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 +//Monmouth Democrat//, September 25, 1862
 +
 +Army Correspondence.
 +
 +From the 14th Regiment, N. J. Vols. 
 +
 +CAMP WOOL, ELYSVILLE, MD.,​\\ ​
 +September 14th, 1862.
 +
 +DEAR MAJOR: So engaged have I been by a multiplicity of cares and and duties, that hitherto it has been impossible for me to drop you a line; but as matters of interest have just transpired, I send you the account as it has been detailed to me. Yesterday our Colonel received an order for a guard of one hundred men to be sent in charge of a supply train from Baltimore to Frederick city, or as far up as safety would admit of. The men were selected from the various companies, and were put in charge of Lieut. Kerner as commander, and Lieuts. Conover and Baily. Being absent from camp visiting the sick in companies E and I, who are stationed about one mile from us, guarding the bridges over the Patapsco, I unfortunately missed the opportunity of accompanying them. The cars stopped for a while at Mt. Airy. and on information furnished by a lad, a store and dwelling were searched, and sundry contraband articles seized. The ladies at the dwelling were very indignant at the search, and gave the Lieutenant to understand that they would make and wave secesh flags as much as they pleased. The Union ladies, on the contrary, were wild with delight on seeing our troops, and one old, gray-headed lady waved a flag large enough for a regimental standard, and with the tears streaming down her cheeks, invoked God's blessing on the Union troops. They went with no detention or delay till they arrived at the bridge crossing the Monocacy, which they found to have been blown up by the rebels. This was the spot we had occupied previous to being recalled by order of Gen. Wool. Here a guard was thrown out, and on examination it was discovered that the rebels had skedaddled precipitately,​ and we had the honor of reoccupying the very ground we had been driven from, before any other Union troops. But, oh! what devastation and destruction marked the change! Fertile fields and waving crops, had given way to smoothly-trod camp grounds, and barren fields. Dead horses laid around, and the offal of slaughtered cattle lay festering in corruption, with here and there the corpse of a soldier half buried. In one instance the hands of a dead soldier protruded from the soil, and in another the headless trunk of a rebel, whose head had been blown off, and his body mutilated in the attempt to blow up the bridge. Vermin literally covered the ground, and the men were really afraid of becoming lousy. The rebel soldiery were represented as a ragged, lousy and filthy set, but well armed and in good spirits.— Numbers of them were captured, having hid themselves in the wood and shelters about. Our men behaved nobly, hardly waiting to be formed by their officers, so anxious were they for a brush with the rebels. They captured many trophies, among which are two cases of Enfield muskets, bayonet scabbards, cartridge boxes, belts, etc. Numerous letters were also found on the ground, some of which I send you as morceans for the amusement of your many readers. The boys have just returned, and were hailed by their associates in camp with tremendous cheers. Their watchword is "TRUEX AND VICTORY!"​ An amusing story is told of a storekeeper in Frederick, who, on the arrival of the Confederates in the city, waved a secesh flag, and seemed perfectly wild with delight at their occupation of the city. So well pleased were they with his patriotism, that they bought all of his stock of boots, shoes clothing and camp stores, and magnanimously paid him the full price for them in confederate script. Now his neighbors make him the butt of all their jests. A family of secesh proclivities,​ living near the camp we occupied on the Monocacy, who, while we were there, became very indignant because one of our men for a piece of fun undertook to milk one of his cows, had fifteen cows and one horse stolen from him by his rebel confreres.—The general health of the camp is good; the men enjoy themselves finely, and everything is working nicely. The men idolize the Colonel, and well they may for he neglects nothing that will tend to their comfort or efficiency. As an instance, to-day we were short of rations, and had had no soft bread for three or four days. He sent the Quartermaster—a most excellent one we have too, by the way— to Baltimore, to wake up the Commissary Department there, and ordered a discontinuance of drills and work, till the men were supplied with fall rations. I will embrace the first leisure moments to apprise you of anything that may occur of interest. Yours, FLETCHER. ​
 + 
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 +//Monmouth Democrat//, June 25, 1863
 +
 +From the Fourteenth N. J. Vol's.
 +
 +The Regiment at Harper'​s Ferry.
 +
 +RUMORED CAPTURE OF COMPANY E.
