The Morris County chronicle. [volume] (Morristown, N.J.) 1877-1915, 1900-09-28
LETTERS TO
COMRADES.
Col. E. !. CambeIl Writes Inter-
eStingIy to His Comrades.

Unable osAttend the Reunion but
Write Entertaining Reminiscent
ces How the BeIvidere Company
Was Organized and Recruiting
Carried on in Warren County.
The Morristown visitors to the re-
union of the 10th Reg. N. j. Vols,
held in Hackettstown last week, are
still talking over the affair as being
one of the most enjoyable in its his
tory. Among those present from
Morristown were Mr.. and Mrs. w. W.
Beers, Mr.. and Mrs. ]. "A. Cliff, Mr..
and Mrs. E, A. Doty, Mr.. and Mrs.
Charles Fl. Guerin and son Mrs. W.R.
Sanders, Manuel d. Johnson, W. H.
K. Emmons, John Williamson. w e.
Broadwell, Foster Fl. Langdon, Sam
uel A. Heath, Mr.: and Mrs. George
VanHouten.
The following letter from the old
comnanderwillb be of interest to many.
The regiment admired Colonel Pen
rose, but Colonel Campbell was it's
idol. For him the soldiers had an
affection similar to that felt for the
late beloved Chaplain Haines.
Trinidad, Col, Sept IL, 1900.
A. w Whitehead, Pres, and S. W.
W Gordon, Sec, 10Th Reg. Nj. ".
Vet. Assn:
Dear Comrades
Your pressing and complimentary
invitation to be present at the mex t
reunion was duly received, and has
been read and re-read with great i'm
terest and warm appreciation. Ii
were within any reasonable distance
of course should be present. But
writing as I do onnder the shadow of
the grand old Rocky Mountains, too
many thousands Of miles intervene to
admit of my coming. OF course shall
be with you in spirit, as have been
at each successive reunion since left
my native State. have always
thought Of you during the hours when
you were in session, and always with
q great longing to be there.
1t is just fourteen years since | left
the old State, and left with regrets
that could not be easily expressed.
After twenty one years experience
with doctors and drug stores, 4 Ibe-
came fully convinced that it was
either z take 10 btiio graveyard on
'' take to the woods. y There was a
very attractive looking cemetery there,
beautiful from the standpoint of every
decorative art. But as a place Of
residence, it had no charms for me
so took TO the woods. M
The first year spent on the prairies,
chiefly amusing myself, with my wife
in pursuit of the abundant antelope
and other wild game, but did Not
realize much improvement. The next
year. becoming connected with some
mining ksuits, | spent among the
mountains and mines. Crossed the
!" Range, on an average, once month.
During his year, Just when, where
or how I knew not, but somewhere
and somehow ] pretty much recovered
my natural self-so far as that has
Eever been possible since the long four
years experience of war. Whether
it was the ozone of the mountains,
the venison and the hunting it, the
mountain trout and wading the
AOl w lAOti tAf1ONtrtf - ttu
certainly it was the stvis medicatrix
of dear old mother nature, for the aid
of doctors and drug stores was not
invoked. By constant care have
continued that state of health ever
since, taking life very easy, and today
have my full natural weight as u
young man and two pounds more.
Will send photo for the archives OF
the Association If I can get one made
in time to mail with this. [ think it
would be a good idea to make a coll
lection of photos of our old comrades
OF the 10th, as far as practicable, and
have them put in som kind of franc
for preservation. 1t is highly probable
that, at some future day many people
will take an interest in looking at
such collection, more, perhaps, than
any have in looking at the original
faces.
1t gives me mnch qualification to
learn that your coming reunion is to
be held at Hackettstown, the place Of
the first reunion; and in the county
in which was born and reared to
manhood and in which the remains Of
my parents repose.
The latter facts have brought freshly
to my mind many incidents which
had almost faded from my memory.
don't know that my ''old boys
(old now but boys" then) ever knew
that the man who so unworthily led
them in SO many battles was the first
one to enlist in the county in which
he was born and brought mp; took his
first oath as private of the 1st Reg't,
1st Brig, 1st Div, 1St Corps belong
ed to the first regiment that was
started out for the ill-fated ''first
Bull Rum heard the first shot Of the
war and was at the head OF the column
when we struck Lee at Appomattox.
II has amused me much to recall my
first military exploit, at Belvidere.
Possibly you might be Interested to
hear it.
1t was ON the 18th day of April, 1861
Sumpter had fallen on the 14th, and.
Lincoln's call for $4,000 three months
men ha appeared the same day.
Three days had elapsed and no one
made a move of any kind in response
to the call. I was IL the worst pos
sible condition TO go myself.
Had just been admitted to the bar,
and my first case III the circuit court
just ready for trial Was the head of 4
family (my mother being a widow,
without resources of any kind beyond
my own work. But the entire absenceof
any movement pressed SO heavily upon
my pride, and possibly some patriotic
instincts, that / could not endure it
longer. On the morning of the 18th
! went to my newly opened Office, but