Captain Lyon to the Racine Advocate.
“Camp of Instruction, Benton Barracks,
St. Louis, Mo., Oct. 15, 1861.
“Messrs. Editors: On Saturday evening last our regiment struck tents at Camp Randall and started for the seat of war. We reached Chicago at 4 o’clock p. m.; left there at about 8 o’clock p. m.; arrived at Illinois Town, opposite St. Louis, at 8 o’clock Sunday evening, and the next morning crossed the river; marched some four or five miles through the city in a northwest direction, and arrived at this camp a little before noon.
“Our journey here was a very pleasant one. The weather was fine, and we were greeted by people along the whole route, and especially for the last one hundred miles of it and in this city, with much enthusiasm. We had what the newspapers call ‘a brilliant reception,’ in Chicago. It consisted mainly in being stared at by a large number of people, some few of whom cheered us as we marched through the city.
“Sunday was a balmy, beautiful day—very beautiful—and we traversed all day long a magnificent country, and as we gazed upon it and remembered that Illinois has sent, and is sending forth, 50,000 of her sons to do battle in the sacred cause of Liberty and Good Government, we felt that we were in a glorious state—in a state which, when the history of these times is written, will figure conspicuously and honorably upon its pages.
“This camp is pleasantly located on high, level ground, embracing several hundred acres, including the grounds of the Missouri State Agricultural Society, in the west part of the city, and, I am told, also including within its limits the celebrated Camp Jackson, where Lyon and Blair captured Claib. Jackson’s rebel state troops last spring.
“Yesterday was a very warm day, as warm, I think, as the last 4th of July in Racine, and the men suffered much on the march to camp, burdened as they were with their overcoats, canteens, haversacks, knapsacks and guns; but they stood it very well, and last evening many of them were dancing in their quarters so briskly that a bystander would scarcely believe that they had on the same day performed a fatiguing march of several miles through the heated, dusty streets of a city, and that, too, at the end of a journey of 400 miles. The members of our company are all well, or nearly so. At least we have none in the hospital, and no case of serious illness.
“11 a. m.—We have just received orders to take five days’ rations and 20 ball cartridges, and to leave here at 9 o’clock tomorrow morning. The right wing of the regiment goes at 4 o’clock this afternoon. Where our destination is, and what we have to do when we get there, we know nothing about; but you will hear from us again. The men are delighted with the prospect of immediate service, which they testify by loud shouts and cheers. Busy preparations for departure are going on throughout the regiment, and I must bring this hastily written communication to a close.
Wm. P. Lyon.”
