A LETTER FROM THE FRONT.
“Halt! Who goes there?” My challenge cry,
It rings along the watchful line,
“Relief!” I hear a voice reply;
“Advance and give the countersign!”
_Unknown._
Camp at Liberty Va., Dec.--1863.
You ask me about our daily life, and now, while “All is quiet upon the
Potomac,” I will try to give you some idea of company B’s life in camp.
Reveille is sounded at sunrise; our company falls into line, and the
first sergeant calls the roll.
Each man then cooks his own breakfast, except when two or three
tentmates agree to take turns. In my case, my tentmate does the
cooking, and I get the wood and water. Our rations when in camp are
generally hardtack, pork, salt, sugar, coffee, beans, potatoes, fresh
meat, etc., but we do not draw all of these things at once; some days
we will draw hardtack and pork, sugar and coffee; on other days, fresh
meat, and potatoes.
In drawing rations for the regiment, the quartermaster draws up a
requisition for as many rations as there are men in the regiment; they
are sent to regimental headquarters, and divided among the companies.
The first sergeant of each company receives it, and divides it among
the men.
One day’s rations consists of ten hardtack, half a pound of salt pork,
a few spoonfuls of coffee, and the same of sugar. In drawing fresh
meat, it is cut up into pieces, the orderly calls the roll, beginning
one day at A, and the next at Z, and as each man’s name is called,
he steps up, takes his choice of the meat, and the last is “Hobson’s
choice.”
After breakfast, surgeon’s call is sounded, and if sick or unfit for
duty, the boys report to him; he gives them pills or quinine, and
reports them either fit for duty, or sick in quarters. His word is
law, and if he understands his calling, he seldom makes mistakes; but
I have known many instances where men have been reported for duty, who
were not fit to be out of their bed.
Next, the orderly makes the detail for camp guard, police, picket,
etc. At 8 o’clock A. M., camp guard is placed on duty around the camp,
and remains so for twenty-four hours, two hours on post, and four off.
Those detailed for police duty, are placed under a non-commissioned
officer, and set to cleaning up camp.
The pickets fall in, and after all the details from the various
companies get together, they are marched to the front, and are posted
so that the whole front is guarded, relieving those that have been on
duty. They remain on duty for twenty-four hours, two hours on post, and
four off, except when very near the enemy, in an exposed position, then
they sometimes remain for several days.
After the pickets go on duty, we who are not detailed for duty, have
about two hours to ourselves, in which to wash and mend our clothes,
clean our rifles and equipments, etc. At 10.30 o’clock we go on
company drill, which lasts an hour, after which, we get our dinner.
After dinner we have battalion drill, brigade drill, or something else
to keep us busy, and out of mischief.
Dress parade comes at sunset, tattoo at 9 o’clock, taps at 9.30; all
lights must then be out, and the army is at rest.
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