The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-02-09
Letter from The Ise,h Ohio.
CAMP OF 12GTH ONO,
YELLOW HOUSE STATION, Va,
.- January 20, 1865.

Eds. Lancaster Gazette As it has
been long time since l have seen any
notice of this regiment, l thought per-
haps some OF your readers would like
to know something of our wherea-
bouts, &c.
The present finds us oncamped near
the above named place, and enjoying
camp lifo rs best we know how. After
travelling several hundred miles on
foot, aboard transports, and railroad
cars. also engaging in some of the
hardest fought battles of the war, we
have finally got settled down in WIN
ter quarters, and oh, how glad we are
for the prospect Of little rest. Ow.
ing to the scarcity of timber. and had
weather, our quarters are far from be-.
ing completed; yet how much more
comfortable we are in our rudely CON
structed huts, these bitter cold nights,
by the side of bright blazing fire,
than to be exposed to the open air,
with no shelter but the heavens above.
1t has fallen to our lot to occupy low
swampy part of the line, and in wet
weather 1t is very disagrceable on ac-
count of tho deep mud but so far the
boys have all had very good health, ex.
cept bad colds. If person not &C.
quainted with camp life was to visit
our camp nome rainy day, they would
think it almost impossible for men to
live in such mud holes; but this war
has convinced q great many people Of
things that were thought impossible.
We have not bocn called on to en-
gage the enemy since the 10th Of last
October, at Cedar Creek, Va. We
left the Shenandoah Valley on the Sd
of last December, and arrived in front
OF Petersburg, Va, on the 9Th. Since
then VIC have done no very hard
marching, although we have been
shifted considerable from ono part of
the line to another.
For two or three weeks after we ar
rived here we were on very short ra-
tions, but they have been increased of
late, so that we have plenty to eat now,
and some to spare. We also have all
the clothing required to make us com.
Portable. We have fortified our posi-
tion WELL and think we can hold it
against any force the enemy can bring
against US. Tho enemy has made two
or three attempts to drive IN the pick
cts in front of our Corps since here,
but each time has failed. The pickets
of our Corps are in speaking distance
with those of the enemy. Neither par
ty is allowed to fire on the other unless
one party advances.
Dcaerters come into our lines every
night; they all agree in saying they
are tired of tho war, and willing to
play quits. They are all poorly clad.
| have not seen o we'll dressed rebel
since left the Valley, and few of them
have blankets. ..- .....
Yesterday our cars were greeted
with the salute Of one hundred guns
in honor of tho great Union victory at
Fort Fisher. A few days ago the reb-
el press was rejoicing over the rcpulsc
of Buffers troops at that place, and
thought that their Fort was impreg.
nablc, and could hold out against any
force the yankees could bring against
it. But so old Jubal Early thought on
the ed of last September, when his
army was cntrenched on Fishers Hill.
Just so the Confcdoracy is going. The
Southern leaders arc trying to keep
up the spirits of their people by fat
tering them that the Confcdcracy is
losing nothing. Poor, degraded set Of
people they are! How long will they
remain in darkncssP
But old father Abe has thought to
try the old antidoto once more, which
whom accomplished, we think will give
them little foresight. With the pres
ent army, and an addition of three
hundred thousand moro, we think we
can knock the scales from the eyes of
tho Confederacy, and bring speedy
termination TO this wicked rebellion,
in which so many precious lives have
been sacrificed, and happy homes
made destitute. In no period of the
war have we had such prospects ol
peace. All that We want now is to
keep the wagon moving. Give the
traitors no time for repair But how
are we to do this? Our present army
from constant fatigue and exposure, is
almost exhausted. We are getting out
of repair and must have some rest
But we expect to see our places filled
by brave loyal men that will not shir1
from duty. We want men that can