The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-01-19
97911 VG1691llE
Established June %, 1s62-VOl. A.

Quartermaster Coffin, Lieut.. Hall and Adju-
tant Larabee of your city, in the best OF
health and spirits. The Maine boys stand
high as soldiers, and in the brunt OF battle are
always found at their post
/ am nj present located at Sandy Hook, on
the Maryland side of the Potomac at Camp
Remount, the rendezy ousfor dismounted mt n
belonging to the various cavalry Regiments ia.
this Department The camp is located in
Pleasant Valley, which is very appropriately
named thus, lying as it does between two par
allel mountain ridges, it stretches its beauti-
ful length far away into the dim distance, un-
til earth and air seem to blend. scaled
Maryland Heights few days since, and was
amply repaid for my labor. The view Is the
most comprehensive and magnificent that /
ever witnessed, and would arouse feelings of
an asthetic nature in the most phlegmatic tenn
perament. At your feet the Potomac, now
swollen to an angry food, and reminding one
Of the "yellow Tiber," rolls on in its mad ca
reer, while in an opposite direction, the Shen-
andoah, like a thread of silver glittering In the
sunlight, rushes into its cold embrace. On
these Heights is the famous one hundred
pound Parrot gun, which did SO much execu-
tion among the rebels last July. A shell from
this gun killed 10 and wounded 81 rebels at
Halltown, a place some five or six miles dis
tant In an air line. ,.ssss s1 q I
The rumor that Lee. was massing his troops
preparatory to grand invasion of the North,
caused quite an excitement here, and some OF
the more timorous of the inhabitants made
preparations for hasty exit. The guerrillas
still infest Loudon County, and pursue their
fendish work. One of them by the name of
Molly, recently shot young Union soldier
dead at his mothers let, as he was standing
in the doorway bidding her farewell Our vo-
cabulary ishtoo limited to express in fitting
terms, the punishment that should be meted 1
out to such a villain. t ~ y
The climate here would be an anomaly to
the most experienced meteorologist, and to
call it variable, would but feebly express its |
fckleness. $3.50, + . ,,4s "a "
Brother Dardis of Philadelphia and myself |
are the only delegates OF the Christian CON-
mission at Sandy Hook, and we have parish
numbering about four thousand members.
We are to pitch chapel tent tomorrow, and !
IT will contain reading room and library for |
the benefit of the soldiers. The Commiss'on
is doing noble work, and every Christian
and philanthropist should contribute to ill its |
treasury, and thereby increase the aggregate
amount OF good. Comfort bags are highly |
appreciated by the soldier, and we would urge |
upon the fair readers OF your paper, the pro- |
priety of cheering our brave boys with some
thing of the kind. The position of the soldier
Is not very pleasant one, and any thing that
VIII amellorate his mental or physical condi-
tion,is gratefully received. An earnest appeal
has been made by the Commission for books,
Ia order that the soldiers may be supplied
with good reading matter during the present
winter. All books left at the rooms OF the
Young Mems Association, of your ci9y, will
be forwarded to the various field stations of
the Commission. But am wearyiDg your
readers by the length of my letter, and will
close for the present. 10 sas'ssi .t-s
Ne'- tta9N haA a3oa sgire CIV. h.
Delegate Of The ChristiGn Commission. 1os