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Temporary bridge over the Nolin River built and used by Negley's Brigade to move south.
(Frank Leslie's Illustrated February 15, 1863) |
Rain and snow for a few days straight meant that the 79th Pennsylvania's new home, Camp Negley, would be nowhere near as comfortable as Camp Nevin. On December 2, both of the correspondents of the
Inquirer wrote back to Lancaster. While "Ipse Dixit" simply added a quick note to go along with
his letter of November 24, "Judge" O.C.M. Caines of the regimental band gave a lengthy account of the 79th Pennsylvania and the muck and mud in which it camped.
Caines' letter touches on many of the topics that have made the blog over the last couple weeks, but I was particularly struck by one rich sentence about the regiment's giving up the cozy comforts of Camp Nevin for another camp only a mile or two away:
Now what could be the object of going through so much to arrive
at so little, as the school boy said when flogged into the learning of
his A B C, I cannot say, unless it was to verify the soubriquet of the
Southern Chivalry, that we are Mudsills, for this is the dirtiest spot
of any we have yet occupied or ever will, I hope.
Besides the self-deprecating humor about his ability to judge the wisdom of military matters, there's actually some important historical context that I didn't know about initially regarding the reference to "mudsills," which is the board sitting directly on top of a house's foundation as the lowest sill of the house. Stemming from the famous 1858
"Cotton is King" speech by Senator
James Henry Hammond of South Carolina,
"Mudsill theory"--a sort of reverse Marxism--justifies the exploitation of African Americans as slaves and immigrant laborers, saying that it is necessary and good for society to set aside a group of people to do menial work:
In all social systems there must be a class to do the menial duties,
to perform the drudgery of life. That is, a class requiring but a
low order of intellect and but little skill. Its requisites are
vigor, docility, fidelity. Such a class you must have, or you would
not have that other class which leads progress, civilization, and
refinement. It constitutes the very mud-sill of society and of
political government; and you might as well attempt to build a house
in the air, as to build either the one or the other, except on this
mud-sill. Fortunately for the South, she found a race adapted to
that purpose to her hand. A race inferior to her own, but eminently
qualified in temper, in vigor, in docility, in capacity to stand the
climate, to answer all her purposes. We use them for our purpose,
and call them slaves. We found them slaves by the common "consent of
mankind," which, according to Cicero, "lex naturae est." The highest
proof of what is Nature's law. We are old-fashioned at the South
yet; slave is a word discarded now by "ears polite;" I will not
characterize that class at the North by that term; but you have it;
it is there; it is everywhere; it is eternal.
Showing their literacy in antebellum politics and antipathy for "the South" as they understand it, many mud-encrusted Northern soldiers in the Western Theater adopted the derogatory term and called themselves mudsills with pride. One soldier of the 21st Wisconsin who fought alongside the 79th Pennsylvania at the Battle of Perryville even entitled his memoir
Memoirs of a Dutch Mudsill.
From the December 7, 1861,
Inquirer:
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Camp Nevin, Dec. 2.
Since my last letter we have moved about
one and a half miles forward from our old camp. The surgeon has
"appropriated" an empty house, formerly occupied by a secesher, for the
use of the sick.
At last our long looked for sutlers have
arrived. They are the most welcome visitors we have sen for many a
day. They appear to be anxious to deal fairly with the men, and will
not charge six or ten prices for any article. The surgeon general says
that our is the most healthy regiment that has yet reported to him. All
letters should be directed as formerly--care of Col. Hambright,
Neagley's Brigade, Camp Nevin, Nolin P.O., Hardin county, Ky. Yours,
Ipse Dixit
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Camp Negley, Nolin, Hardin co., Ky.
December 2, 1861
Mr. Editor: I received your very acceptable
Inquirer of
the 23rd ult., with much pleasure, except the orders, but as I am among
the soldiers, I must obey. As the old sailor remarked to a passenger,
on board ship, in a calm, when he called on old Boreas to blow. Yes,
yes it is easy to say blow, but where is the wind to come from; so it is
with me, what am I to write about.
We have no news,
except what we receive from our friends at home, and it seems as if you
all know more about the movements of the rebels in Kentucky and
Tennessee, than we do here. We were very comfortably fixed at camp
Nevin, many of the boys having their tents floored over, some with old
boards, others with fence rails; but mostly with young saplings, and
some were warmed with underground flues, constructed in the most
primitive style, with short cuts of saplings, plastered with mud. We
had also constructed a bake oven, equal in size to any in Lancaster,
with bricks obtained by tearing down the chimney of a new house, in the
village of Nolin, that belonged to Captain in the rebel army. The
regimental bakers, are Herman Gercke, Adam Ripple and George Fordney,
the fruit of their labor was most excellent. Another advantage of the
oven was, that to those who could afford it, and watched the chances, a
roast pig, turkey, or rabbit pot pit, &c, would grace their tables,
and tickle the palates of their invited friends--of course I got my full
share. But alas, a change came o'er the spirit of our dram of future
comfort, for on last Tuesday morning, the orders were given to strike
tents and march, which feat we accomplished about noon.
