es, both stereotyped and irregular, served their part to
create and preserve a healthy tone of humor, which otherwise might have
taken on a type far more serious. He who could neither furnish merriment
nor enjoy it, and had no affection but the chronic for any member,
supplied the only lacking element to give the company all the varieties
between the extremes of humor. The receptions of numerous packages of
letters and luxuries from Oberlin and home, made bright spots in the
history of their otherwise monotonous life at Camp Dennison.

From the beginning of the service, daily prayer meetings were
established, which were usually held in the street between the barracks.
Very frequently men of other companies would gather in, and there is
reason to believe that more good was done than to create and preserve a
lively, healthy, religious feeling in the company itself. The prevailing
sentiment was emphatically in favor of religion; and if a small number
were not themselves professing Christians, they were, at least, disposed
in most cases to be moral, and to discountenance flagrant vices. Of this
latter number, several were converted before their term of service
expired; and of the former class, it is believed that few merit the
dishonor of falling entirely from grace.

The company was divided into messes of about sixteen each. A chaplain
was appointed in each, whose business it was to lead in morning or
evening worship, or to see that such exercises were observed. This
practice was retained in most of the messes throughout the service.

Thus Co. C became a rather peculiar people in a camp of thousands, the
majority of whom could not be said to have deserved the reputation of
being devoted followers of the Lord. It was not very uncommon to hear
the sneer, "There goes an Oberlinite," or, "There is one of that praying
company." And a superficial observer might have supposed they were
generally despised by men of other companies; but a more thorough
investigation in a private conference would generally betray a feeling
very much like the opposite.

In spite of these sneers the men of Co. C did not think it best to give
up their Christian profession, and those virtuous principles which were
dearer to them than life, that they might thus be more completely in
uniform with those who surrounded them. If there was a trick, or act of
thievery, committed by any man of the company, great pains was taken by
others to give it complete