Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1864-07-22
ARMY nnRREsPnNnEheE.
From the I'd Regiment o. VII. "A.
CLEVELAND. TENN, July IL, 1864.


Mr.. EDIToR
have been a constant reader ofyour paper
for some time, and seeing no communication
from this place, have taken it upon myself to
write you few lines, hoping they may find q
place in your columns.
When regiment has broken up camp and
moved some distance, more especially when
towards the front, there is always more or less
anxiety among their friends at home 10 know
where they are and what they are doing. We
have been stationed here but few weeks, and
shall probably remain for some time, il not the
entire summer. The past winter and spring
we have been doing guard duty at one or two
points Oh the Louisville and Nashville Rail
road need not give the particulars of when
aud how we came here, but suffice it TO say
that in the shert space of one week we were
transported to the border of the sunny South"
Our camp is directly on the railroad leading
| from Knoxville to Chattanooga, and thirty
miles from the latter place. The town num-
| bers about eight hundred inhabitants, and is
situated in very healty locality. Before the
war, and before it was damaged by the army,
| it was a fine looking, fourishing town. The
most remarkable feature of the place is the
| loyalty of large portion of the people,
| There is a class of them here who have proved
their loyalty by the manner in which they
| have suffered from the rebels. Much as there
has been said and written in regard to the
sufIerings of the Union people Of East Ten
nessee, | believe it all to be true. History has
never yet and probably never will bring to
| light all the instances where men had given
up all their property, sacrificed their homes.
and in many cases their lives, all for their de-
votion to the Union. At the same time there
is another class (the larger portion) who, with
faint hopes, still cling to the Confederacy, and
think that yet their arms will be crowned with
success. They, with all the rebel sympathy
| from here to the border, and still farther north
even at our homes, are watching with deep
interest the operations of the armies in the
present campaign. Should our arms be un-
successful, and the war protracted another
year, Ia thing that looks almost impossible,)
| they will still continue to harass our army in
the rear, by guerrilla warfare and crying peace
at the North. How disgusting to the soldier
are those often repeated threats against the
Administration and the Army which are made
by those foul mouthed traitors at hOme.
| The Natiosal birthday passed off in very
agreeable manner at this place. At o'clock,
p. m. the regiment was formed in line, the
Declaration of Independence was read, aud
speeches were made in the afternoon at the
| Court House by Rev. j. 2. Spence, Chaplain
of our regiment, and Judge Cant, good Un-
| ion man of this town. There was large
crowd of citizens and soldiers, aud, in some
respects, the meeting resembled some Of those
celebration days that used to be SO frequent in
Ohio. I must not forget 10 mention SOME very
! appropriate National airs that were played by
our Brass Band, which enliveDed the occasion
very much. notwithstanding the prejudice
that some people have against the Govern
lnent recognizing Bands in the service, there
is nothing that cheers the heart Of the soldier
so much as good music. The members of our
band have spared no pains to inform them
selves in the science of music, and now are
placed with frstclass bands. Our mail comes
to US regularly, but it takes from four to five
days for city papers to reach US.
But | have taken up too much space, and
will close. Should anything of interest occur
l will write again. SILAs.