Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1898-06-30

G6rRin1 camp LIE.
CHICKANAuGA PARK. LYTLE GA
june -. 1898
DEAR FRrENp:-I thought I would
drop you few lines and let YOU know
that am still alive but far away
without a bell on Well. jim. am lin
a place that never thought Of being
when | was home last spring but you
might say was almost forced to 60.
When the regiment was sworn into
the regular service my captain said
he would not let me back out because
he needed me had, and he said he
would pay me extra out of his own
pocket. My regular pay is $216o
month aud get extra from the cap
tain, and board and clothes If had
backed out | would get roasted all the
rest of my life | would not be cow
ard; would rather be shot on the spot
for a coward is not worth any more
than that if he is afraid to fight for
'old Glory"
Well, it is nearly two months since
we went into camp. We were in
Springfield, III, three weeks and then
we were moved down here and have
been here five weeks next Monday and
it seems like 50 many years.
While we were at Springfield l
passed the time with Patsy Nye; we
were quartered in the same building
together and we had lots of fun. But
his regiment was sent to Washington
while ours was sent to Chickamauga
Park. Georgia And deader place
you never saw although there are
about $4,000 men here but the park is
fifteen miles square and they are scat
tered all or er it. And all we do is to
get out and drill at o'clock until
$3.50 O'Clock n the morning and then
lay down awhile and at II o'clock eat
and then lay awhile longer and drill
again at $3.50 until 5 o'clock aud eat
at 6, then drill again at $50 until7 1880
o'clock and then to bed and lights out
or they find out why they aren't out.
Well, jim, we are twelve miles
south of Chattanooga in the valley of
the Cumberland mountains between
Lookout mountain and Missionary
Ridge on the old Chickamauga battle
field. We are camped in the Kelley
field where the worst part Of the Pat
tie took place and just west Of us is
the famous battle field of Snod Grass
Hill and also Bloody Cullen and Nc
Farland's Gap.
1t is quite a sight 70 see the ola
cannons and all sorts Of relics of the
late war lying around in some of the
fields. The boys pass considerable
time hunting for old bullets and such
relics as they can conveniently send
home and they find great many.
have found eight musket bullets. four
canister shots and quite a number of
grape shot, and you can see old
graves with common stone at the
head and foot most any place near the
battle fields. Nearly all the old log
houses that were not burned are still
here and are taken care of as old rel
les. Some Of them are occupied by
old colored families such as old slaves.
The colored population is not very
small down here. 1t seemed funny
at first TO talk to a Southerner; the
white people as well as the black seem
to have such funny way of express
ing their words. But at the same
time they are pleasant and willing to
do anything for Us. except few old
rebels and when we see one like that
we make things warm for him and he
takes sneak
jim, wish you could see Us IN
camp at meal time Everybody
makes a rush for the cook shanty fo-
fear Of some one else getting more
than his share. At first when we ar
rived here we were fed very poorly;
we had nothing bat salt pork, beans,
thard tack and coffee and ii was pretty
short at that. Some OF the boys were
quite sick in the hospital. Some were
overheated and others were sick to
their stomachs and others had bad
colds, which they caught IN Illinois
and IN some cases it turned into pneu-
monia. There were two deaths
caused by it in our Company; one was
our first lieutenant and the other
private that belonged to my section