Year: 1863




none of that thin, gloomy, woebegone expression
to be seen in the faces of the men that was visi
BILE upon almost every countenance at the end o
last summer s campaign The boys never felt NOR
bOyish than they do now, and they never enjoyed
themselves better. We can get up sham fgh
that might look little rough to some of ou
milder acquaintances at home, perhaps, but i
passes with us as good, earnest boys play. Rougf
as the Second boys have the name of beng-anC
rough customers we certainly are to those who
are foolish enough to proclaim themselves our ad
heard of thing and difficulties "quite unknown
Almost perfect equanamty and good feeling ex
lists throughout the entire regiment. Our guard
house remains empty, or in fact we have nt
guard-house at all-The apology Of thing We
once had having become totally ruined and de
moralized for want of use and care. The whole
institution is nearly obsolete, and putting mer
under arrest is well nigh played out


The Goth New Jersey regiment belongs tc
this brigade--a regiment of nine months mer
who came out here with big bountes, and, O
course, has seen more hardships, endured more
privations, and suffered more generally than an,
of the old soldiers ever dreamed Of The bov,
call them " two hundred dollar men," and they
take wicked delight in playing their pranks or
them whenever they have chance. Our bov,
have no particular gradge against the Jerseys
but their mischief loving propensities must find
vent somewhere and the Jersey regiment fur.
nishes them abundant victims. 1t will be a long
time before the boys will allow them to force,
the dog scrape we got them into when we tempt.
ed them to steal nicely dressed dog, which was
duly served up to their officers in fine style. They
stole it out of pure mischief and desire not N
be outstripped in that line of business by our
boys and doubtless it tasted remarkably sweet
in consequence as stolen articles proverbially do,
but the joke leaked out, and it will be q long
time before they will hear the last of it. 1t must
be very provoking to them to hear the barking
that springs spontaneously, as it would seem,
from our regiment, whenever we pass the JERSEYS,
but nobody can tell who does it, and the JERSEYS
have to grin and bear it." Our boys love to
make them visits occasionally, after rol-call at
night, and, as they generally come back in high
glee, with mouthful of stories to tell, it NAV be
safely considered that the visit was nlaasant
one toSat least one of the parties In one of these
nocturnal visits some of our boys, for some reason
or other, probably misunderstanding, got caught
and were put into the guard-house. But the
guard-house didn't hold them long. They run
the guard and outrun the guards bullets, and
though the Jerseys did their best, they couldn't
imprson them again, nor tell who they were.
After that our boys generously offered to stand
guard for them, but our services were declined
Some time ago some officers of the Fifth advised
the Jerseys to let the Second boys alone or they
would find more than they could handle. and the
Jerseys are beginning to think it best to accept
their advice.


The paymaster made US a visit about q fort.
night ago, and this has contributed not little 10
keep the boys in good spirits, for there is nothing
In the world that will make the boys feel so good.
natured as it will to get their pockets lined with
Uncle Sans greenbacks. We received four
months pay. 1t made quite little sum for us,
but it is easily spent here Some are beginning
to borrow already. While every luxury 1--WE call
them luxuries, though any one but soldiers would
consider the term necessaries more appropri-
priate) that we have to buy rules so high, as here
here in the army, money is of but little account.
For instance butter is 60 cents pound. caeese