Year: 1863




simple tents in point of comfort and convenience,


five can be allowed to judge of the magnifcence
of some of the apartments wnen brilliantly lighted,
as we view them from the side of the street op-
poslte. There are so many splendid luxures in
these mansions, that it seems to me any one would
have to live great while to enjoy them all.
Some times find 1t all | can do and more too, |
to enjoy the little that unpretendng tents af-
ford.


The I'd and 4th Vermont, and nearly two regi-
ments of regulars occupy this park for camp.
What we are here for, how long we are going to
stay, and where We shall go when our stay here
is ended, are questions that almost any one can
ask easier than he can answer We do but very
little except to keep one another in camp. That
is, guarding is our principal duty, and we have
great abundance of this. If there had cen any
attempts at rioting while the draft was pro ceed-
ing, we infer that it would have devolved upon
us to show these rioters how public enemies are
treated. A few of our lessons fancy would have
effectualy satisfied their curiosity Among all
the old regiments brought here, have seen no
New Workers. When we came here it was said
| that our President was afraid to trust Gov. Sey-
mour with his own State troops, in case of riot.
| am not sure whether it was the Governor or the
troops that was the most distrusted 1t was said
that Gen. Howe was ordered to send here brig
ads composed Of other men than New York or
New Jersey troops, and some of the best men


that he had, and he concluded to send a brigade
of pure Vermonters Evidently that General we'll
understood his business.


We had quite pleasant voyage from Alexan-
dria, as pleasant as could be expected with dis
abed engine, strong head wind, and Sufficient
admixture of sea-sckness with our sensations of
pleasure to maintain a natural equilibrium. We


were four days coming from Alexandra to New


York. We were packed into the boat from the


hold to the upper deck, in manner very similar,


| take it, to that adopted by slave pirates in dis


posing of their cargo. Every available spot on


th floor was soldiers bed, and at night we were


obliged to lie in rows, with our heads apart, and


our feet and legs locked together dove tail


fashion, to make room. If our feet got to quarrel


ing it was matter Of their own, we seldom


troubled ourselves to interfere. Sometimes, when


poor fellow, tired and sea-sick, came along, try


ing to pick bis way over this corduroy of legs the


temptation to demand toll by ntercepting his


steps with our feet was more than we could re-
Y sist If he fell headong upon somebody else, zoe
we're willing to call it even, but we furnished hin,
D no safeguard that the next man should not
!, through anger or mirth, demand an additional
, penalty. The motion of the boat was everything
in our favor, it took but little tripping to bring
= man down. Only the sailors and other boatmer
s had free passage. We reckoned without oul
i host when we tried to stop them.


Some of these boatmen had been engaged fol
considerable length of time in the transport ser
vice. l heard one of them, that appeared to oc
cupy superior position, descanting at grea
length upon his experience in this line Of bust
u ness, and what he had seen. 1t seemed that b,
u had become strong anti administration
man, owing to its peculiar negro policy. Having
felt out the sentiment of the soldiers, he triel
9 to convince them of the fact patent to every
9 body, as he thought, that the Government cared
u less for them than for the blacks. He told then
he had been With transports loaded with soldiers
9 as we were then, only much worse, and he dwell
's largely upon their sufferings in those miserable
leaky vessels. They we're always huddled in to
Is gsthsr, three times beyond the boats capacity
e = l~-.. d.xL xooro. and alfhounh thar had "a