“THE MONOTONOUS VARIETY OF CAMP LIFE”

 

SINGING WAR SONGS, PLAYING CARDS,

EATING BEAN SOUP, RUNNING GUARDS,

HIKING, DRILLING, EXERCISING,

LYING ROUND PHILOSOPHIZING;

DIGGING DITCHES, LEARNING TACTICS,

STANDING GUARD UNTIL YOUR BACK ACHES;

WASHING CLOTHES, PICKING TRASH UP,

CLEANING CAMP, DISHING HASH UP;

CHAWING HARDTACK, SICK OF PORK;

BITS OF REST AND CHUNKS OF WORK;

WITHOUT PAPERS, WITHOUT BOOKS,

GROWLING, GRUMBLING, CUSSIN COOKS,

WRITING LETTERS, CLEANING TENTS UP

IN YOUR CLOTHING SEWING RENTS UP;

SCOURING BUTTONS, BLACKING SHOES,

CLEANING GUN FOR READY USE,

KEEPING BRIGHT OUR PLATES AND CUPS,

SALUTING OUR “HIGHER UPS”;

WONDERING WHAT OUR ORDERS ARE,

TELLING HOW TO RUN THE WAR;

TURNING IN AT SOUND OF TAPS,

DREAM OF PEACE AND HOME, PERHAPS;

TURNING OUT AT BREAK OF DAY,

SAME OLD THINGS IN SAME OLD WAY;

WISHING, THROUGH EVERY BIT OF IT,

THAT THIS INFERNAL WAR WOULD QUIT;

BUT NOT UNTIL OUR FLAG IS FREE,

TO FLOAT WHERE’ER IT USED TO BE.

 

WRITTEN BY AN UNKNOWN SOLDIER OF THE 118TH NY