The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1898-08-26
we would stop and we don't know vet.


night and pitched camp at Burke's sta
ton. That was a terrible day for some.
The heat was terrible and we passed men
all along the line who had fallen out
ahead of us. Some had received sun
strokes, Others were overcome by the
heat, while many couldn't stand the load
they had to carry. One man died in the
fence corner.
Twill stop here and tell you how we
are situated. There are about 1000 re.
cruits here for the SD, 34th Michigan
and 9th Massachusetts We are all to.
gether and form one regiment. We are
divided into companies as before, only the
companies 60 by numbers instead of let
tiers. l am in the I'd company. Now for
the rest of the march.
The Massachusetts fellows call us the
Michigan woodchoppers. They made
their brags that they would show the
woodchoppers how to march. They were
ahead when we started, and before night
we had passed nearly every one lying in
the fence corners.
Our loads are no light affairs with tents,
blankets, mess kits, ETC., besides the gun.
Our tents are pup" tents about four feet
high, five feet long and five wide, just big
enough for a good sized dog.
The first night it rained, and when it
rains here it pours. Our tents are not
much good in heavy rain storm. We
camped at Burke's station all the next
day. Some of the men didn't get into
camp until night. The following morn
ing, Aug. 8, We started again and march
ed to Bull Run battlefield and rested
there the next day. Aug. we marched
to place four miles beyond Manassas
that was on Sunday. BY the time we
struck Manassas we were hard looking
crowd, covered with sweat and dust, The
streets were full of people to bee us. You
can just imagine us, There are about
$4,000 OF us on the march together,
We camped at Manassas one day and it
rained all the time we were there. Just
imagine how the roads were when we
started the next morning, Aug. 8. All red
clay and the mud was terrible. Think OF
marching all day in mud over your shoe
tops and slipping and sliding around.
Besides that we had just got started when
it commended to rain and rained all day
We pitched our tents in the rain and
slept in the mud.
! We expected TO move the next morn.
ing but haven't moved yet. I went on
guard night before last In the rain. We
60 on guard duty for "a hours. We get
two hours on and four hours off, but have
to stay at the guard house during the four
| hours. The only trouble here was there
wasn't any guard house so we had to stay
! out in the rain. took two rails and laid
one end on log and lay down on them
and pulled rubber blanket over me and
slept the whole four hours. When get
home am going to sleep on the wood
pile.
Now don't think by what I have writ.
ten you that am homesick, for am not.
was only describing army life as l have
seen it. have only this to say: Stay out
of the army. Some don't like it, but
rather enjoy this sort of life. Some nights
while we were marching the wagons
wouldn't get in on time for supper so we
went to sleep without supper.
This is wild, God-forsaken country.
There are a few farmhouses scattered
along, but none of the old Virginia man.
sions that you read about. If a farmer
has any chickens or turkeys he keeps
them in the cellar or they will disappear
like magic. Funny where they 60. /
know the soldiers wouldn't steal them,
oh, no, but sometimes we have chicken
for dinner.
We fellows here think of the good old
times quite often. One fellow made the
remark the other night while we were
lying on rails in the rain that he would
like to sleep on his fathers doorstep.