[large paper hole where printed letterhead was cut out]

 

Camp Dix

Camp Locust Point                

Baltimore Aug 9^th /61

 

Dear friends, at Home.

                                    I wrote you from Indianapolis the day and almost the hour we started we left there Wed noon and arrived here in Baltimore Saturday morn being 4 days on the road, which was tedious enough you may be certain. the cars, cramed full, no place to sleep and nothing to eat except what they gave us on the road—we thot it was rather hard fare for a beginning but have a good location /

 

                                    [verso of paper cutout]

if you have a          Baltimore

we are within half   McHenry

on a point of land     and the bay

we have an airy place   sandy

we are some    main part

of the city       to us

we go            twice a day

the water        very

 

our camp is quite healthy. some 2 or 3 boys are good sick several are sick to get rid of duty my health never was better

 

Our living is pretty hard here at present not a very good variety & not very plenty there is considerable grumbling in camp our Officers are green from Colonels Adjutants majors captains Leutenants Orderlies &c. I am a private and would not be anything higher if I could these Hoosiers know nothing about dicapline, and the Officers are daily coming down on them.

 

I think I told you I had the offer of 1^st Lieutenant if I would join a co in Bedford, but twas no use fifing when you dont know the tune 

 

I belong to the skirmishing party who are picked out of the companies. our drill is similar to Zouave drill. you would laugh to see us fall down. Load & fire. fire over our toes. roll over and fire ahead of us.

 

I have not been in camp long enough to give you much of a description of it but I will say what I expect to say again. it is a very demoralizing place. men who always wished people to think they were gentlemen throw off the masque and are lower than you could imagine. we have an oil cloth 6 feet long 2½ feet wide to lie down on the ground to lie on and a blanket to put over us. I bot another blanket and had it lined with sheeting, put my coat under my head. our tents are calculated to hold 6 men there are 4 of us 6 footers in one tent;—we have not had a rain since we tented I expect we will have a sweet time I have not tried my hand a cooking yet but will have to soon. 

 

I have not written before because it was too hot. you would laugh to see us writing, some lying flat down writing on an oil cloth some on a small piece of board. I am sitting on the ground writing on a hand trunk in the Captns office. I have done some writing for him before. we have orders to be ready to march at an hours notice we may stay here all fall. I sent you $25. from Indianapolis sent all my effects to Uncle Blake, in case I go back soon they wont be so far off I have nothing with me but a heavy coat I have several letters to write and no news to write. we came here by way of Collumbus Ohio, Harrisburg Pa Saw some rough and some nice country, good by to all write immediately and address. R H Crist

 

            21^st Ind foot Volunteers

            care, Captn Noblett

 

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our letters goes to some place where they know we are. they will be forwarded to us without expense after the postage is paid the first time

 

[second side sideways overwritten]

 

Jo Pettingal is here as 2^d Lieutenant in one of our companies. he goes by [cut out] of George wood as a brother of Rufus wood [cut out] on George Frazers place. I saw Rufus [cut out] Jo puts on some airs [cut out] cloths.

 

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Fort M^cHenry is full of Yorkers

SOURCES