After
crossing Bacon creek [I think he might mean Nolin River], on a bridge of felled trees, covered with fence
rails, straw and dirt, gotten up for this special occasion at very
little expense to management, and for that day only, as they say on the
theatre bills, (a freshet washed it away that night) we arrived our
present location, a distance of about 2 1/2 miles south west of our old
camp. Now what could be the object of going through so much to arrive
at so little, as the school boy said when flogged into the learning of
his A B C, I cannot say, unless it was to verify the soubriquet of the
Southern Chivalry, that we are Mudsills, for this is the dirtiest spot
of any we have yet occupied or ever will, I hope. Mudsills indeed had
you seen me yesterday trying to navigate the various posts between the
islands of tough clay, you would have thought I was a mud sprout, wading
through one and sticking fast in the other. How long we are to remain
here I know not, for as the contraband preacher said to his
congregation, "while man [out of focus]."
On Tuesday night it
rained with a perfect disregard to our comfort, and has either rained or
snowed every day since. We have now, about three inches of snow on the
ground, and that upon a soft bottom makes regimental drills, guard
mounts, &c., rather a more [out of focus], than pleasant exercise.
The health of the men continues to be very good, there being but eleven
on the sick list to day, which you must admit is a very small per
centage of 984 men. My quarters are located in a piece of open
woodland, about two acres of which were cut down, for the formation of
the camp. The three companies on the right of the regiment are equally
fortunate, but after that the old corn field commences, and the left is
on the verge of the swamp I alluded to.
Messrs. Taylor and
Hartman, our Sutlers, arrived in camp on Friday last, both looking
well. The distributed a number of letters and packages that had been
entrusted to their care. All of their goods have not yet come to hand,
owing to various delays, among others the loss of a long bridge between
this and Louisville, destroyed by the late freshet.
To day they
pitched their tent, and will commence business to-morrow, with the stock
on hand; their arrival has been anxiously looked for, and they were
cordially welcomed.
In regard to the numerous inquiries about the
camp regulations, and the changes reported to have been made in our
regiment, I pronounce the whole of them false. The men of the regiment
are not opposed to the Colonel, but on the contrary they pride them
selves, not only on having
the Colonel not only of the Brigade,
but of the Division--That he is a martinet and strict disciplinarian, we
all knew before we left home, or joined his command; and his being so
has made us (what is conceded by General Negley and others of his rank,)
the best drilled and most reliable regiment in the camp, taking in
account the very short time we have been in the field. And I believe
the men would and will follow him to the battle field with the
confidence of victory.
As a proof of it you read in the
Express
that an exchange of companies was to be made, by turning over Capt.
McBride's Alegheny company to Col. Stambaugh, so as to make room for
Cap. Pyfer's company, fifty of whom have arrived in camp with the
captain. McBride's company to a man swear they will not be exchanged,
as they went to serve under Hambright, as they have confidence in his
ability and courage. What disposition will be made of Pyfer's men is
not yet settled. The General and his officers speak of making twelve
companies in our regiment, giving us the artillery and Capt. Pyfer. It
looks something like it, as they moved their stables to the field in our
rear.
There was a slight misunderstanding as to the colors. The
Colonel was right--the governor making the mistake at the presentation;
but there was no ill feeling--on the contrary, General Negley presented
the Regiment with a most splendid blue silk flag,--with the national
coat of arms, and again our Regiment retains the right of the Brigade on
all general parades. To show still farther the good feeling existing,
when Gen. Negley left camp for Louisville, Hambright had full command as
acting Brigadier General until his return. As to the reports of
Captains Gumpf's and Whitesides's removal, they are equally as false.
The truth is some men may make good school teachers and scribblers, but
poor soldiers--more fond of seeing themselves and morbid ideas in print,
than showing their dainty bodies on the field learning their duty as
soldiers and not to meddle with the affairs of their superiors.
Our
regiment is rapidly improving and the men are contented and happy--very
proud of their officers, and all stand fair to accomplish their desire
to be the best drilled regiment in the division. Captain Pyfer is here
with a part of his company, and Lieut. Ober is daily expected with the
balance. "Ipse Dixit" joins me in the desire to be remembered to all
our fiends of the 'Big U.'
As it is near the hour of Tatoo, after which all lights are forbidden, I must close. As ever,
Yours Truly,
The Judge
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