1              Bucks County Intelligencer, From the 104th Regiment.  July 29, 1862  Page 3  Col. 3      1

 

LETTERS FROM OUR VOLUNTEERS.

From the 104th Regiment.

[Extracts from Private Letters.]

HARRISON’S LANDING, VA., July 12, 1862.

Our camp is in a very nice, healthy spot, about half a

mile from the James river, in which the boys bather al-

most every day.  We now get plenty of rations, and the

men are improving therefrom.  We at first had a large

amount of fatigue duty to perform, but we have but little

at present.  Our camp is on the front, and we are often re-

quired to sleep on our arms, although I don’t think the

rebels have any inclination to trouble us, for the reason

that opposite our picket line lie the gunboats Port Royal

and Delaware, with their guns pointing in the direction

of the enemy, and in case they should attempt to cross

the large open field in front of us, they would open on the

flank, while with our artillery and rifles, we would annoy

them considerably in front from behind our works.  On

Thursday two regiments of rebels, for some reason un-

known formed in line of battle about two miles from us. 

They were immediately discovered by our cavalry, who

reported shells among them, causing them to beat a hasty

retreat, and they have not been heard of in that vicinity

since.

This morning S. F. Ball, and Geo. Breish, of Company

D, were sent to the hospital; they are sick with the fever

—not seriously, I trust.  But we have no accommodations

here for any but those in fighting condition.  I think our

men have recovered entirely from the effect of the re-

treat, as they call it.  I think I have not told you of our

narrow escape at the White Oak Swamp Bridge.  We

were under the enemy’s fire (artillery) for eight hours,

and yet we never have received any credit for remaining

longer than the other troops.  The reason we remained

was on account of a mistake in the orders, and we were

determined not to leave until we had received them.  The

rebel cavalry pursued us, but did not reach us.  After

we had reached our lines, our batteries opened on the

cavalry with grape and canister and drove them back —

I have not tent, mine having been left at Dispatch Sta-

tion.  I have made a shelter of bushes, and my knee pot

being very steady for a table, you must excuse this scrib-

bling.

JULY 13, 1862.

I see by the Bucks county papers that funds are being

raised for the purchase of gum blankets for our regiment. 

This is certaintly a very important move, as many of the

men are without anything but a shelter tent, and a num-

ber of these were lost in the march from the Chickahom-

iny.

We are very anxious for Col. Davis to return.  I shall

feel like giving him three cheers when he arrives.  Gen.

Emory is now in command of our brigade.  Naglee having

been assigned to some other position.  Everything is quiet,

yet we are cautioned to be very vigilant, and to be pre-

pared for an attack either day or night.  I feel more at

home here than in any other place we have been, under

the circumstances.  We shall remain here until thorough-

ly prepared for offensive operations.

I suppose the people at home feel the responsibility

that rests upon them in the present condition of affairs,

and will respond to the call of the President without re-

sorting to drafting.  How can the young men remain at

home while their country and its defenders are threatened

with destruction?  I hope to soon hear that Pennsylvania

has furnished her quota of men, indicating that it is the

will of her people that the rebellion shall be crushed for-

ever.

HARRISON’S LANDING, VA., July 14, 1862.

Our pickets are about three miles from camp.  We were

pushed forward last night about two miles, and this morn-

ing one and a half miles farther.  The object of sending

the pickets out so far I do not understand.  All is quiet

along the lines to-day.  The cavalry scouts report no

enemy near us.  At present writing I am on picket duty,

about four miles from camp.  We are in the centre of a

large field of ripe wheat, containing over 500 acres.  Most

of it is has been cut and shocked, but where we are it is

still standing, and we lay down in it with perfect security. 

It makes splendid beds to sleep on at night.

July 15—Just off of picket duty.  Air fine and cool

this morning.  We have a splendid camp now, well shaded

and the ground about our quarters all swept clean.  Fifty

men are detailed to-day to perform this duty.

July 18—It will be a great while before we get our

forces gathered up for another move to Richmond; but we

will perhaps wait until we receive reinforcements, which

we badly need.  We must now have here near 100,00

men, exclusive of Burnside’s division, which has not yet

joined McClellan’s army.

July 19—I am tired of guarding rebel property.  There

is too much of it in this army.  A secessionist near our

camp, who has just returned from the rebel army at Rich-

mond, where he was Colonel of a regiment, has succeeded

in obtaining a guard over his property.  The reason given

for this is, that he has been kind to our soldiers, and that

he permitted our wounded soldiers to lay in his yard.  We

received new orders last night from Gen. Keyes, and we

are now required to drill three times daily, must be in

the rifle pits at daylight every morning, must show every

gun reported at morning reports, and must have each

man who is not well enough to go to drill or duty, report

personally to the surgeon.  He is getting sharp on the

soldiers, but this will have its beneficial effects on the

army.  Idleness in the ranks will not answer.  A soldier

must be made to labor and keep himself clean, but I

think he is piling it on rather too thick for comfort.  I

am afraid the men will get tired of it.  Our food consists

chiefly of vegetables.  Onions we buy for four cents a

pound, new potatoes 2 cents a pound, wheat flour 4 cents

a pound, corn meal 2 ½ cents, nice white sugar 10 cents,

very good molasses 40 cents a gallon, beans 81 cents a

peck, and crackers $1.60 for a box of fifty pounds.  A

box of these lasts a great while, as the crackers are so

hard that no one will steal them if left out after night.—

As I came in from picket duty yesterday, I saw Prof.

Lowe with his balloon, which was up and down four times

during the day.  What he saw from his elevated position

no one knows here but the chief officers in command.  We

shall have to wait until we read the particulars of the

ascension in Philadelphia and New York papers. 

Common soldiers are not permitted to know what is going

on around them.

July 21.—I am very well this evening.  The drums are

beating for reveille, the bugles of the artillery on our

right are sounding their last notes, and our camp indi-

cates a better state of affairs in our army.  Our corps

Director, Gen. Keyes is straining every nerve to get the

men in good condition.  Cleanliness among the men is

particularly urged.  Many are much afraid that we will

have some epidemic among us before the summer is over. 

It is very warm to-night.