The National tribune., 1901-08-08

Dec. ~, lSo1J-On. camp acre caheS
sS 0us SssSs s' es sns Ss, Eko rs.
within sight Of qW quarters. Id the house
where our Gen. Wood was born, and who
now has his font pitched In the old or
chard where he spent his youthful days
| The farm Is whitened with the tents OF
thousands Of soldiers, awaiting his COM
the ranks of sis former playmates. friend.
and neighbors, now in hostile array, q
few miles distant, under Gen. Buckner
whose house and farm are also within
the limits Of our camp, not two miles
fyom Gen. Woods. The corn and hay
raised by Gen. Buckner last Summer are
being fed to our mules.
Dee. %, 1S61-The ruins of the great
railroad bridge that spanned Green River
at this point make an interesting object
The bridge was great structure, with
solid stone piers rising to the hight of
f75 feet. Standing on the river bank, at
the waters edge, one may see the tim
bers stretching like spiders web, al
ready nearly halfway across, while q To-
comotivo darts back and forth on the
frail, temporary track, az busy as an ant
moving it's household goods, and appar-
emily but little larger. The locomotive is
being used to draw, with a heavy line,
the tiIlbers from the river, perpendicu-
larly, to their place on top. A very large
expected that this great bridge will be
ready for the passage of trains within
two weeks, and if so, it will be mar
vel of engineering skill for rapid con-
struction.
Dec. %, 1S61-Our mess, four in num-
Der, have invested $3.50 in a small sheet
iron stove for our tent, which we con-
slider the best investment we ever made
in our lives. Before, we had to remain
shiyering in our tent or stand around an
open fire outside, to be frozen on one side
and toasted on the other, if we chose
the windward, or TO be slightly warmed
and greatly smoked if we chose the lee
ward. We were kept in constant tears,
either from the piercing wind or binding
smoke, and many of the boys have their
pants legs in mourning from too constant
and close contact with the shifting flame
and smoke.
We were compelled, in justice to differ
ent parts of our bodies, to turn about
continually, like the revolving figures of a
tailor's establishment, while our hands
had to be turned like fapjacks, only 20
times as frequently, to keep them from
scOrching. But now is the Winter of
our discomfort made glorious Summer
by our red-hot stove. II an outsider
should lift the flap of our tent and peep
in, he would usually see four forms
stretched like alligators in the sun.
CHRISTMAS DAY.
Dec. %, 1S61-Christmas Day opens
clear and pleasant. Early this morning
the regiment was ordered out on picket
duty, and passed the day without any
thing 10 remind the boys of it, except the
remembrance of former happy days, in
the piping times Of peace"
AS this day is the day set by many Of
our boys to mark the end of the year,
they are now diligently laboring to prove
that their calculC tons were not wrong,
but that our Generals have been wrong
in the management OF our armies.
Some of our boys. are indignant that
their own particular plans have not been
adopted at headquarters, whereby the en-
tire Confederate army was to be caught
i'll the meshes of simultaneous move
ment of all our armies, like fish in a net
But our commanders have persisted in
not crossing an fmpassable stream before
we come to it, and not then until means
shall have been provided.
Dec. 81, 1S61-,-Beipg detailed on guard
duty today, it was my lot TO stand sOli-
tary and alone at my post when the old
year died. Watching its dying hours from
10 to i, my mind reverted to the watch
meetings Of previous years. All was so
quiet liz the camp before me and in the
deep shadows of the towering hills be-
hind me that life and animation seemed to
y
ing Inc alone with my gun to guard the
camp of the dead, and as the heightened
moments Of the eleventh hour gave place
TO the twelfth and last, ] was almost
tempted to commit a breach of discipline
and discharge my musliet to warn my
comrades that the old year was about 10
slip away unobserved and new year of
untried, undiscoverable dangers, victories
and peace, or defeats and death, was
spreading its wings of light or darkness,
who could tell, to enyelop US all for veal
or for woe.
Long as the moments appeared to me
in the weird surroundings that threw q
glamour over my thoughts, midnight came,
at last, and was announced by a burst
of music from the brass band at Brigade
Headquarters, and few faint cheers
from half-awakened soldiers in various
portions of the camp. These sounds OF
life proved most welcome and almost sur
prised me. They dispeled the grave re-
sponsibility of my fancy, that seemed to
rest upon me alone, to challenge the New
Year in the name of my sleeping COM
rades, and to demand whether it came
as friend or foe; but the joyful notes of
music and the cheers, though few and
faint, taught me that | was not the only
watcher, and that the New Year was re-
ceived as Il friend. May God grant that
its closing days may smile upon our coun-
Try, Icuillltu anu PEACEFUL
My revere was interrupted by the
tramp of the relief guards, who brought
comrade to take my place, while | re-
tired to sleep.
Jan. ], 1S62-The first day of the year
opens bright and cheerful, finding us in
good spirits under the stimulus of an ex-
pected forward movement.
Gen. Buell. has established his head
quarters near our camp, in order to direct
the movement in person. A number of
heavy siege guns are being received here
by rail, for use in attacking the enemy's
formidable works at Bowling Green.
The fact that such heavy armament is
required renders it necessary that we
should have railroad transportation; con-
sequently our movement awaits the com
pletion of the Green River bridge, where
the work is being pushed with the greatest
energy. There is 10 organized camp OF
the COnfederates within 10 miles of us,
but their mounted scouts are continually
securing the country for stragglers and
for information of our movements. Dc
casiOnally they make dash upon our
outposts, when opportunity and numbers
justify it.
These scouts are the fnger-ends of
Buckner's army, through which he keeps
q slight but constant pressure against the
projections of our line, to make sure of
its exact location, and to convey instant
intelligence to his headquarters at Bow
ling Green, should our line begin to ex-
pand in his direction, thereby indicating
our advance and his consequent necessity
for defense. J"
Jan. 2, 1S62-Gen. Buell. has issued
strict orders in regard to pilfering. 1t is
made n guard-house. offenSe to take a rail
belonging to Unionist or Secessionist. Our
Al