Year: 1862

spirit Of decentralization, they feel as if there
were no measuring their strength When they
were told at Springfield that the enemy were too
strong for us, being two to one. it only seemed
to infame them. as really they consider odds
ought to be given to make it anything like an
equal fight. While of course my partiaities
for Indiana, candor compels me to say the same
feeling pervades the entire army, especially those
from the Northwest and the only rivalry seems
10 he who get in first. To give YOU an in
stance of the thought which is uppermost, few
nights since PRAYER meeting was held in some
company tent, and brother waxed warm in his
entreaties to the Lord that our arms might be
successful, enemies vanquished &c, and in
his zeal he prayed loud enough to attract outside
listeners, among Others youth who had listeRed
very attentively and apparently very seriously,
until mention was made of our success in the
fight, when he suddenly cried out, "Bully for
you, old boy; 90 in on your musclel" | do not
give this instance of the standing of this
regiment or others as TO pety, for there are, am
pleased to say, great number and considerable
proportion of consistent religious men in the ar
N.Y. but they are in the minority: and while We
would naturally suppose the dangers incident to
would at least be provocative Of thoughtful
ness and serious bearing, it seems to have the
opposite effect Readers of religious papers are,
/ fear, misled by their correspondents in regard
to this matter; not that they intentionally mis-





naturally think Others do likewise My expert
ence as an outside co-laborer is that saving sol
ders is what might at least be called precarious
business. This however NAV be borne in mind,
that none scarcely are so dissolute profane but
will with ayidity read religious papers of any de-
nomination, and it is for the want of reading
matter that much of their time is foolishly EN-
plOyed in divers ways.


As these suggestions are all gTatuitOus, | trust
huafh fha- Will Oft aTaA a f-
and parcel of camp life. and as l have no battles
10 record, l must write something. One thing /
will mention which must be gratifying to those
having friends in the army who are sick. There
are now in the town of Cumberland nine hun
dred sick soldiers belonging to this command.
They are in many different buildings, some very
large ones, one a hall, Gwo have formerly been
used as hotels; engine houses, and private dwell
ings, as well as business houses, have been taken
for this purpose.


They have all been fitted up better than /
could have supposed in the time. They are all
more ceanly than could be hoped and are. un
derstand from the SICK, generally well Ofiicered.
A great MANY female nurses are engaged and
woman-like, wherever there is suffering they are,
true to womans nature. seeking to alleviate it.
A few DAYS since while there. | visited number
of this regiment, and inquired of them how the
citizens acted towards them, and to have heard



Cumberland feel additional pride in being a
resident of their beautiful town. Notwithstand-
ing they are cursed by the presence of a few Sc
cessiOnists in their midst, the Union men and wo-
men models of their profession. They lit
orally smother the sick with their attentions, not
OF kind looks and gentle words alone, but but by
every little comfort which money will buy, or the
fair hands of their generous women render more
acceptable.


The private families Hospitality entertain, dur
ing protracted illness, the common soldier with
out remuneration, making him feel that he is
more than repaying them by the honor conferred
in his being their guest. They refuse officers be-
cause they have the means to provide for them
selves. ! heard a man ask for four bOarders, re-
marking that he wanted all privates.


Another thing may have its influence in this
respect. MANY of our officers stationed at Cum
berland, or visiting there, have been "hand and
glove" with such families from their wealth
had high social position, but whose loyalty was
suspected, and in fact known. This has proba-
bly, embttered the Union families of the town.


Were it not for mixing myself up in the affair,
| could relate an incident happening few days
since, which was a very striking and pleasing H.
lustration of that high, native born elegance,
easy grace and gentle tenderness by which some
confer such exquisite pleasure in giving. But
enough.


Let every Indanian-n his heart-bless the
loyal. self-sacrifcing people of Cumberland, Ma
ryland. Yours, II. +. h.