The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1914-04-03
running for several days, will explain
my not replying sooner.

lage of Germantown. We are posted
on the right of the Brigade and our
camp is still nameless except the
soubirquet of MUD HOLE by which
it is known among the men. We
moved here on wet, dismal day,
and have had constant and heavy
rains for a week. During this time
we have had cold weather, and have
received timely warning of whas we
may hereafter expect. The inhabi-
tants tell us that we may look Cor
snow waist deep for weeks together,
and we will accordingly prepare for
another "Valley Forge" Our men
are but poorly provided with warm
clothing and are in many instances
wholly without blankets and 1 shall
by this mail write to friends in Union
to Begin in time to assist the poor
fellows through the severe ordeal to
which they will be exposed. A fund
of $500 was subscribed for the ben
eft of the P. r. Company and Ed
Meng was appointed chairman of the
committee to collect and disemburse
the same. This has not yet been col
lected DR.. Herndon told me also to
call on him for any necessary as
sistance and shall not fail to do so.
Good, homemade, stout shoes, under
clothing, woolen stockings and bed
coverings will be chiefly needed.
Whiskey consigned to the care of the
officers will be invaluable, when cold
weather sets in. l am sorry to say
that the number of our sick does not
apparently diminish. Every day
brings the news of the death of some
poor fellows of the 5th. We have
lost two, Harper Sharp and James
Parr, and the J. R. have been equally
unfortunate. I fear more will soon
die. The number of our wounded who
die of wounds not apparently mortal,
is strangely large. Men wounded in
the foot, in the hands, in fieshy por
tions of the body, die unexpectedly
and amputation has in an unusually
large proportion of cases proved IA.
tai: Prominent men here express the
-helef that the balls -ef--the ensns.
were often poisoned. Bullets with
copper rings are picked up and an
Internal contrivance in the shape of
a musket ball, so charged with full
mlnatlng powder as to explode from
contact, after entering the flesh was
shown me the other day taken from
the pocket of a prisoner Many of
the Federalists wage war upon .s
with most devilish malice, and the
country in which we now are bears
ample evidence of the reckless spirit
of mischief with which thew are
filled. Lincoln's proclamation con-
tanned the assurance that there should
be mo invasion among the people
anywhere" and that the rights of
private property should be respected.
Fairfax, Centreville and German
town all show how these pledges have
been fulfilled. In the last, a mere
hamlet, count six ruins of houses
burnt by them in one day, and I am
told many others were DESTROYED in
the outskirts. All along the road
you come upon blackened ruins. or.
chards stripped, grain fields trampled
down, and the story of property plum
dered IS IN every mouth. l dined with
one poor man the other day who sub
slsts by the produce of his orchard
which he has been in the habit of sell
ing in Washington and Alexandra
from this poor inoffensive fellow liv
ing along with his bed-ridden wife
they stole four horses (his onlvI
teaml, ruined his orchard, Slaughtered
all ms beeves, poured out the casts
OF vinegar he had Seady for market !
took al! his bee-hives and honey aIn'
this although Senator Wilsan was
stopping in his house and the Gen. oil
the Brigade which plundered him
had promised him to severely punish
any one who should molest him or his
property. Their replies to his remon-
Strances always was, "Uncle Sam will
pay you for everything if you will
make out your bill" From this old
man l procured some shoots of what
ne considered the finest pears sold in
Washington, the Harvest" and I
sent them to you by Lieut.. Mabrv.
who promised to deliver them to,
gether with my watch, to some one
IN Union to be handed to YOU. I fear
they will be worthless when tbey
reach you though wrapped in wet
wool. sent also the Golden Pinnin
from Which l would like to propagate
~Ourltent was enlivened this after
noon by the presence of a lovely cir,
OF III Miss Mamie Thomas of Fair.
fax z. H., niece of Jackson Tho
Martyr, who with her father. the Sc.
cessipn Senator from Alexandra
camp out to see Dogan and myseIf
They gave us full accounts of the do
ingfof the Yankees while at Fairfax
andE more diabolical outrapes can
harry be conceived. They broke to
plefes Mr.. Thomas furniture
stfpped his beautiful grounds of their
snpc"ery, threatened his wife to cut
TO pieces and share them anon,
! 1orces while one cowardly wretch
ngthe uniform of an officer, after in
ssYtlng this young graceful and love-
girl, enraged by her spirited re-
pes. actually seized a musket and
yelling it at her, threatened to
Plow her to hell, if she didn't hold
Ter damned tongue!" She had some
II her uncle's blood in her, for. she /