Originally published in the Perrysburg Journal, June 22, 1864, p. 2
Annapolis Junction, Md.
June 14, 1864.
Some time since I noticed a statement- in that Wood county paper published by a man (?) who stayed at home that he might not lose any of his blood or limbs in the services- to the effect that the "One Hundred Day's Men" were not wanted by the Government; that their being called into service was entirely owing to the gratuitous solicitations of certain Western Governors; and that this force was one for which the President and General Grant had no use. In refutation of that statement-if I may be pardoned for refuting such a statement from such a source-it is only necessary to refer to the employment of the companies of Wood county. At Camp Parole, the companies of Captain McKee and Captain Black relieved a portion of a New York regiment, which was immediately sent to the front; at this place, the company of Captain Cook relieved part of a New York artillery company, which left for Washington a day or two after our arrival here; the companies of Captain Kitchen and Captain Hathaway at Fort Dix relieved a portion of a Delaware regiment, which also went to the front. Whether the company of Captain Smith-now in Wilmington, Delaware- relieved a veteran company or not I am not informed; but they are unquestionably doing the duties which would otherwise require the presence of a volunteer company. I may also mention the fact that within the past few days a number of Ohio "One Hundred Days" regiments have passed through her for Washington and some of them it is stated have already been forwarded to General Grant. Does this look as though these men were a useless appendage to the army?.
Nothing of importance has occurred in Company F in the past week- we are performing the duties assigned to us to the best of our ability, and eating our rations with regularity and fortitude; we have had no engagements with the armed enemy; but we have had a conflict or two with stubborn masculine beef- in which be it known, we came out triumphant.
Our order of exercises for each day is about as follows: at 5 A.M. roll call, at 6, breakfast, at 8:30, company drill, at 12, dinner, at 6 P.M., supper, at 8:30 P.M. roll call, at 9 "put out lights.".
Our company is divided into two "messes"-two men in each mess do the cooking and are, of course, relieved from the duty. Our bill of fare is the same as that established at all Uncle Samuel's hotels, and embraces pork and beans, potatoes, beef, bread, and coffee- served up with only the ingenuity of an experienced army cook can devise. We get excellent fresh bread from a government bakery at this place. In short, our rations are generally ample but our appetites are always "equal to the emergency.".
On Sunday last, a number of members of our company attended church at Savage-a little village about three miles west of this place. The only item about the services at church , which struck us as being at all remarkable, or unlike what we are accustomed to at home, was the fact the during the entire service-in both prayers and sermon- no reference was made either to the Government or the rebellion, no petition for divine guidance was made on behalf of the lawful rulers of the country; no prayer was offered that the nation established by Washington and his compatriots be preserved!.
The officiating clergyman, however, did desire that this "cruel war" might cease, but as no word signified, how he wished it to cease, only one inference can be drawn from his silence, viz.: that his sympathies, which he dared not express, were with the traitor hosts of the Confederacy. It is very seldom that I venture a word of criticism concerning the religious belief of any individual, or the exercises of any church- yet to me, that "religion" which does not prompt its possessor to pray for his country, when it is struggling for life with armed traitors, seems little else than arrant hypocrisy. I confess a wish, as I left the church, that the clergyman and those of the congregation who admire his course might be turned over to the tender mercies of Jeff. Davis and his conscripting officers-their presence there could hardly be more injurious to the Union cause than is their influence here.
The health of the company continues good- there now being only one or two cases of slight sickness. I have not heard of any serious cases of sickness either at Camp Parole or Fort Dix..
H.S.C.
