July 19^th 1856[sic]

Camp Hascall near parkersburgh V^a

 

Dear father I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well and hope these few lines may find you all well.

 

I was on guard last night in parkersburgh at the Depot where the rebel prisioners are kept.

 

I come off of at 8 oclock at and was not to go on any more untill 12 according to the regular relief and when I come off I set my gun between the wall and a store box and the irishman that took my place was tolerable drunk

 

and when I had been alseep ½ hour istead of four the corporal waked me up to help arrest him and take his place, and I jumped up and catched my gun to pull it out and it went off the ball whistled close to my ear and went through three floors and the roof and as uncle Joab used to say after that I was thoroughly waked up

 

since writing the above we have been out on regimental drill for 3 hours and shot away 15 blank cartridge and had 5 sham skirmishes

 

tomorrow we clean our clothes guns and quarters untill 11 oclock. we then go out to the grove and form a hollow square and then come to a rest at will and hear the articles of war read untill we understand them and then the next man that goes to sleep on his post will be shot certain and no mistake then woe unto them that gets half drunk / and then we come to our quarters and at three oclock we go out on prade and have our armes inspected. we then come back to our quarters stack our guns 4 in a stack in a row before the quarters we then roll up our blankets and have every thing ready for a march then every tent full stands before their own tent and the officers come around and inspects quarters. roll call. I have got to quit writing—roll call is over and fifteen minutes more to write before lights out

 

it is reported that we will leave here in a few days. for my part I have got to liking to stay here very well—

 

the thirteenth regiment was in a battle but ben myers company was in the reserve I hear that those that were in action suffered severely.

 

the officers are paying off the soldiers and discounting it 25 and some 50 cents I will wait for three years and run the risk of getting nothing before I will shave it a rod.

there is more low lived mean speculation here than I ever saw before

 

three of my tent mates are roman catholics and about half of the rest of the company it is now sunday morning and I have got myself and gun brushed up for sunday and would like be at home to start to church I will rest awhile and then write some more 

 

we have been out and heard the articles of war read and I thought I would write some more I expect you will get tired of reading such stuff but when one of you are tired maybe some of the rest of you will finish it. I have not heard from you since I left home and the other boys have been getting letters some time. I want you to write often and Direct to me. C^o D. 17^th reg In^d volunteers

parkersburgh V^a in care of capt G. W. Allison

 

and they will come every letter and if we have left here they will be forwarded on to the regiment

 

I send my best respects to all the folks and you to tell them all to write to me I want Rebecca to write me a letter Lina and Rachel must be good girls tell Mother and Rebecca that some of when I kill enough rebels to get my liberty and take a good horse to ride on I will come home just a kiting

 

no more at present

 

Yours Affectionately

George. W. Young

 

George W Young

 

Amaziah Young

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