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Eagle and ShieldTitle: Letters by Paul and Josiah Jonson

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Two letters that appeared in the TOLEDO DAILY HERALD & TIMES, Saturday, November 23, 1861 (page 3). The first is signed, "Paul." The second is from Lieutenant Josiah Jonson.


Camp Correspondence.

Camp London, Ky.,
Nov. 7th, 1861.

DEAR FRIEND: --Here I am, back again after three days heavy duty, scouting the country for a glimpse of the enemy, who are not to be found at a distance less than sixty or seventy miles from here. It cannot be told yet whether we are to have a forward movement, or go into winter quarters; the latter is most likely. General Scheopf is a Hungarian and an experienced soldier. So far as my experience goes, I think him one of God's noblest works--kind and generous to all under his command. With such a Gen. and Colonels STEEDMAN and ESTE, you may always expect to have good accounts of the "Fourteenth boys"--no matter where they may be sent.--My best respects, &c.

PAUL.


Camp Calvert, Ky.,
Nov. 7th, 1861.

FRIEND J. D. C. Esq.: -- Supposing that an attempt to keep you posted in regard to our movement s would prove a work of supererogation, I shall not attempt to give you an account of our past proceedings, except that the 14th arrived in Wild Cat just in the "nick of time" to save that camp -- as if we had not made that force march or had been even a half hour later Old Zolly would have taken the ranche! The boys there, gallant though they be, against his 8,000 men and cannon could not have withstood the odds. [Zolly would have made at least 4 by cards and 4 by honors, which would have put him within honoring distance.] But Col. STEEDMAN, as it seems, is always at the right time in the right place -- not a minute too soon or too late. -- The rascals were obliged to retreat with heavy loss. All our side lost was 5 -- strange as it may appear -- nevertheless true. The 14th boys ought to be, and are proud of themselves and their leaders.

I suppose you know the 14th is in the brigade of General Scheopf -- a thorough military man, a rigid disciplinarian and a scholar. --There can be no question on either of these points. When you see him -- possessed of a fine commanding form, indomitable will, humane and kindly disposition, regarding his men as human beings -- not brute beasts, but part of the sovereign people -- you cannot help but like him. The next in command is our Colonel -- firm and impassioned, yet cool and determined, esteeming his honor far above his life -- I believe rather than be too late at a battle he would walk or run his legs off, if it were possible, and rather than retreat with a single hope left, would prefer to leave his dead body on the field, if thereby he could assure the chance of the 14th coming off victors. His whole being seems to be wrapped up in his regiment as it were. He respects the meanest man in it, I sometimes think, more than the best Christian that travels. Then comes the Lieut. Col. I am not so well acquainted with him as I would like to be, but with what acquaintance I have, the man don't live within the range of my acquaintance that I would prefer to see in the position he holds -- a gentlemanly wholesouled fellow withal. -- Next comes the Major, of whom I need say nothing, we know all about him -- that he is not least in the estimation of either of us. Were you to have seen him as I did when he "come in" this morning, you would little think it was the same PAUL EDWARDS we had seen in Toledo. Truly, were I permitted to assort our field officers to suit myself, I should not know how to effect a change. nor would any member of the regiment, I firmly believe.

We have the best regulated regiment in Kentucky, by all odds -- I am not boasting -- there is no doubt about it. It is admitted on all hands -- they give us the palm, unhesitatingly, as the best regulated, best drilled and most orderly regiment in the State. If there is any offense committed against regulations or orders, they first go outside of the 14th to find the offenders, they don't mess within its lines. In fact some of our Orderly Sergeants were detached to drill companies in other regiments yesterday. I am in the best of health and spirits-hearty and jolly I assure you that I very much prefer being a soldier than a brother Auctioneer. Yours truly,

Lieut. JOSIAH JONSON,
Co. F, 14th reg't, O. V., U. S. A.




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