1862 June 28 Camp Jones, Flat Top Mountain, Va.

[letter of James Dinsmore Templeton, musician and private in the 23rd Ohio continues]

June 28th  We are not practicing
this forenoon as it rains a little
and I will write to you
We have now been here
over a month and it is
difficult to tell how much
longer we will remain Some
think 30 days at least.  there
is an impression among several
of the officers that this is our
last camp in Va--they think
we will go into Eastern Tenn
and join with Buell
From a Telegram last night

[page 3]
we learn that the
combined forces of Banks
Fremont & Shields are
uinted and placed under
the Supreme Comd of Pope
to be called the Army of
Virginia. what disposition
will be made of this
position of the army is hard
to tell at this time. and
from past experiences I guess
it is useless to conjecture
the scenery around us
is very grand  I wish you
were here it see it
A few mornings ago I
borrowed the Col- field Glass
and went up to the highest
peak of the mountain
Words would fail to
express the grandeur of the
scene.  I only wish I was
able to sketch, had I known

[page 4]
two years ago that
I would pass through such
a country as this I should
certainly have spent six
months at least to acquire
that accomplishment for I
would now be amply
repaid as I now write
sitting outside the Tent I
see the mountains sweeping
away to the southward
in great billowy swells
far as the eye can reach
away to the Southeast
a depression in the
mountain rage between
the East River & Butt Mounts
marks the passage of
the New River called the
Narrows the place is a
strong natural position
now in possession of the
rebels where they ar[e] strongly

[page 5]
fortified  We passed
through there on our
way to and from Giles
the passage is rather a
remarkable one being only
wide enough for the passage
of the river the road being
constructed at the base
close to the water the
mountain  the mountains[sic]
on either side appears as
though they had once been
united but at some
subsequent period had
by some great convulsion
been separated for the
passage of the river.
the sides are very abrupt
riseing almost perpendicularly
to a great highth  and on
either side a coresponding
strata of rocks [cropp?] out
and incline from the base

[page 6]
to the summit at an
angle of about 60 deg's
the different strata of earth
and rocks are qutie clearly
defined here and would
afford a study for a
Geologist
Whilst I write a rain-
storm is sweeping along
in the distance obscuring
a portion of the mountain
scenery whilst in front
of it the sun is throwing
its lights and shadows
upon the mountain sides.
the contrast is very strikeing
and fine

[Templeton's letter will conclude on the 29th]

MSS 10317



its