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sTA: THURSDAY, OCTOBER 3, 1861I.We are permitted to publish the following letter, received a fe.v days since,from James G. Brice, of the 13th IndianaRegiment, stationed in Western Virginia:Cheat Mountain Pass, Va ,? September 11, 1861.Dear Sister:—I received vour letterVday before yesterday, and several from father since I last wrote home.hei-t-ydwestourtoEl-il)asseThe scouts of the 15th Indiana and some of the Secesh scouts had a skirmish some seven miles from where the 15th is fortified, one day last week. The 13th Indiana was telegraphed for “double quick.1* They started ofF about 2 o*c!ock P. 51. on Thursday, and marched till 12 M. that night, and halted on the ground where the skirmish took place. Some of our men found the body of one of the scouts of the 15th, the only one of our men who was killed in the fight. Thevw wwere attacked twice. The first skirmishas concerns my health and good spirits. Some few of the boys are keeping themselves about half sick, thinking about borae and home comforts, compared with camp life. To be sure, I think of home as much as any one; but I entered the war with no baby-spirit, expecting to find nothing but fun and good living. If I shall have to pass through no harder times thanI have heretofore, I shall never complain. This is a war to preserve our National existence—to preserve the best Government ever established on earth. May it end in a war for Freedom.We have a bakery established here, and our Regiment now get good baker's bread a portion of the time, and crackers the other portion. There are 13 men in our raess, and we get enough overplus of coffee, dried beans and rice, more than we need, that we carry on a very extensive trade with the country people around here.WC!Is ni Fron AboThe But Or d TheWeOurAnuMaywas farther up the road. This scout was I ^ 13 impossible for them to get either su-v-nde-bendas.IV-icechicrht.noonkilled there, our men retreating, carrying the body of the dead soldier with them. Thinking themselves out of danger, they halted to eat in the place where we found the dead body, but the enemy slipping upon them in superior numbers, they were obliged to retreat again, leaving their dead comrade. We buried this dead soldier of the 3 5th by the road side, in thegrand old woods, many miles from anv - ■ •habitation, with his blanket for a winding sheet.About 3 o’clock in the morning our Regiment moved on still further, some 6 or 7 miles, hoping to come up with the enemy’s camp ar.d surprise them, but all to no purpose, as not a sign of a Seceshcould we find. We marched 8 or 10 miles, our road a mere mountain path, through a deep forest unequalled in roughness in Indiana. The rain was pouring down, and we were unable to see two feet before us, in the worse than Egyptian darkness.There was no chance to walk around the.deep mud holes, so we splashed through them, sometimes knee deep in the mud and water, often falling down in them, orgar, coffee, rice, etc., and they have been without since the fighting commenced tillo Oour soldiers traded those articles withthem for corn bread, pies, apples, roasting ears and peaches. Indeed, we have been living fat for some time past, and, above all, I have been able to get about all the milk I wanted. I am acquainted with all the farmers for miles around, having traded and ate dinners with most of them. I shall soon take the opportunity to write you some interesting items I have gathered in regard to some of them.You need not be at all uneasy about rav clothing. There is not a hole in my garments. They have all ripped some, but having plenty of needles and thread thatI picked up at the battle of Rich Mountain, in the camp of the enemy, when taken, I have sewn them up in almost as nice and as substantial a manner as you could have done it.I think it'is about tipae our forces were doing something.Your affectionate brother,Jas. G. Brice.ThoWeAndTheAnd Thy If fr OurWASHINGTON CORRESPONDENCE.lorover the large rocks that covered theroad. The road led up the valley of a ’ Fort Baker, Arlington He.ghts, Va.?small stream, which we crossed twenty-If, iOftAncBe;StriTinTheOureight times, during the march from the one pike to the other, and not a clearing or inhabited place during the march. The boys were completely covered with mud and water; and when they came to a halt were detailed out, over the hill, in thesll;September 16, 1861. $ Messrs. Diggs Sc Dynes—Gents:—This is a dismal, cloudy morning. The health of our Regiment is not very good at present, the prevalent disease being a low, lingering fever which often proves fatal.I believe I have not before mentioned I Mnior A. O. Bachman, who is a voumrof us.Our Regiment stayed up in the mountains two days and nights, enjoying pic nic life finely. It reminded me of the tales I have read of “Robin Hood and his merry men” in Sherwood forest, or of the Gipsy life. The men, scattered around inteemed bv all.*Our camp is one mile south of the Chain Bridge, behind, or rather between I two large forts; Fort Smith on our right, Fort Baker on our left. Fort Baker is not yet finished, but will be in a few days.