C|e jso.fottra' f oiirnal IS PUBLISHED EVERY WEDNESDAY iHORVIMC, AT RENDEZVOUS OP DISTRIBUTION, VA., RECENTLY OOTSrVAI_IBSCEIN"T CAM!*, V__-., ON THE FOLLOWING TERMS : Subscription for One Year, • • $9,_MI " Six Months, - 1,00 Single Copies, ------ Viva Cents POSTAGE ON THE JOURNAL is Twenty Cents a year—payable quarterly, in advance, at place of de livery. [Written for the Soldiers' Journal. MUSINGS. BY P. a. H. Far away in the Northland, Around the homestead hearth. Is gathered the group of loved ones. The dearest to me on earth; And while the chill wind rages, Then sobbing, dies away, I love to think of their safety, On this bleak Winter's day. • I know that a thousand hearth-stones, As dear as mine to me. Where erst a group would gather In Innocence and glee, Now echo but the foot-fall Of strangers on the floor; Or wait in solemn silence For those that coin, no more. Ten thousand hearts are blighted, Their hopes in ruin lie; Ten thousand souls in anguish, Send up their wailing cry ; "When, when, oh God of mercy! Shall thine avenging arm Be stayed—the bow ot promise Succeed the raging storm. But though their anguished pleading Ariseth night and day, No dawning light appeareth, Not c'en a cheering ray; Stern Justice, yet unbending. Still guides the awful car, And still the nation rendeth With internecine war. Amidst the grief and sadness Wrought by this ttde of ill. Why Is my home unbllghted, My heart unburdened still? Save in sympathetic sorrow, I weep with those who weep,, And think of the many noble, Who sleep their last long, sleep. Thou knowest, and Thou only, Why, in Thy chosen way, Some wait a longer season, Some early pass, for aye, Grant only, Heavenly Father; Our work be nobly done; Then, welcome be the Angel, Thou send'st to call us home. Whether on field of conflict, Amidst the cannon's roar, Or by the quiet home-hearth, We gently near the shore ; Let but a voice from Heaven, Whisper the words, " well done," Unmurmuring we will spare them, Unmurmuring We will come. Auoim Hospital, Feb. 21st, 1801. ■ > iii The way the rebels yell on going into battle is accounted for on the score of scarcity of food.— They are holler all theway through. gtetflvj! of <£mvu\tsmt (Stomp, 9*. BY H. J. WINTERS. Dedicated to Samuel McKelvy, IJeut. Col. Com manding, as a token of the high appreciation and regard entertained for him as a commanding officer. (concluded .BOM last week.) Attached to tho camp are two large kitchens and dining rooms. The kitchens aro capable of cooking rations, thoroughly, for ten to fifteen thousand men. The dining rooms are fitted up with c,ups, plates, knives and forks, which are retained in the rooms. The men eat their rations in the dining rooms—marched thereto in two ranks under the charge of their wfirdmaster. No cooking is allowed outside of the kitchens — cooks being detailed for that purpose. By that means good and substantial rations are given the soldier and much labor saved the men. The mode of receiving men in camp—as fol lows : Men arrive in camp daily from the Sol diers' Rest, Washington, by railroad—a branch of the track having been laid inside the lines of camp. The men are drawn up in line in front of the receiving office, under charge of the Ser geant Major; they are surrounded by a guard, when a Surgeon examines each man. Those whom he thinks yet unfit for service are retained in Convalescent Camp, their names recorded in 'the Sergeant Major's book, and then distributed to the various divisions according to the regi ments which they represent, or hospitals, as the case may be. Those fit for duty—their names are recorded in the duty book aud then forwarded to Camp of Distribution, to await transportation to their respective regiments in the manner indi cated hereafter. The post-office of camp, under the charge of Captain Thomas H. Marston, 82d Penn'a. Vol's., receives and delivers on an average, each week, fifteen thousand letters for the soldiers —many of the letters containing money received and for warded to families and friends of the soldiers. The amount of uncalled for letters sent to tho Dead Letter Office, is, on an average, three hun dred and fifty per week. The mail is sent out of camp daily at 8 o'clock each morning, and re ceived at 11 o'clock the same day. The arrange ments of said office are so complete that a mail of from two to five thousand letters can be delivered to their rightful owners inside of two hours. I think the postal arrangements can compare safely with many post-offices in large cities. Adams' Express Company has established an agency in camp for the delivery of all packages addressed to soldiers in camp, and for the for warding of monies to the families of soldiers. A vast amount of money is sent per express monthly from, this camp. A neat building has been erected by the Barber of camp, whose place is thronged daily by the soldiers. The Photograph Gallery of camp undej; charge* of Mr. Jones, an old and experienced hand at the business, is visited daily by the soldiers, hav ing their bronzed faces taken to send to familicH and friends. The pictures taken in that estab lishment can compete with any in our principal cities, and the charges as moderate. Mr. Jones, always obliging to the soldier, allows no room for complaint on the part of his work. Ho is a regular " E pluribus Erin ga brath." The 3d and 4th regiments Penna. Res. Vol. Corps—the detachment under command of Col. Woolworth—perforin the guard duty of camp. Col. Wolworth has always been found prompt and efficient in the discharge of the duties of his command. Ten barracks for the guard are near ly finished (just outside of the camp,) capable of accommodating one thousand men. The Sanitary Commission has established a branch in this camp, their agent being Miss Amy M. Bradley. Miss A. M. Bradley is one of the noble ladies of the country whose voluntary ser vices has done much good to the soldiers having connection with Convalescent Camp. Articles of clothing not allowed by the government can always be obtained from Miss A. M. Bradley. In many cases where soldiers were unable to draw their long due pay, on account of wrong fully being accounted for as absent without leave, through the exertions of this kind-hearted lady, the sufferings of soldiers' families were greatly relieved by the remittances of their back pay. To the discharged soldier, in saving him from the" hands of scheming agents in Wash ington, this lady's name will ever be remember ed. Miss A. M. Bradley can be truly styled the " soldiers' friend." THE HOLDIEKS' LIBRARY. A Soldiers' Library has been established in* camp, the building being large and well adapted for its use. From twelve to fifteen hundred volumes of reading matter are issued to the sol diers daily. The Library is under charge of Mr. Mellon, of Mass. The Camp Chapel is a neat; building with steeple and bell, and capable of accommodating one thousand soldiers with seats. Services are beld three times per day, under the supervision of the Christian Commission, The Soldiers' Cemetery, in rear of the Hospital, •is neatly laid out—sufficient for one thousand graves. It is enclosed with a neat and substan tial fence. Each grave having a head-board with the name, company and regiment of the deceased soldier. The great curiosities of the camp are two res ervoirs, tn rear of the camp two reservoirs have been built with good sound bottoms and enclos ed. The water is collected from springs, by runs depositing into the reservoirs. One is used for the kitchons and dining rooms, the other for the hospitals. The water is passed through earthen pipe* laid under the ground to the kitch ens and hospitals, Tho reservoir supplying th"