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Andrew F. Davis papers, May-December 1861

25_1861-08-28-Page 03

took place about 12 or 15 miles from our Camp and I guess as near as we can find out the Rebel Camp is about 20 miles from here but how many they have we have not as yet found out to any certainty.  Evry day or two there is some excitement about a Rebel camp being discovered in 5, 6, or 7 miles from us with perhapse 1, 2, or 5,000 men, as the case may be but when it is all boiled down it turns out to be a camp story  There is no doubt but what there will be a battle somewhere in this part of the country before a great while unless. the Rebels withdraw. and they will have to have a strong force to drive us out the way we are now fixed.  I expect that we will have to march to them as I do not think they will ever venture here   I wrote a letter to Newton a few days since which you no doubt have seen before this in which I gave a detail of our camp and forces therefore I will not repeat it here.  As usual it is rainy here today and has rained all day after being clear 3 days which was remarkable for this place.  Unless we get closter than we have yet to the enemy I am afraid the wet weather will hurt more of our men than they will.  I reported 14 of our Company unfit for duty this morning besides 6 or 8 that are complaining that ware not reported. Some have the Ague  some bad cold, some dont know what ails them only they are sick 2 have the fever (Darnell & Serring) 1 has the eracipalus in his leg. 1 has the Rheumatism in his breast and shoulder. and got a discharge and goes home tomorrow.  When a man gets the rheumatism he might as well be sent home for he cannot be cured with the accommodations we have here.  The Hospital arrangements have been very poor there was nothing at all furnished only the hard floor to lay on. and if a man got sick all he had to lay on was his own blanket with one end turned over for a cover so you may judge how comfortable they are, but today I see it is a little better

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took place about 12 or 15 miles from our Camp and I guess as near as we can find out the Rebel Camp is about 20 miles from here but how many they have we have not as yet found out to any certainty. Evry day or two there is some excitement about a Rebel camp being discovered in 5, 6, or 7 miles from us with perhapse 1, 2, or 5,000 men, as the case may be but when it is all boiled down it turns out to be a camp story There is no doubt but what there will be a battle somewhere in this part of the country before a great while unless. the Rebels withdraw. and they will have to have a strong force to drive us out the way we are now fixed. I expect that we will have to march to them as I do not think they will ever venture here I wrote a letter to Newton a few days since which you no doubt have seen before this in which I gave a detail of our camp and forces therefore I will not repeat it here. As usual it is rainy here today and has rained all day after being clear 3 days which was remarkable for this place. Unless we get closter than we have yet to the enemy I am afraid the wet weather will hurt more of our men than they will. I reported 14 of our Company unfit for duty this morning besides 6 or 8 that are complaining that ware not reported. Some have the Ague some bad cold, some dont know what ails them only they are sick 2 have the fever (Darnell & Serring) 1 has the eracipalus in his leg. 1 has the Rheumatism in his breast and shoulder. and got a discharge and goes home tomorrow. When a man gets the rheumatism he might as well be sent home for he cannot be cured with the accommodations we have here. The Hospital arrangements have been very poor there was nothing at all furnished only the hard floor to lay on. and if a man got sick all he had to lay on was his own blanket with one end turned over for a cover so you may judge how comfortable they are, but today I see it is a little better