Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1898-12-25
HOW SPENT IN CAMP.
"REMINISCENCES OF WAR XMAS nr
FIGHTING CHAPLAIN.
The BOYS HAD 4 GOOD TINE.
Features OF the Observance of the
holidays by Dur Soldiers I'm 1861
and 1S02-Mndc the ncst of fae
situation and Enjoy cd Themselves.


"IIow We Spent Christmas in Camp"
would require more space and a more
careful description thar l can give Mt
present and no one man could give the
varying experiences Of the different
commands and the many soldiers.
Sat n you VIII be satisfied with such
buried personal recollectons as | can re-
cu shall be glad to accede to the ro-
quest Of the Dispatch and give them TO
yol currente ealamo.
T shall speak OF the Xmas Of 1861. We
bad gotten over the delusion that our
great victory at First Manassas would
end the war-that England and France
would recognize the independence OF the
C-a,ederacy before the spring campaign
~opsncd-and that the Federal Government.
seeing the hopelessness Of the task OF sub
ting the South. would sue for peace.
We saw from the preparations making
q. che North that the war would be pro-
,.-ta. and although confident OF our
E.iy 90 conquer a peace" we went into
winter quarters along the line Of Bull Run
St. the sad consciousness that We must
H.-H hNHt'tF NNN@. AANAAA AWANAN ANU loved
c.ss. and without the many comforts and
luNr ries 90 which We a been accus-
toned az this season.
NEW EXPERIENCE FOR THEM
winter quarters" were now 10 us ana
sac had not been able to make our huts as
comfortable rs with more experience we
c0-.a have done. But I remember that
ia. mon OF the Thirteenth Virginia "a. p.
lS old regiment had gone to work
n.HI cheerful HlqrrffX aud hftfFs -. Ill.
cllulain-l had served from the beginning
Co. The ranks. but had recently been conn
I!sslcuei Chapl ina combined chapel ana
parsonage, which reflected great credit
upon the architect and the builders, and
p.- really very comfortable.
When 10 was seen that very few fur
lo-chs could be granted. and that most
.t us would be obliged to spend our Xmas
So camp. we went TO work TO make pre-
iarations for 1t, and creature comforts
were not lacking.
Eatons issued by the commissarv de-
rsrtment az this time were fairly abun-
can't Confederate money was not much
t...w par, provisions IN the country were
abundant, and our noble women-God
bless them-cheerfully robbed their own
l0rtors. smokehOuscS. and poultry yards
.- order that they might send the best
,--y had 70 the soldiers al the front.
lt would be interesting to know II there
were now any means Of ascertainlng the
number Of boxes and barrels. filled with
turkeys. hams, mince pies. plum pudding.
cakes. and every other variety OF edib.es.
which went from the homes Of the people
On The soldiers at Manassas for the din
rers OF that Xmas. / am afraid. -. that
there were some gallons. IL not barrels.
CT 5rinkables in the shipments. and that
erynog, apple teddy, and even champagne
were not lacking In the Xmas dinners and
haniuets spread in the huts OF the pri-
'ata soldiers as well AS IN the quarters OF
tie officers.
THE THOUGHTS OF HOME.
There was. OF course. a great contrast
between the Christmas Of the camp and
thar Of the typical southern home. Sad
memories would come tro0ping up as the
soldier thought Of the Xmas he once en-
-.tei in the dear old home. The secret
c~.nferences among the children. the con-
situations Of the old folks, the hanging
tp n the stockings, the merry Xmas
ttt that a ~ out in the early morning,
ia- blowing Of horns. the firing Of crack
efs and OF Xmas guns, the Xmas-tree. the
family gathering. the dinner such as was
never seen anywhere save in a southern
home. the general merry-making Of the
day and Of the week-all these were re-
c.el and talked OF by the soldiers. and /
O. they thought OF mother and father, and
wife and children. and gentle sisters, and
sEtetheart, no wonder that they grew
'Lomesick." and that. at times,
Something on the soldiers cheek
Washed off the stain of powder"
But. pushing away these memories and
l.nsings, the average soldier enjoyed tho
roughly the gOOd cheer he had, and en-
tered heartily into the merry-making OF
The season. In my regiment we had pro-
a popular circulating library. which
Gle men highly appreciated. largely used,
greatly enjoyed. Then there were de-
hating societies and social gatherings and
expedients for Willing away the
hours and days OF that first Xmas in the
camp. 1 must not forget 10 add that we
Lad tender. appropriate, and profitable re-
siOus services.
XMAS OF 1862.
This was spent along the Rappahannock.
camps stretching from above Frede-
rcksburg 10 Port Royal.
We had passed through Jackson's glo-
r.1us Valley campaign and seven days Of
and victory around Richmond. We
bad paid our respects to "Jackson's Quar-
-srmaster" q. +. Banks at Cedar Run,
on the plains Of Manassas had fully
satisfied John Pope that defeat and dis
Go Turk in the rear" and had