkeipsaim for tho showing up Of a botter
looking, better built, better. drilled compa-
ny. would much rather not have the i'm
because tho truth, though unpalatatle somo.
times, should be told nevertheless. Ches-
ter, Kirkland, Wiloughby. Painesvil!e, Per.
ry, Madison, Ashtabula, Geneva, Thompson
and Saybrook, are represented in Battery
q, and from none of these places have we a
man of whom il would be woll TO feel
ashamed but, on the contrary, we feel a
pride In all. The old stock of men, the
veterans, have gone through iro and water,
hand in hand, for nearly three years, each
being proud of aud attached TO tho other.
Thore is a feoing of kinship and brother.
hood among them. Recruits will soon as.
simulate to the habits and peculiari,iss of
veterans, while they, in turn, will do all in
their power TO mako good soldiers Of the
recruits.
Wo were much disappointed in not got.
ting oil into Battery o, who camo from
Chardon with tho Intention Of joining but
Red Tape must rule end sometimes ruin.
in spite of all that is reasonable aud lust.
Clark. Merrill, +. and j. Parmele, Squires
and Hamlin were assigned to Battery G.. of
our Regiment, leaving Parks, McGonigal,
Bestor, Munsell, Welton and Dickonts to
u.s. However, il we aro not quite pleased
with the number Of delegates from Cbardon,
we certainly arc with tho material of which
tho delegation is composed. They are all
right, and tho service, thus far, is doing
them good; every man of them is up TO all
the tricks of tho trade, all that will soonest
make him veteran. We wish il could be
our happy fate, some sunshiny morning. to
greet small army of sturdy sons of toll
marching into the Union camp. There arc
too many Of the milk ksops in service-too
mapy boughten men. with an idea upper
most that the war is played out, and they
are making $4,000, and sometimes double
that sum, clear gain aud that, too, without
running any Of tho risks Of war. So mote
II he. however; they will do to all up the
ranks, and thus enable us to present o bold.
unbroken front to the hall. whipped enemy
1t would be tho part of a.sniveling school.
boy, or of an unwhippod. naughty child, for
any one just now to stop and comment, CON-
plain or hesitate. Onward aud to the work
of blood is the watchword now. That
done, and We shall look about to view things
as they are, and remember them as they
were.
With tho coming in of spring, and all tho
beauty, magnificence aud glory over and
surely coming with il, comes also q work
for us to do-a work Of blood, bcgetiing woe
and desolalon. We will do il we'll, and halt
not to think of the widows mourning for
her lost heroes, the orphans cry for broad
Tho fathers sad bowailipg tor q much loved
sons un.meIy fate, or any of the dire effects
of war. L, would blanoh the check with
ghostly whiteness, stop tho mad coursine of
the blood, and unfit us for battle, If we
should allow thought Of tho after misery
to come into tho mind. All the glorious re.
suits of this struggle with rebellion will be
far above and superior to tho individual
losses or grief occasioned thereby. For tho
breaking in of light on the national dark.
ness and gloom, wo surely pray, if earnest
wishing be prayer. May another spring
come, laden, with flowers TO deck oil heroes
burial places, and scatter an incense OF
glory aronnd the ballowed spot where wars