Year: 1863

4
an event not so very remarkable in itself, aside
from the fac, that it gives us abort respite from
ordinary camp duties, and leaves us Tree to EN-
poy the time as our inclinatons may choose.
So military duties being for the present disposed
Of, shall turn to the next duty in order, which it
Il plain can be no other than to write to my old
friend the Freeman. notice that my letter No.
~, written from Centreviile, did not appear, but
its place was too well occupied to make either the
public or the writer feel very deeply it's loss.


The news here in camp is not Of very charm
ing importance. We have remained here long
enough to become thoroughly accustomed to the
place, and to begin to regard it with the respect
due to an old camp. We drill every day aud
sometimes twice day. We have our company
drills and our brigade drills our battalion drills
and our division drills, to say nothing OF our skr-
mish drills and reviews without number. We
have our reviews as often as the commanding Of
6cers see ft to order them, which has been re
mark ably often for the last week or two' They
had division review last Wednesday, while We
we're on picket, and therefore we cannot speak OF
its faults or its excellencies for being away We
we're obliged to lcse the whole benefit OF IL and
if | should give you any account OF 1t, which |
shall not do, you would have to take 1t second
handed. The boys that did act part in that
review, represent it as very atiguing affair." and
| have not seen single soldier that considered 1t
any way amusing or interesting. We soldiers
are not always disposed to appreciate the beauty
Of these drills and reviews, especially when they
are tediously prolonged, and when the orders to
execute the different manguvers are pretty thick
ly interspersed with the order to double quick.
Gen. Sedgwick was the reviewing officer on this
occasion, and in order that be nigh! entertain as
exalted an opinion as possible Of this superb dl-
vision. every man was ordered out that could go,
aud great many were ordered out that pretend
cd they we're sick and couldn't go. Even part
Of the brigade gusrd--the relief off duty-was
ordered 10 help swell the ranks on this sccasion,
and one fellow who was tired and cross when he
came in, positively asserts that several who we're
dead and buried barely escaped being ordered
out, their escape being due not so much to the
fact that they were dead simply, but because they
were buried ou, Of convenien. reach, besides be-
ing on that account constitutionaly discharged
from furthers vice he Army ofthe Potomac.
| shall ask no one to endorse an opinion quite so
extravagant.


Last Sunday we we're reviewed by Gen. Howe.
Monday detail was made for picket, taking from
dozen to fifteen or twenty from each company.
We we're ordered to take with US two days "a
tious an order that we could not for the life oi
us obey, from the fact that there were no two
davis rations to be had know Of one fellow
that couldn't rake or scrape together dozen haid
tack, either by begging, borrowing or buying, and
| know of lnother-the corporal himseli-who
had but seven crackers, and four Of these be bor'
roved unbeknown the former owner. Wewers
obliged to trust to Providence and go ahead. The
first reserve was down 10 the foot OF this hlgid
pinnacle, near ciiizen's house the second re-
serve was still further out from camp, and at thl
reserye we were ordered to halt. We we're tc
stay here all day. We stacked arms, and al th'
word halt, we concluded the most comfortable
place TO dump our knapsacks was on the sum.
side Of stone wall, and here we stationed our
selves. and pcke,ed for the next twenty'four hour
With all our might. The succeeding twenty-fou
we spent on post. All day long we remained
faithfully near this reserve, according to strict OF
ders, employing our time principally in falling IN
to line and presenting arms TO certain officers ey
cry time they came around Every soldier
aware of the peculiar faculty these officers hav
Of coming around just as We are busiy engage
perhaps in reading a story, perhaps in trying
indite letter to friend, or perhaps endcavorin
to make cup Of tea, or drink one that is mad
in which case they will always make 1t point
stay till our tea is cold and our appetites spoe'
After they have remained long enough to impre
US with the importancelof theirlerrand or sent
Of their own personal dignity, they kindly cond
,cend to allow us to break ranks again and r
,ume our own unimportant avocatiens. OF cour
we accept such kindness with the meekest grs


tude, and straightway forget that that officer al
ourselves bear the remotest relation to each othe
Reckle. soldiers often swear about very smi
things, and we have known them to indulge thu
prcisne propeus,ies quite freely on occasions II


these. One fellow, at the time of which a
speaking had been assiduousy preparing him


cup Of coffee for his dinner, and which he seem


to regard as Of more than ordinary value beca'


|, was the last that he had the material Tor ma


ing. He had, by dint of considerable per'ev'


auce, started fire, and had Just got his eof


heated to the boiling point when the officer


the day came along and be was ordered with


rest Of US to fall in. Every body knows that VII


coffee frs. bois II takes mischiverous fancy


runing over, and at that critical moment 1t has


be attended to or i will waste. This fellow


his anxiety to see bis coffee In safe condition


leave waited little too long. His coffee nj


ou, to boil, however, but in bis hurry to rem


/, from the Hre be spilled the whole Of it,


burned himself in the bargain. This was no


very important event Of itsslf. but il was N
ea