Camp Millington
again. A sort of trial called a court-martial has been held and the boys who
celebrated yesterday, are meditating upon it in the guard-house, which by the
way is a mule stable on the end of the sutler's shop. Our old tents were taken
down and our new ones are up. Each one is trying to outdo the other in making
them look homelike. Boards are in great demand for flooring, and already
complaints are coming in from the natives, that every loose board or one that
could be loosened from their fences or outbuildings is missing, and they have
reason to think they came this way. We are delighted with our new tents. Each
holds four men. Walter Loucks, George and Jim Story and myself make up our
family. We have to lay straight, and at that there is no room to spare. But we
are protected from rain, and the heavy dews that are almost as bad, and best of
all, we can shut up tight and keep out the mosquitoes. Those that do get in we
can smoke out in short order.
A rumor is afloat
that another regiment has been raised in Dutchess County and is to come here.
We think ourselves soldiers now and are planning how we will entertain the
greenhorns when they come.
SOURCE:
Lawrence Van Alstyne, Diary of an Enlisted Man, p. 38-9
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