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From The Twentieth Michigan Infantry

From The Twentieth Michigan Infantry image
Parent Issue
Day
12
Month
December
Year
1862
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

[We are permittecl by uur nciylibor, Dr. Pobtkk, to givo place in our columns to tho fojjowing letter trom his bretUer, in the Twentiuth Michigan Infautiy J Fbedekicksburo, Va., } Nov. 2d, ISG-2. j Dbab Brothhb. - Tho right wing of Gen. Burnsido's immense aruiy rests up on the north and west of the above named, and I sliould not be surprised to soon be able to say, devoted city. We are stül suflWing iïom the cflecta of a terrible storm of rain, though . day tbc moisturc Í8 fast leaving the "sacred soil," waioh yesterday was of the '■ cousistency of thin mortar, and the cbeorful face of (iold Sol" is again beaming upou us, just as we used to imagine it always did in tliis, the sunny Soutli. The 20th listened to a good sermón thisforenOüD from their Chsplain, Jones, ! ; and tako it all in all, this seems moro like the Sabbath, as that s.ieied day used to be, than any we have experieuoed in souie time. The hoalth of the regiment is good I think. We had ewne very hard marchos last week from the White Sulphur Springs to this place. They were foroed marches. The 20th left the Spriogs at 4 o'clock, P. M. on Sunday, aud did uot halt till 11 o'olock, P. M., bat ing moved aixteen miles. At and ucar this place, which was callcd Rappahannock Station, we found a large uumber of troops. The next morning the army commenccd moving in three col umus upon the same road, fand marched very rapidly until wejreaehed Fredericksburg. The ñrst day (Mouday) our división was obliged to tako the right of the road, or in other words, wo took the fields, sometimos going aeross lots, soraetimes defiling through woods and brush, and then again, just over the fence. The secend day we had the road and they took the iields. It is a novel sight to see alroost countless thousands of our " country's defendors," on their serpentine courso over hill and vallcy,until onegets tired of the galling but indispousable knapsack, wlien' the " army wïtb bannera"' loses all its charms for the tired and foot sore suldier, But it is a novel sight to sec thcra prepare their. campa at night, uud so vory novel too, that a Michigan farmer would be apt to remember it during a life-time. Whon the camping ground is t-elected, wbich is geuerally near wood and water, the first order is, after the line is formed, - "stack arras," second, " untring knapaaoks," when the whole brigade breaks into a geuoral siampedo forthe rail fenees. I have rnany a time seen forty rods of "Virginia worm fence " vanish in less than ten miuuutes. But the work is not ynt complete. AVoe be to any straw stacks within one mile, and woe be to any chiekens that have not been prevlously stowed away up stairs. By the way, a good story is told of a certain officer of high rank in one of our regiinetjts, sleepiug under such a hen roost, whose upturned face happened to be directly under a crack in the chatnber floor. Of course, no one kuew that there were hens and roosters up there, but some, and espeoially the aforesaid officer, couldgive circumstantial evidcuce of the faet, if nothing moro. Many families will suffer for want of food in this región of the country this winter. The anny consumes a vast amount of the produce of the country. We get our aupplies from a steamboat landing below Aquia Creek on the Potomae. It is ouly about five miles from our camp. We have been expecting and still oxpect a battlo here. Tho rebels are supposed to be in force on the other sido, and it is said that they are mined to opposo tbe taking of the city. The river is not fordable here and our army would havo to biiild bridges bcfore Crossing. Uudoubtedly, agrand artillery fight will tako place first. You at home kuow more of operations here than we do, though you are not so harassed with rumors. But it is confidently expooted by all that the ball will open to-morrow, (Monday) raorning. I mentioned iu the oommenceraent of my letter that we were at the Sulphur Springs last Sunday, aud a few words about this beautiful place, would not be, pi'rhaps, unintcresting. There are but few dwellingü here, but the niaiiffeatures of the place are two large hotels, one of which was burnt by Gen. Pope last August. It must have been a very fine one and could not have cost lcss than $-10,000. The grounds aro well laid out, upon whioh are the springs, a fincly built aud well arranged bat.h house, fouutaius, swings, &c. The water is of course like sulphur water generally, very clear, and very strongly mpregnated with sulphur. TLcso Springs are upon tho south bauk of the Rappahannock river in Fauquier CouDty. I am not prejudiccd but I would not givo Washtenaw Gounty for all the oountry I have seen from Harpor's Ferry to this place, Though we meet with soine fine farming land 3, we find a vast amount of waste land which I would cali pine barrens. The f;ice of the country is rolling, and the soil a clay loam, but is the fincst watered country I ever saw. Wells are rarely met with, all the water coming from springs. I think the army gcnerally havo great confidenco n their now commander, ' Bumside, and will fight as wcll for hitn as for MoClellan. I understund that it is reported at home that tho Twentieth regiment is poorly ciad, without tents, and barefooted. It is not so. The men are well ciad, well enuipped, and ready for a fight. Wc are confidcnt that tho corps to whitfh we bclong vrill give a good account of itself if ever brought to face the rebels. All are anxious to fight if nceds be, and end the war. I fOiall try to write again iu a few dayi. Yours, &c, B. R. P. fitST" The Richmond Dispatch Iiag "geen a uew manufacture of socks, mado of cotton and cow hair. They aro sofl and durable, and pOM6f8M the ajvan'aiges of not wetting casily.'' JP3T Tbe ludios of tbc H. E. Oburch euidially invite all lovers of the beautiful to a Clnistms Tree Festival to beheld in tho ;hurch on Wedcesdny ovonir.g December 17th. SfcST Dr. W. B. Smith, of this city, has boou ap)ointed Assistant Surgoon of the First Michigan Mtchaiiics aud liugincers.

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Subjects
Old News
Michigan Argus