 +
 +
 +We have received letters dated 16th, 18th and 20th of June, from the Chaplain of the Fourteenth, giving detailed accounts of their recent movements. We are unable, on account of the pressure on our columns, to publish them in full, and we therefore make the following synopsis of their contents:
 +
 +On Sunday, the 14th inst., the regiment was lying at Camp Hooker, near Frederick On Sunday afternoon they received orders to go to Harper'​s Ferry, to aid in repelling the rebel who had crossed the Potomac. Late that night orders came for them to fall back to the Relay House with all their stores and equipage. They were ready before morning, and waiting for the cars.— Nearly all the government property at the post was loaded into wagons and started off to the Relay House. The excitement in the city was intense, and the streets were alive with people all night. The Fourteenth left Frederick at 2 P. M. on Monday, and reached the Relay House the same evening. Many of them had been without sleep for forty hours, and they all rested in the open air that night. On Tuesday they pitched their tents and arranged a new camp; this was scarcely finished when orders came to leave everything and march instantly to the relief of Harper'​s Ferry, with instructions to proceed cautiously and beware of a surprise or attack on the way. They left at 6 P. M. on Tuesday.
 +
 +Our correspondent was left at the Relay House, and when he wrote on the 18th there was no communication with his regiment. They were provisioned for forty and no fears in regard to their safety Were entertained. All the camp equipage, horses, wagons, &c., have been sent to Baltimore, and most of the personal baggage of the officers and men has been sent by express to their homes by our correspondent,​ who was left behind for that purpose.
 +
 +On the 20th our correspondent was still at the Relay House, as he expresses it. "like a Russian criminal waiting transportation."​ He had received a telegram from the Lieutenant Colonel, assuring him that all was well with the regiment. Lieutenant WOODWARD, of Co. B, and Sergeant E. D. SMITH, of Co. C, were detailed to superintend the Quartermaster’s Department, and owing to their energy all the property of the regiment has been cared for and secured. Quartermaster COWART has been detached from the regiment, and by special order appointed Acting Assistant Quartermaster on General BRIGGS'​ staff, and is said to "bear his blushing honors well." All the sick of the regiment, numbering 28 or 29, were sent to the general hospital at Baltimore. Our correspondent promises to write whenever anything of interest in regard to the regiment transpires.
 +
 +The proceedings relative to the presentation of colors, by Governor PARKER, will be published next week.
 +
 +P. S.—A letter in the New-York Herald of to-day, dated at Frederick on Monday last, has the following:​—
 +
 +"The mail boy of the Fourteenth New Jersey was on his way to the city after the mail for his regiment, stationed at Harper'​s Ferry, but fell into the hands of the rebels. his horse was saved by some ladies. His parole reads as follows, verbatim et literatim:
 +
 +"​FREDERICK,​ June 20, 1863.
 +
 +"You are not to ade ner abet the southern coutederacy."​
 +
 +The Latest from the Fourteenth.
 +
 +Correspondence of The Monmouth Democrat.
 +
 +RELAY HOUSE, MD.,​\\ ​
 +June 22d, 1863.
 +
 +In my last I omitted to state that company E, of our regiment, was left to man the two unfinished block houses at the Monocacy Bridge, in charge of Captain BODINE and Lieutenants BEDELL, TINGLEY and HOFFMAN, respectively. I heard from them yesterday (Sunday), and they were then still in possession, although a force of rebel cavalrymen were in the city, (Frederick.) There is a rumor this morning that the bridge has been destroyed, which I hope is only a rumor. If such is the case, the company must have been overpowered or retreated. I shall know more by night,and will advise you. A train started for Baltimore this a.m. at 4 o’cl’k, loaded with provisions for the garrison at Harper’s Ferry, but it is very doubtful whether it reaches its destination. However, they have sufficient stores to last thirty or forty days, and are in an impregnable position on Maryland Heights. I have no fears for their safety at present. Our friends at home have not heard and likely will not bear for 3 week or more from the regiment, but they need not be uneasy, as it is owing merely to the derangement in the communications,​ and not to [...] evil that has befallen them. A few days will develope the intention of the rebels, and things will change. Let us pray that it may be a blessed change, fraught with great good to our cause. \\ 
 +FRANK.
 +
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 +
 +   
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14th_new_jersey_infantry_primary_sources.1560347089.txt.gz · Last modified: 2019/06/12 13:44 by admin