From The "michigan Ninth."

Camp Haycratt. Elizabethtown, Ky. ) January 31st, 18C2. ' $ ?RIEND PüNP : I thouglit I would not writeyou again ill I could have tho pleasuro of gratify ug you with a description of a battle bught by the Michigan Nintli ; bnt I 'ear you uiay forget our acquaintanco if [ wait til 1 that event oocurs, tliorefore, I vil] teil you something moro of the conlition of our regiment. I aru very glad to bo able to ïnforra ,'ou that the health of the regiment is 7ery much improved, and that tho " sick ist " has been reduced from 345 to ibout GO, and very few of those aro leriously siek. On the 3d dsv of thia montli, Col. Duffield receivcd orders to march with headjuarters and six comparaos of the Regiment, to Elizabethtown ; and although the Regiment was well settled in their (vintcr quarters (log huts) on Muldrow's Hill, on the morning of the -Ith, at 10 D'eloek, Col. Duffield and Lieut.-Col. Parkhurst, with Companies A, 11, C, D, F, and K, were on the march for Elizabethtown, leaving Companioa E, G, II, and I still occupying the Fort, under the command of Major Fox. Tliislookcd to uslike making a "furward movement," and we were all very anxious to go forward, but consoled ourselvos with the belief that if there was any fighting going to be don? we should soon be ordered forward with the companies in advanco. Un the 14th, we receivcd iuformation that two more companies were to bo ordered forward to join tbe Regiment but that tho eompanies had not vet been designated. Vory great anxiety was feit by each CoMpany and individual. We had stayed on Muldrow's Hill till the thing was about " played out ;" and after the Colonel and Lieut.-Colonel left us " things wero mir:ed " to a high degree, ar.d between the Major and one or two other offieers of liis style we feit very mueh as Barnura's " happy family " may be supposed to fee!. Occasionally one or two of the boys would come into camp with a report that such companies wero the lucky feïïows ; then the very heavens wonld ring with the shouts abd cheers that would be sont up by the lucky companies. Direetly tho report would be contradicted, and other companies would be reportcd in luek, and then their turn had come for choers; tlius a whole day was spent in conjecture and anxiety, hope and disappointruont, Ono of our captains threatened to resign if his company vrasn't selccted as one of the two - but it wa3n?t, and I have not yet heard of his resination. Finally, on the Jbth, orders cauie from Col. Duffield for Companïes E and G to join the Regiment at Klizabothtown, without delay ; and you can rely upon it the order waa received with joy and pride, and with a due sum of gratitude to the Colonel for relieving us from the monotony and confusión existing on Muldrow's Hill after he left us. We took up our march on the 17 th, a little befüre noon, aud reaohed Bloomington a littlo before dark, when we bivouaced for the niglit; and though the rain poured down upon us, the anticipations of joiniug tho regiment kept us all in good humor. Tho uext day, about 2 o'elock, P. M,, wc arrived iu sight of tho village of Eiïzabeihtdwn, and soon after we were mot by tho deservingly popular Adjutant of the Regiment, Henry M. Duffiold, with Moulton's Bugle Band. - " Cheer, boys cheer !" waa heard through the ranks as the Adjutant rode up and trreeted us, and three hoarty cheers were given for the Adjutant, andthree more for the Band, aud when the Band comnenced playing, the boys forgot their iresome march and soro feet, and every countenauce was auirnated, and avery soldier was every inch a soldier. By the way, let me here remark, that tho croakers about the expense3 of Rogimental Bauds little realizo the pleasures aud beuefítá the soldier derive rrom them. - A soldier has a soul for music, 'tis the loetry of bis life, and stimulates hun to iuty, and no man, wïth half a huart, will ittempt to dcprive hira of its benefits. - Our companies marchod through the main strect of the village, escorted by ihe band, and followed by our oompany wagous and extra tnanaportation furnished U8 through the kindnoss of our efficiënt Quartermaster, Lieut Irwin. We found the regiment encamped in a beautiful grove on Valley Crcck, about half a raile south cf viliao, and oa our arrival within tho lincs of camp, wo were welcomed by tbree hearty cheers from tho companies in camp aud a patriotic address bv Lieut. Col. Parkhurst, whom we found in conimand of tbe regiment. Our oonipariies wero ezcused froin all duty for the next day, and I obtained poruiission to visit the villago. Elizabetbtown lias a population of about 1500, aud hag been settled half a oentury. It is the eounty aeat of Har din County, and 'twas heve that tlio cele! brated " Ben " Hardin eonimeneed bis career; and many anecdotes aro told of the manner in whioli ho snubbed tbat old " sinner," Jamea Buchanan, who also comraenced the practica of law in tbis yillage, haring tho Bgíftcj of a lnrge tract of land owncci by same relatives of his, Tliig couuty, eláPj bs tb Eoiííjr öf jriv'mg Lirth to :1 Honest O1J AIl',:' wlu has muoh bettor chms to that titlc nov. . tLan wlion he was made the pot of the ! Abolition hordo who olovated liim to the hizh position ho occupies, for tho purposa of dissolving tbo Uüion and carrying their abolition schemes into practical opcration ; but who is provmg himself altogether too honeai for tbeir hellish pui-poses. May ho continue to po.