Fun in Abe's Camp.
--Some of the hordes of A. L. have fun in them, and seem to be living ‘"in clover."’ Read the following
Washington letter:
I am living luxuriously, at present, on the top of a very respectable fence, and fare sumptuously on three granite biscuit a day and a glass of water weakened with brandy.
A high private in the 22d Regiment has promised to let me have one of his squire
pocket handkerchiefs for a sheet the first rainy night, and I never go to bed on my comfortable window brush without thinking how many poor creatures there are in this world who have to sleep on hair mattresses and
feather beds all their lives.
Before the great rush of Fire Zouaves and the rest of the menagerie commenced, I boarded exclusively on a front stoop in Pennsylvania avenue, and used to slumber, regardless of expense, in a well conducted ash box; but the military monopolize all such accommodations now, and I give way for the sake of my country.
I tell you, my boy, we're having high old times here just now, and if they get any higher I shan't be able to afford to stay.
The city is ‘"in danger"’ every hour, and as a veteran in the
Fire Zouaves remarked, there seems to be enough danger lying around loose on Allington Heights to make a very good blood and thunder fiction, in numerous pages.
If the vigilant and well educated sentinels happen to see a nigger on the upper side of the
Potomac, they sing out ‘"Here they come!"’ and the whole blessed army is snapping caps in less than a minute.
Then all the reporters telegraph to their papers in New York and
Philadelphia that ‘ "
Jeff. Davis is within two minutes walk of the
Capitol, with a few millions of men," ’and all the free States send six more regiments apiece to crowd us a little more.
I shan't stand much more crowding, for my fence is full now, and there was six applications yesterday to rent an improved knot hole.
My landlord says that if more than three chaps set up housekeeping on one post, he'll be obliged to raise the rent.
The greatest confidence in
General Scott is felt by all, and it would do you good to see the gay old hero take the oath.
He takes it after every meal, and the first thing when he gets up in the morning.
Those Fire Zouaves are fellows of awful sanction, I tell you. Just for greens, I asked one of them yesterday what he came here for?
‘"Hah !"’says he, shutting one eye, ‘"we came here to strike for your altars and your fires — especially your fires."’
Gen. Scott says that if he wanted these chaps to break through the army of the foc, held have a fire-bell rung for some district on the other side of the
Rebels.
He says that a half a million of traitors could not keep the
Fire Zouaves out of that district five minutes. I believe him, my boy.
