Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1865-04-13
Especial 10 the Gallipolis Journal
CAMP OLEY CHARLESTON, Va.
March 27, 1865.

Ed JoURNAL:-As the most OF the
boys belonging to our company, are
from Gallia county, and q great many
Of their parents are readers Of the
Journal. l concluded to give you
an ill-composed detail of our trip,
and experience, as soldiers since we
left Camp Chase Ohio.
But to 90 back a little farther and
start from Marietta, Ohio, as part
of our company was mustered in
there, by Capt. Levi Barber, Provost
Marshal. Leaving Point Harmer on
the morning of the 4th of March, for
Columbus We had not gone more
than twelve miles, till we had to get
out of the cars end wade around a
trussel work that ffza give way with
the train due at Marietta the previ-
Gus evening. An old trussel work
had been filled up with gravel. The
cars coming on it. it spread apart
and the train sank in the sand, There
was an other train ready on the5other
side waiting to take us on, and so we
spent the most of the forepai.t Of the
day, walking around bad fniIsroad
bridges, between Marietta and Ham
den l would as soon soldier . yeSr
in the Shenandoah valley as ride
over that road.
After leaving Columbus, we came
by the way OF GAINESVILLE and Newark.
to BelleaIr. There we drew our
arms and accoutrements. There we
crossed the river to Benwood, Va,
4 miles below Wheeling. We took
the cars there and arrived at Fair
mont, on the Monongahela river
about noon. We crossed the river
on the SUSPENSION bridge, as the re-
cent rains had washed away the rail
roal bridge across the river. We
marched up the river on the left
hand side, about one and half miles
to where the cars connected on the
other side of the river There we
biouvac ed for the night. This was
the first experience the boys had had
sleeping without tents. But it was
not long till the camp was illumina-
ted with camp fires, of neighbor-
ing fence. Early next morning q
train was there to take US on our way
east, passing Grafton that day. The
next morning found us at Cumber-
land city, Md. There we met some
of our old friends belonging to the
36th and 9lst o. vi. Leaving Cum
berland city early that morning. we
passed through Harper's Ferry, ar
riYing at Charlestown that night. 1t
being the evening of Goth o: March.
Charlestown was once a gay place,
but now sadly on the decline. ]
should judge from the magnitude of
the place, it contained at one time
two thousand inhabitants. There
are some magnificent buildings,
churches, as well as dwelling houses.
Amongst the different places Of no
toriety, 1 visited, was the burial
ground of the Episcopal church. 1t
contains some splendid slabs and
monuments. / also visited the spot
where the notorious John Brown nd
his companions were hung. A locust
tree once stood close to the place
where the gallows stood, but it is
taken away root and branch, by sol
diers formerly visiting the place.
The most of the people here are in
favor of the Southern Confederacy,
though kind and pleasant to our SOL
diers. War has made its mark in
this part of the Valley, as no barns
or fences remain Yet the Valley
has much the appearance it had in
the summer of'62, as 1 soldiered here
in Fremont's campaign, when he
drove Stonewall Jackson out of the
valley.
Anderson McCook is Col. of our
regiment, but l understand he is
promoted to Brig. Gen., he is from
Steubenville. Ohio. He was former
II Col. of the I'd Ohio infantry.
Benz. Martin of Vinton, Is Capt.
of company C, Bob. Carter, of the
same place Ist Lieut., and a man by
the name of r. W. Morgan I'd Lieut..
The boys are all jolly and gay, and
enjoy themselves very well, some of
them are having the measles. They
are cared for as soon as it is discov-
cred. The greatest complaint g.
--k 4ba have ;o fha, ha-