-sess the nerve to adiuiuister tho Government upon constitutioual principies, and to conduct this vat to a t-ucec6-.iul issue, preserving tbe iutegrity of the Union and the dignity oí' the laws - Abraham Lincolu was bom in a log house, 15 milos east of Elizabethtown. then in Hardin, butnow ín Larue county. This log house, during the campnign of 1800, was cut ,up into pon-holdors, broast pin, finger rings, and pudding sticks, (as were also several other log houses in this ucighborhoüd.) and Mifit norlh and sold tj " Wide-awake clubs,'' and other foolish heads. Elizabethtown was for aomo time the advanced post of the rebel army in Kentucky, commanded by Gen. Buokner, but he was driren back by the forces under the coramand of Gen. Lorell H. Ros geau, - who by the by visited the placo yestcrday. From this point, our artny I bas gradually advanced towards Bowling ] Green. The división under tlie cora i mand of Generáis McCook and Rosseauare gtill moving forward at the rate of one mile a day, and are rebuilding tho road destroyed by Buckner and Johnsion, as thev progresa. The third división, under the coniinand of Gen. Mitchell, is at Bacon Creek, 20 milos from here. - The lGth Brigade, to which we bclonc, is in coramaud of Gen. W. T. Wood, witb headquarters at this pluce. Our regiment 3 now in fine condition, and a bettor drüled or disciplined regiment c&nnot bc fom3 in the Department of the Ohio. Gen. Ward witnessed one of our drills this weck, and paid Col Parkhurst a high compliment on the appearance of tho regiment; and we are cow in high favor at headquartere. Col. Duffield had a very intcresting diplomatic correspondenco vfith Caj Eaih Fry, chief of staff, in which the Colonel exhibited such superior skill and ability as to cali forth a very high compliment from the General commandipg the Department of the Ohio ; and it is nuthiitg loss than being selected as President of the commission for the cxamination into the qualifications, capacity, efficiency and propriety of conduct, of all the offieers of the nrmy in Kentucky. This compliment is tho more niarked as the other cfficers of tho commission, or Board, are all of the regular nrmy. The Colonel entered upon the duties of this office about the middlo of the month. The Board is now in s6sioh at Buardstown; it ïill adjourn to Munfordville; thcnce to Eastern Kentucky; and will keep Col. Duffield from Lis regiment for many pveeks to eome ; and it is more tban likey that before he concludes bia dutics ihen, be will receive a reward of merit, in the form of a commission as Brigadier General, wbich lie deserves. During our stay at We?t Poiut, and sinee the Colonel bas been bere, be has labored bard in preparing for publication " The School of the Brigade ;" a work wbicb ia rery mueh needed in the service, and whicb will meet the wants of all Field Officcrs. It will very soon be in press, and before the public, and will secure to Col. Duffiold reputatiou as a military tactioian, second to nono. It is Dot expcctoil that 9. "A'ill be fought between the Grund arrny of the United Stiltes, in Kentucky, and the rebel forces at Bowling Green atiÓ Hopkinsville, belore the first of Mai r'n; and we huvo the positivo assurnnce that bef oro the big fiy;ht comes ofi, our regiment will be honored with a position in the extreme advance, whieh will gie us all a "right pmart" chance to "sail in " on our " muscle." The boys, are all ready and anxious for a fight and have tho utmost confidenco in the abiüty and courage of tbeir officer?, whieh is half a victory to start on.-We shiill most likely rnmain hero uil about the firslof Marcl). ter Irvvin is Post Quartermaster, and Post Commissary nt this place, and at West Point, and bas recenlly been ordered to parchase forage for the wholo force in Kentucky, vvliiuh is pretty conclusive evidenco of the high position the Quartermaster of the 9th Michigan occupies at headquarters. üur regiment, I understand, is to pitch a convaleacent camp near hore for the accommodution of 2,0)0 convalescent soldiers. We havo one eornpany at Nülin, soma nine miles south of this, and two cnrnpaniep, H and I, are still within the Fort at West Point, in charge oí tho Major. I lenrned day that the Major was loarful of an attack upon his for'ce there, and had made arequisition on the Qartermaster for a couple of pad locks for the gato6 to the Fort, as a protection ; and that the Quartermasler fillod the requisition by purchusing a couple designed for dog collars, and iorwarding them to 1he Major önefoséd in a lotter. I don 't really boliuve the story, hut it is quite as reaeonable f.8 that he should havo turned out" on an alarm in his dressing gown, witb a drawn ecabbard and no sabré. i The eotnpary it Nolin is guiirding the .Uri'!;:'e !..u-h was Uuioafl % tty' it is i ti cotnmain'l (Ú Captain NèWctnrïb. This month has been quite nn nnf.ivnnible morith for drilling; it has rttinud nenrly cvt-ry jay in tho moatli, nnd tho mud ia ns plenty here af snow tg wilh you, bilt we get ciiüed out for battálión drill two or threo limes a week notwithstuoding the mud, and we oujoy it hugfly. To-day wo had a review and inspection, Col. Parkhunl personaling the Brigadier, and aclWg Major Wil'ainson commatiding tbe battnlion. Contrary to general orders, two or three officors of the regiment havo their wives here, and ono ofliuer al, West Point has his wife with him. - As the iiiost oí us never had a wifa we ean't ppeak foclingly upon this subject ; bul, if ofiieers wat:t men to be obcdient and submit to discipline, wby dont they set us the esample ? Among olhera who has a wife here is the Chaplain, but I suppose he ought to have one. Thereisa rumor in camp, too, that 8ome of our unmarried officers are inolined to form matrimonial a'liancee, here, as soon aa the war is over; but lam boooming a gossip, and there is always enough of that going on in camp, without retuiling it to outsiders ; so I will curb the unruly membor, and bid you good night, foi taps havo just beat, and been repeated on two or three bugles, and I hear the " nffiner of the dav " orving