[Editor Undergraduate] You ask me to give an outline of a soldier's life at Chickamauga. Well, here it is: Sleep, eat, drill. There is little to vary the monotony of this programme, but at the same time the days go by seemingly without dragging, for when a soldier is not engaged in one of the first-named occupations he is cleaning his equipment or sitting around talking it over . . .
The heat and dust were almost unbearable the first three weeks we were here, but lately frequent showers have cooled the air so that life is worth living. One of the worst things about this place is the great lack of good drinking water. We Vermonters who are accustomed to clear, sparkling spring water and plenty of it had hard times bringing ourselves to drink the muddy, yellow, lukewarm liquid they call good water in this section. A well is being drilled in the Vermont camp now, and great things are expected of it . . . Time down here is about an hour behind that in Vermont, and I don't believe there is a man in the Regiment who looks at his watch without thinking what time it is back in the old Green Mountain State and wondering what the folks at home are doing …

How soon shall we move, where we are to go, what experiences will be ours, or how many of us will again see the hills and valleys of our native state, who knows? We all, of course, hope to see the end of this trouble soon, but if it should be our lot to be called into action we will not be found wanting, and the spirit which has made the "Green Mountain Boys" famous will still help us to brave any danger for the sake of the stars and stripes.
Was very glad to hear from you and hope that you will have a pleasant commencement and summer vacation. Get a refigerator and a palm leaf fan and come here to spend August.

Yours very truly,
ERNEST J. WATERMAN