Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1914-11-06
NINETIETH INSTALLMENT
Virginia Correspondence.

Virginia Correspondence.
Camp near Germantown, Army Of the
Potomac, August Goth, 1861.
Dear Enquirer:-To any one who
has the temerity to make the expert
ment, an attempt at correspondence
whilst confined within the noisy pre-
cincts of a soldiers camp, with a box
or a barrel for a writing desk, a cor
roded piece Of iron for a pen, and with
not a moment Of quietness for thought
will prove a task difficult to be per-
formed satisfactorily, yet, l have de-
termined to make the effort-howeVer
rash-believing that short communl
cation touching affairs in this sectior
of the world, would not be uninterest'
ing to your readers; particularly as sc
many of the gallant sons Of York are
encamped here in obedience to theii
country's call.
Our regiment, that is the 9Th com
manded by Col. Winder, Colonel Jen-
kins, Colonel Sloan and Col Bland
ing, constitute the brigade under
Gen. D. R. Jones, now tented within a
mile and half Of Fairfax court house
Our men have suffered, and are suffer
ing severely, from a disease which
seems even to pursue camp with its
distressing ravages, though no deaths
have occurred as yet from this cause
the unfriendly climate by which we are
surrounded, together with the linger-
ing effects Of the measles by which our
army has been sorely scourged, ap-
pears to have rendered it's form more
aggravated than it might under other
circumstances have been. Fortunately
however, it seems to have abated some
what in the last three or four days
Many Of the soldiers, no doubt, have
grievously felt the want Of properly
prepared provisions, as few Of them
had acquired any knowledge Of the
culinary art before they were called tc
the field; no complaint, however, has
been alleged against the commissary
department for the provision supplies
have been Of good material and very
abundant. l have understood that
General Beauregard has ordered gov
ernment bakeries to be established
about Fairfax, in order to supply the
army with wholesome bread. This
would be decidedly a wise measure.
We are beginning to look with nc
little apprehension to the coming win
ter; already have we had an earnest
Of what we may reasonably expect
when the cold season sets in regularly;
for the last week the weather has
been exceedingly rough and uncom-
Portable, cold winds and continual
rains have visited us with unmitigated
roughness. After the lightest fall OF
rain, the earth here becomes "sliE
and slosh," and appears to exude to
the surface double Of the quantity OF
water that had fallen from the heav-
ens-it Is infinitely worse than the
South Carolina "blackjacks," the sol
diers consequently sustain great in
convenience and frequently contract
disease from having their feet contin-
ually damp. My own have not beer
dry in four days Most Of our men are
totally unprepared for the severity Of
a northern winter, and they are neces.
sarily dependent upon friends at home
for supplies of suitable winter cloth
ing which Is impossible to procure
here. Surely the patriotic people o
York need only to be informed Of thi!
fact to make the requisite outfit fol
her soldiers, forthcoming Immediately
Wooden clothing is needed-not money
In behalf Of the York Guards, tak'
the liberty of reminding the citizens O.
Fort Mills, Rock Hill and Blairsvill'
that they have brothers and Sons nov
defending the homes which they enjo!
in peace and quiet, and that it would
be criminal in the last degree on thei
part to permit single man Of thi
gallant corps to suffer for moment o.
"perchance to die" from the want o
comfortable apparel.
l had my strength and patience
slightly tested on the day we marched
from Camp Pettus-where we wer'
last stationed, to this place, distance
of six or seven miles. The rain poured
in torrents upon us, almost withou
intermission, during the whole march
the mud was frequently six inche!
deep, and everything in fact seemed t.
me to have conspired to render th'
journey difficult and disagreeable. Th'
Brigade, however, with the soldierl!
bearing and fortitude accomplished i
without appearing to be jaded even
resting only ten minutes on the way
With a stern determination to pla.
the soldier, l slung my knapsacli
buckled on my military accoutrement!
shouldered my gun-a very good riflet
musket taken from the Yankees OF
the memorable 21st and took my posi-
ton in the line of march; it proved al
most to great a feat for my strength
however, and with great reluctance
had to own up" and saddle my ser
want with my fighting implements, af
ter which l ran the bog trot with th'
swiftest. The lot of the common sol
dier is hard and to see the willingness:
and cheerfulness, with which gentle
men heretofore accustomed to eas'
and luxury even, discharge the ardu
Gus duties and endure the severe pri
vations common to the common sol
dier alone can convey the adequate
conception Of the appreciation b!
southerners of that peerless boon fo
which they are gallantly struggling
the liberty and independence of thu
south l have been in an attitude tt
see, to feel and to experience in some
sort, and | shall ever remember will
unmiXed gratitude the man who ha!
shouldered his gun and gone forth tc
battle in this sacred cause.
II ic truly ora tifyipp IN pitpess thf