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| The Bright Side of Siege Life—Camping in the Rear. |
Expected to move to-day, but got orders instead to remain in
camp. Have heard heavy cannonading towards Vicksburg. Would prefer to take our
place in the line around the city rather than stay away, for there is glory in
action. It may be very nice, occasionally, to rest in camp, but to hear firing
and to snuff the battle afar off, creates a natural uneasiness. Besides, if the
city should surrender in the meantime, we might be cheated out of our share in
a prize, to the taking of which we have contributed some valuable assistance.
Newsboys are thick in camp, with the familiar cries,
“Chicago Times” and “Cincinnati Commercial.” The papers sell quite freely. At
home each man wants to buy a paper for himself, but here a single copy does for
a whole company, and the one that buys it reads it aloud—a plan which suits the
buyer very well, if not the seller. While some of these papers applaud the
bravery of 3 the generals and their commands, and pray that the brilliancy of
past achievements be not dimmed by dissensions in the face of the enemy, other
papers lave articles that sound to us like treason, slandering the soldier and
denouncing the government. But they can not discourage or demoralize this army,
for it was never stronger or more determined than now, and it will continue to
strike for our country, even though bleeding at every pore. The rebels can not
be subdued, so they say. Why not? In two years have we not penetrated to the
very center of the South? And in less than that time we shall be seen coming
out, covered all over with victory, from the other side.
SOURCE: Osborn
Hamiline Oldroyd, A Soldier's Story of the Siege of Vicksburg, p.
42-3
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