A Rainy Day in Camp.

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            A rainy day in camp! Very few pleasant associations do those words bring to a soldier. Even when surrounded by pleasant associations, enjoying a good fire and a pleasant room, with plenty of books and papers to occupy one's time, a rainy day brings with it the blues. No wonder, then, that when all these things are wanting, such a day should not be over-pleasant to a soldier. To-day the rain is descending in torrents without. The water is standing in pools all around the camp rendering locomotion no very easy matter. No one ventures out except the cook, who piles on the wood plentifully in order to prevent the drowning out of his fire by the descending rain. Occasionally, also, during some lull in the storm, stragglers venture forth in search of a drinkable qual- / ity of what is all around them—water. They are like Coleridge's Ancient Mariner, who saw,

            "Water, water all around, but not a drop to drink."

 

But come with me inside the tent. Here you will find nineteen men, in a circle eighteen feet in diameter. Two feet of that circle is occupied by the tripod, supporting the center pole, from which tripod hangs a camp kettle which serves for a stove. Our blankets, knapsacks, guns, accountrements, rations and cooking utensils help to fill up the space allotted to us. Thus the tent serves as parlor, sitting room, and kitchen and bedroom. This description of the interior of our abode, presents, perhaps you may think, no very enviable picture. Horrible! horrible! perhaps you exclaim. Well, what do we think of it? In pleasant weather we do not care for it. We feel a little cramped to be sure, but notwithstanding we get along very comfortably. But a rainy day / alters the aspect of things considerably. Now be it known unto you that the rain has very little respect for the material which composes our tent, and consequently trickes its way through in a mannyer anything but comfortable. Drop__drop__drop__down it comes! It falls on the blankets, it drops on the ground, it wets you; it forms mud puddles, which sometimes become small rivulets. Our beds are raised up from the ground. It is a wise and necessary precaution here. Otherwise we might float off some rainy night. For nearly 36 hours now the rain has been descending. My neighbors on the other side of the house have built a double shelter for themselves, fearing doubtless a flood. They have put up high poles, and over them have stretched their gum blankets. They sit under the awning thus formed and look out upon their neighbors with a countenance which seems to say: What a nice house I have built? / They remind me somewhat of a cage of wild animals.—But what are we all doing in this house of ours. Some are playing cards, some reading, some sleeping, and others still are gloomily surveying the prospect around them.—But it has finally stopped raining, and therefore I will stop writing and thus end this description of a rainy day.

 

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            If you could occasionally send me a paper or magazine it would be welcome. Do not send more than one at a time, for otherwise I would be liable to mislay and lose them ere I had read them all.

 

            How does Mr. J.B. stand with the ladies now. He was not very popular I believe when I left.

 

            A word about that singing book. I have forgotten to speak about it every time I have written. We have no good opportunity for singing here. At first almost all of those who sang were in one squad; but about two months ago, the Captain formed the squads anew, and we are all separated. The tents are so crowded with their own proper inmates that it is impossible for any number of us to get together. Consequently I have not sung any of the new pieces.

 

            We were paid off yesterday. I received one and a half month's pay. Ten dollars of this I enclose for mother, which I wish her to use in the family. I am sorry that I cannot send more, but I have some debts to pay, and wish to retain some for change.

 

            I am sorry to learn of Mrs. Leonard's continued illness. Remember me to the family.

 

Your Brother,

George.

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