Franklin County: A.H. Baum to the Pennsylvania Daily
Telegraph, September 4, 1864
Summary:
Corporal A.H.B. shares his thoughts with the editors of the Daily Telegraph on
the 201st Pa. and its officers, the weather, and the men from Harrisburg in his
regiment.
Editor, Pennsylvania Daily Telegraph
September 4th, 1864
CAMP COUCH, NEAR CHAMBERSBURG
EDITOR TELEGRAPH:--
Since my last letter, companies A and B, Captains Harry A. Miles detached from the regiment. These companies were sent from Camp Couch, under sealed orders, to perform some special duty, and left here, with six days cooked rations, on Friday afternoon last, and took up the pike towards M'Connellsburg. We are sorry to part company with them so soon, and hope they may speedily return to camp, to increase our "Happy Family" to its full extent once more.
As additional regimental officers not before reported, I would mention the names of Dr. Wagonseller, of Snyder County, as Chief Surgeon, and Dr. James Henderson, (a well known and talented young physician, of Hummelstown, Dauphin county,) and Dr. Brant, Assistant Surgeons.
Washington P. Ogelsby, of Harrisburg, as Hospital Steward.
The health of the regiment is good, not more than fifteen or twenty men being on the sick list.
Intermittent fever and a few cases of diarrhoea are the prevailing complaints.
Assistant Surgeon Henderson joined the regiment on Friday last, and has been very attentive to the patients under his charge since his arrival. Dr.H. commanded a company in the 127th regiment. He is a practising physician of much experience.
We had a refreshing rain here, commencing on Saturday evening and lasting (at intervals) all day Sunday. Many of us were sorry for this, as we had an invitation to attend Divine worship, under the direction of our esteemed and worthy Chaplain, Rev. Rakestraw, which was to have been held in a grove contigious to camp.
"Dress Parade" was also dispensed with for the same reason, which was another source of annoyance to most of the men, for a true soldier delights to see the regiment drawn up for inspection, to witness the fine appearance the respective companies present on the occasion.
The Harrisburgers belonging to the 201st have evidently been accustomed to good living. After duty, parties go out to "forage," as they term it, and return to camp laden with poultry; corn; sweet potatoes; fruit; milk; &c., all of which they pay for. Our young Colonel issued an order that no private property was to be molested, and the order is strictly adhered to. The rations we get daily are fresh, ample and of the best quality. But "force of habit" is strong with many people, and they must have delicacies if money can procure them.
It is amusing to witness the railroad engineer, the blacksmith, tailor, carpenter, clerk, butcher and man of letters, sitting around a fire of logs, toasting hard tack, frying chicken, stewing lamb and sweet potatoes, or anything else that their appetite craves. Many of them will be capital cooks when they return to their homes, and adepts in the art and mastery of gastronomy.
There are many Harrisburgers [illeg.] to company I. The following is the muster-roll of the Company:
Capt. G.W. Miles.
1st Lieut. A. McCormick.
2d " S.O. McCurdy.
1st Sergeant A. Bingaman.
2d " D. Martin.
3d " J. Bell.
4th " ___ Miller.
5th " S. Nunemaker.
1st Corporal Wm. M. Floyd.
2d " ____ Kensey.
3d " H. Swartz.
4th " D. Black.
5th " ___ Larimer.
6th " ___ Wilhelm.
7th " A.H. Baum.
8th " Silas J. Poulton.
Privates -- Atticks, Bumgardner, Barclay, Bashore, Banker, Beck, Campbell, Cougher, Crist, Conner, Gabriel Cover, G W Cover, Crouse, Dunkle, Deck, Eppley, Fory, Fow, Foreman, Fleming, Gamble, Green, Gilbert, Hill, Humes, Hartz, Houser, Hiller, Hoopy, Hartman, Hayler, Kline, Kishell, Keyes, Kern, Keener, Low, Maulfair, McGowan, Mathias, Marzolf Michael, Marzolf John, McCaffrey, Owings, Patterson, Powley, Reigle Henry, Reigle Daniel, Rummel, Rouch, Richards, Rose, Smith, Stoner, Stinger, Snyder, Schwenger, Schwar, Shafer, Stewart, Snyder, Tieffer Henry, Tieffer Levi, Thomas, Trowbridge, Thumma, Trastle, Tyfer, Umberger Benjamin, Umberger David, Updegrove, Weidle, Wolf, Wilson, Walzer, Walters, Waller, Weistling, Young, Yake.
Musicians -- Bush J.W., Ehler G.W., Krider Frank L., Reese David.
Cook -- J. Rice.
More at leisure.
A.H.B. Corporal Company I
