Camp Hayes Apr 14th/62
Dear Father & Mother
It is evening, raining
without but comfortable
here and about as noisy
as usual Our Niger is
playing the Violin We
have a contraband at
work for us he came
in about a week ago
is a very pleasant
fellow and works
well says he will
stay with us and
go with us home
From what we can hear
it is probable that we
will leave here soon
and I guess if it had
not been for this
rain storm we would
[page 2]
have left ere this
The 30th Reg were ordered
here some days since
but the rain came on
and they did not come
There are now two Reg-
iments at Fayette
One of the boys came
in today from Charleston
on the Savannah he went
to that place as one of
the escort that accompanied
Gen Beckley from this place
he reports that 700
Cavalry are at that
place awaiting orders
to come here this I believe
is correct as several
wagons have been
engaged for some days
hauling hay. this they
get about 12 miles
from here at a place
[page 3]
called the Marshes
the people of that
part of the country are
mostly secesh and the
hay is confiscated it
is said to be a good
grass country
When we do go we
will probably go towards
Princeton in Mercer
County. Gen Fremont is
now in Wheeling and
I believe has taken
com[d] of this department
We have papers here
dated Apr 10th and have
heard of the taking of
Island No 10 also of
the terrible battle at
Pitsburg near Corrinth
and the retreat of the
rebels
I came in yesterday evening from
[page 4]
a visit in the country
I left Camp Saturday
evening at dark and
went six miles alone
to the house of a Gentleman
named Harper who wished
me to come and see
him I arrived there late
found them all in
bed the road to his
place winds about among
the hills most of the
way through deep
woods and as I had
never been over
the road I was not certain that I was right
knocking at the door I
was chalenged giving
my name and business
I was admitted and
heartily welcomed I remained
[page 5]
until Sabbath
morning had a very
pleasant but short
visit on my way
back to Camp I stopped
at the house of a
Mr Bailey and was
urged to remain for
dinner which I did
both of these men
and their families have
urged me to come out
and see them again
which I will do if
we remain here much
longer. I find the people
genally [sic] hospitable, gut
they live very plainly
have only the necessaries
of life none of the luxuries
They are a great way behind
[page 6]
the tines and know
but very little of
the improvements of
the age almost every
housewife provides
her family (by spinning
and weaving)with
homespun or jeans as
did our Gr Grandmother
they never saw a
sewing machine in
fact many of them
never heard of such a thing
Very few of the men
have ever seen either a mowing
or threshing machine I mean
a Sepperator
Mr Harper is one of the
leading men of the
country & seems to be
well known and
respected. he owns about
2000 acres of land. I
[page 7]
think as good as
any I have seen in
this county. he says before
the war broke out it
was worth about $1,00
per acre. he talkes of leaveing
his farm and going west
and renting I suggest4ed
to him that he might
do well by keeping
sheep he seemed to
be quite taken with
the idea
For some time past we
have been hearing consid-
erable of the privations
and sufferings of the
gallant 42d regiment
from all accounts it
seems that they have
been obliged to make
a march of 80[?] miles
in the unparalleled short time
[page 8]
of four Weeks, and it
also seems that they have
only had soft bread twice
a week this is indeed
terrible and it certainly well
befits the loyal people of
Ashford and adjoining
places to see to it; to send
them Boxes of Cakes, Butter,
and other Comforts of which
they seem to stand so
greatly in need of.
But to be plain I realy think
if the 42d had experiences half
of the hardships that the
23d have they would have
much more cause to
complain then they now
have. You have heard me
tell of our marches last
summer have heard of
the condition of our regiment
[page 9]
When we arrived
at Camp Ewing on New
River ever since our
arrival in Va we have
been obliged as a Reg-
to make long weary
marches and then
whilst in camp our
men as companies and
parts of companies have
been constantly scouting
through the country
Why! since our comeing
to this place our men have
been constantly scouting
about in this way
as an example only a few days since
Co G came in haveing
accomplished a distance
of 60 miles in 22 hours
[page 10]
through a Country
perhaps rougher than any
the 42d have ever seen
and besides they have
no road but a mere
trail through the woods
where it would have
been utterly impossible
to have taken a wagon
scarcely a horse
And yet after all this
the 23d Regiment is seldom
ever heard of
And now the reason:
The 23d Reg have never
had any corespondents to
write to the county and
altho news papers sensation
articles with which to excite the
commiseration & generosity of
their friends. Then again
perhaps the 23 came into the
field better prepared
[page 11]
determined to submit
to the hardships incident
to their duty, without
grumbling.
I recd a letter or rather
a note from you
a few days since
and inclosed a letter
from Mr Gates I think I
will write to him
If Alex has not left
When you receive
this I would like if
he can carry it that
you would get me
a pair of slippers they
would be very nice
to wear when the ground
is dry especially after
a march when the feet
are swollen and sore
you did not tell me
whether Tom was there
[page 12]
I suppose you will
have to keep Beckard
Will you? Where did
you mak shuger? I would
not object helping to eat
some of there molasses
When I commenced I did
not think to write much
and will now close
ask mother what she
paid for those under clothes
I do not wear them now
and as it will be necessary
to have as few clothes
to care for during the
summer I shal sell them
if I can I sold one of the
shirts for 87 1/2 cts to day
Write soon
Yours Truly J. D. Templeton
James Dinsmore Templeton, private and musician in the 23rd Ohio
MSS 10317
have to keep