Evansville daily journal. (Evansville, Ind.) 1863-1866, 1865-10-03


camp of Chalons has its beginning. In
stead Of following the. main road, wbieh
runs with long carve 10 GpaBd Mour-
melon, a village rapidly atiainipg the
proportions Of estowps al once started
for the camp proper. The infantry are
quar.sred nearest the tailroad statioDs
and send out their asafiksssrs As fares
the high road, where they teaze the NO
man bringing 1foyisions to the yarioss
restaurants. Whole 1aEtaIions we're ct
work in euiareiHg the barracks, which
are made out Of Branches Of Young trees,
and Of the sizs,of .eottagess The frame
work, formed Of slender tfees, is covered
with layer Of clay, sapdse sort OF wall
10 produced in this fashion. While en-
tire companies weFs occupied 10 erect
ing the framework, othefs were busted in
treDchiDg and digRiEg. The huts are
rooted with straw, and the building,
though 80 rapidly EpnsnP, has COM
pactness and solidity whfcb makes II re-
sembIe O comfQrtable ,dWelling-houee.
There 10 planl& fooring ON each hnt,
forming an inclined plane with the outer
walls, 20 az 10 constitute bedstead. A
row Of pegs for hanging up accouter-
ments 10 the sole furniture Of ther00m.
which derives its light from . few side
loophoIes, and IL is tolerably dark made
when the outer doofia cloaed "a
The Infantry camp, by itself, formes q
large barrack town. with numerous
streets namedtGiteF the latest glorious
exploits Of the Freucbprmy. The prinY
cipal street has been christsned Softer
ION. The streets arer admirsble as ~.
CARDS the line q com mtlnicauon.
They are lined With two. rows Of paving
stones, and the, 'eaFth- In 4he oehtEei is
tramped down 20 hard, 9nd the curve
kept 40 oval, that yod may fancy yourself
Ia q Macsdamized road Comfort has
been attended 10 ID remarkable degree.
In front Of each hat are earth seats coy.
cred with turf Small gardens surround
the huts, and the beds are enclosed, >,
some with small blue stones, others with
laborioualy collected small shells, whish
form very pleasant contrast with the.
rather gloomy background Of the ugly
looking hut. @@ka Eg
Life in this barrack town ig remarka-
BILE lonely. The lcpnsEiea, whose boxes
are made Of straw or olay--the former
resemble awful carecrows--ssand %
every corner. Hundreds of soldiers
are dragging 10 stray bags Of bread,
and wood. The distfibution OF the last
named article 10 very interesting sight.
Several hundred loads Of wood lie scat
tered about on thu. gEppnd. The whole
represents q giRantic~ funeral pyre, on
which a hupdredvoforms are covering
while waiting the auto dG Js of which
they are to Be The victims. But the az
fair terminates more peacefully. The
sergeants distribute the wood to the
men, the latter improvise out Of the
longest logs litter, on which the wood
IL piled, and before you can look round
the square Is cleared, and the hundred
loads OF wood, half o forest, are ia mo-
ionl
Al some spots the troops are busy in
digging mp Tie ground, and forming .
circular hollow III which the watch-hre
will be kindee at night. Round The
russell hearth lie fellows who have doffsa
their uniforms Nnd are preparing tine
meal In their hldnses. One aplita wtiod,
n second places tbs iron potaon the lnge,
while third maintains the heat E.ere
q man RraspssA huge lAdle, dips tin the
Dot, whose cpbferfts III actively stir dpi
20 that the soup flies around with o hiss
ing sound. There another tries the food
by raising thcsirorp spoon with the smok7
Ing broth to Ma Ii Al h Cd then qnietly re-
turning il 10 the depths 81 the com pany D
cauldron. A party of soldiers have
gathered round mountain hi petafoeA
aud while their companions are clean
ing their musketselose by,aud pipeclaY-
ing their belts, these gipsey. like gentry,
crouching on the grohnd, sharpen their
knives, and scrape the potatoes, which
are then thrown into the ceuldrons (.
Further on,rseruitsa ere being drilled.
snd drummsts ekegeised. Presently .
strange looking party, come along the
road. Their caps sit crooked; their
coats are thrown over their Shout deFs.
and In their hands they have common
cudgela. l do not know what TO make
Of these gentry in shlftsleeves, till the
scentries presank arms, and 4 discover
that the ihapection \ ID taking place.
These comlnrtable gentlemen, are Off,
ers--ooloneiaA umajors, captainsr and
subalterns all mixed mp together. The
hand, instead .hof lholdiHg a sword, In
buried in the depth of the trousers
pocket. The chest IL bare; one has two
apaulets on bis tunic. another one land
third nonaAt ALL There. the gentle
men stroll down the lines, haltipg DOW
and thep TO look nj the merry soldiers,
games which are going on.
each S sssa.s j. :Rsla RG sSlS
In the meanwhile other soldiers look
- g. N n
man is drageed from his harmless avo-
cation, and Ia optic Of his fesistanee,
thrown upo9 ~ blAnkeA TIE latter sis
pulled tight There is shout Of "0ne,
two, threel" and up flies the hapless fell
low in the air, sad is swiftly canghs
again. Thu adksIiosi until znisregI Is
shown the GREATNESS sufferer, aud q
fresh victim Is selected.
While the officers are looking on at
the fun, some OF them fesE M itbhihg TO
Try the tossing oH.ons Of xthepselves
Significant looks are rapidly Exchanged,
and Suddenly young officer fpds hem-
self seized by his comrades, and, IN
spite of ell his struggles, thrown into the
blanket. While the victim iss~till ours
ing, four qaiheFs relieve tbs soldiers
who have hitherto held the blanket, and
the sport is continued amid hearty
bursts of laughter from the hystandera
The whole hattAliOn icongfeRntes, and
heartily enioysSas seems, when tho cap
tain dies Into the air, swearings and
laughing by turns, aud then falls back
into the blanket ill he almost strikes
the ground. =
Further on sAe men are amusing them
selves with less da ngarpus garaes For
tossing in a blanket, though Il appeaSs
90 eomicsl, has its critical aide. If one
of the tossers lose his hold as the victim
is falling (which may essily happen
through the weight, The tosses who sAus
makes acquaintance with ais mothss
earth may fssas BADLY, To the present
case, the man who is to leap owe,
the backs Of bic comrades incurs les.