— There are about 3,000 men at work on itgroups through the bright green woods, j jaHy. It ellcioses about ten acres of talking and laughing, telling wild stories, ground nnd wiU be a permanent andor humming some gay or home-remem-hcred song. Some were sitting on the logs, or standing around the fires roasting their bacon on the end of long sticks, held in the red, blazing fire; roasting potatoes in the ashes, taken from some Secession patch, nr drying their feet and clothes.—Some of the boys killed a degg, which in my humble opinion tasted ^rongly offilemutton*About 6 P. M. we were relieved bv the Guthrie Gray (Ohio) Regiment, when we marched a couple of miles towards home, (what we call our camp here) and camped on the ground with blanket and oil cloth. We got to camp next day about noon.Now, I suppose you think we ought to be down sick after marching over such a road, but we were not. We nre gettingstrong fort. I noticed yesterday tea 32 pounders, coliunbiads, inside of it. Besides these there are a number of other cannon, and still they come.Wc were looking for an attack last night, but the enemy did not appear. I do not believe they will attack us here} but if they do they would better make peace with their God, speak for their coffins and graves, and bid their friends (if they have any) a final farewell; for they can not take Washington City; nor can they whip us. The tiling “can’t be did.” 1 know there are some men in Randolph County who want to compromise, and say if we don’t our army will be cut to pieces and the Capital taken possession of,Look out for these compromising men! They are tinctured pretty strongly withOnin Ilamsonbv*theioncesthefieltanofofthetheDrboiW.inbefortheSOIelsstaallWlt;fielt;a n liti wh me wo wh me inlt; do riii sh: ter“acclimated” to this way of living, and | and I believe I know a few ofef?what we may, at first, have considered hardships, are now passed through as nothing out of the ordinary.The 14th Indiana, with two or three Ohio Regiments, nnd cavalry and artillery, are well fortified on Cheat Mountain. The 35th Indiana, with tour or five Ohiothem who ought to stretch hemp.Compromise! Not until the Stars and Stripes floats over every inch of this Republic, and every one both North and South learns to respect and bear allegiance to the Government, and the Rebels and Traitors, wherever thev may be found,LcImho iWNcPoicnwiRegiments, and cavalry and artillery, are are hung. Then, and not until then, willundins,am;ighfortified 8 miles from here on the other road. It is called Wagner’s Fort, in honor of the Colonel of the 15th Indiana. The latter works I have seen, and I am confident in saying that 5,000 men can hold it against a force of 20,000. The Guthrie Grays and 17th Indiana are stationed 10 or 15 miles beyond Wagner’s Fort. Our Regiment is the only one here now, with three rilled 10 pounders, and a company of cavalry. Gen. Reynolds’s headquarters are here, and Company B, of this Regiment, is his body guard. The telegraphwire runs no to Cheat Mountain and to*Wagner’s Fort, and we have an office and operator here. The telegraph follows us wherever we go, and we would be apprised of any attack that should be made on our forces within a moment or so after— in fact wc could hear the firing here, and could send immediate assistance if necessary.The health of the troops here is excellent. I believe only eight deaths have occurred out of the Regiments that have camped here. The burying ground isa compromise be effected.The enemy, 180,000 strong, are within seven miles of us. Not a day passes but that some fighting goes on between thepickets.I have just learned that the Fort from which I have dated this letter is not Fort Baker, but is Fort Ethan Allen, Please accept of the amendment.We have religious services every Sabbath by our Chaplain; Rev. Mr. Dale. Theyremind me of a camp-meeting, as they areconducted in a beautiful pine grove. Thesoldiers always attend.*The Sabbath is a day set apart for cleaning up, bathing and washing clothes. You ought to see us washing shirts, handkerchiefs, c. It is really laughable.— Lieut. Campbell has but one pair of pants, and they are torn about the unmentionables. I see him now sitting under the shade of a pine, without pants or drawers, waiting for his pants to be patched with oil cloth. lie looks like a scared Secesh.Captain Hamilton has been tendered a promotion to the Surgeons’ department,in;cliflothgr,sv:su;tohehemetnjdisinsuswloftillpoScabout a quarter of a mile from camp..— \ but he does not feel willing to leave hisSome have their names rudely carved by some comrade on the headboard; others, again, have nought to designate who lies beneath tho new turned earih.I have just been up to the Commissary’s, weighing myself, and I find that I (•weigh more than I ever did before. I now weigh-126 lbs. You may rest easv so farCompany, and Col. Meredith has not yet consented to the arrangement, the Captain’s services being almost invaluable to him.Copies of the Journal are no drug here; please continue to send them on.Yours truly j :Clint IX Smith.ni|suheofinacWmacci
Newspaper Details
Winchester Randolph County Journal
Winchester, Indiana, US
Thu, Oct 03, 1861
Page 1
Full Page
Clipped by
Ann K.
NA, 23 Dec 2022
Other Publications Near Winchester, Indiana
Winchester Journal Herald
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Winchester Randolph Journal
