Year: 1863

which fact we appreciate very senslDly
when we are obliged to seek for means tC
secure little heat Sleeping on the grounc
with an insufficieney of blankets. is moi
the readiest way of making oneself com
Portable, until sleep renders one oblivious
Of certain sensations of cold around the
edges. AT night when the autumnsl
moon assumes kind ofblious aspect and
looks as though she had chill, we pile
on the logs in front of the tents, (for the
wood pile is handy.) until the fire crackles
and sends up bright fame, lighting up
the forest we encircle the focus of heat
and compassionate those people at home
who never enjoy the privilege of sitting
by a real camp fire at night in the grove,
with the towering mountains in the front
and the evening within hail The com
parsons the situation originates are as
unique as the feelings themselves some
times we imagine ourselves aborigines,
| true children of the forest, and inyolun-
tarily look around for the sqnaws; again
we liken ourselves to Gipsies until we find
the scissors grinding apparatus wanting.
Seated upon camp stools logs and boxes,
and shifting our position frequently to
keep the smoke from our eyes, we discuss
national affairs and save the country


To heighten the satisfaction of these
nightly gatherings about the camp fires,
which serve as kind Of re,nion, per.
sons being attracted naturally to the
brightest spots, the Bands Of the Brigade
come out and made the forest melodious
and put all in good humor; they have
other auditors than ourselves for in the
calm Of the evening, are waited to the
rebel territory, the patriotic airs which
are so obnoxious to secesh ears.


Yesterday afternoon Brother Murphy
preached in front Of Brigade Head Quar-
tiers to large and attentive audience, the
representatives Of all the Regiments in
the command The exercises were inter
spersed with music from the Band


Our Regiment received a slight acees-
sion Of strength from the Draft in Della
ware; some of the men, after arriving
here, not being well satisfied with Uncle
Sans service, left us without being pro-
perly provided with the necessary dis
charge papers, much to their peril and
without leaving their three hundred dol
lars behind But of late very whole
some dread of the crime Of desertion has
come over them, and this Infamous busi-
ness has well nigh ceased, for terrible
example was shown last week; two desert
ers of the ! 4th Connecticut were shot on
Friday, in the presence of the Division
we have never witnessed more useful
spectacle than that, though we have been
witness to some narrowing scenes before
these unhappy culprts seated upon their
coilins, with their graves yawning behind
them with squad of soldiers with their
loaded pieces in front, awaited the COM
mand. "ready, aim, fire." the first volley
did not kill, and it was not until pistol
bullet was lodged in the brain of each
that death ensued the surgeons stood by
to indicate when life was extinct. The
Division was then marched by, that all
might have an opportunity of seeing the
penalty of desertion. The fearful lesson
was not lost upon that class who came
merely that they might abscond. Some
Of these substitutes however, are good
soldiers and will fight whenever the time
comes


But there must be an end to everything
and this letter must have a termination /;
we have written you long and rambling
one. Yours, BILLY.