(The following newspaper articles are courtesy of David Torski and appeared in the Mansfield Semi-weekly Herald.)

MANSFIELD SEMI-WEEKLY HERALD--MAY 18, 1861

"Drum-Head Literature."--(Alf)

"Damon" Discourses upon the Ups and Downs of a Soldier's Life. From our own Correspondent. Camp Jackson, May 12, 1861.

I feel bad-malaise is the French for it and an inquiring mind will seek a reason. An obliging correspondent will give one or more. INFLUENCES OF CAMP-LIFE ON ON THE APPETITE.

We fell in this morning to march up town, through an amiability-annihilating rain, to Captain Miller's favorite church, where we stopped two hour to drip off, and get a comfortable nap; after which the company returned to Camp, -excepting our new O.S. Colonel Armentrout, and myself. This unexceptionable trio filed off to the Goodale House, where we had the pleasure of grasping Mr. Colby by the hand.We hasd barely grasped, when he remarked, "Boys, lay off your blankets and take some dinner with me." Just seconds from the time "dinner" was distinctly heard, I had my blanket neatly folded and laid on a shelf, my hair arranged, mustache curled up to keep it out of my teeth, waistband unbuckled, and had "stepped off smartly with my left" (Hardee) on my way to the dining-room. Hungry as I was our valiant O.S., who is not more than ten pounds heavier than I am, ate at least as much again as the "Colonel" and I, and used his tooth-pick twice as long. I mention this incident to illustrate the influence of camplife on the amenities of society. At home, eating a dinner at another man's expense would be preceded by not less tham three pressing invitations, and as many positive refusals followed by graceful acceptance; but here we "stand not upon the order of our going, but go at once." We went to the "Esther Institute" after dinner, passing a few fleeting moments in the delightful society of two fair forms from Mansfield; then slowly tramped through the mud to our dens.

THE OPENING REMARKS EXPLAINED.

First, I wanted to sleep in church, but was watched and couldn't. Second, I reveled in the luxury of a hotel dinner, with niggers and clean napkins, and fragrant odors for surroundings, knowing in my bery soul that fragrant niggers-no, nspkins, and oders not recorded in Comstock of Silliman, would be my portion in camp.Third, I was convinced, after leaving the Institute, that the lack of feminine society is a terrible deprivation-but endurable; and last, but not least, the weather-chich is entirely beneath my contempt. All these add to my discomfort greatly.

(More Soon)

COLONEL MOSES R. DICKEY-FIRST COMMANDER OF THE 15TH OHIO

Born in Richland Co., Ohio November 4, 1837. At the age of 16, he determined to enter into the profession of law.In May of 1846, he enlisted as a private in Co. A, 3rd Ohio Volunteer Infantry for the Mexican war. He mustered out in New Orleans in June of 1847. In 1849, Dickey left for California to take part in the Gold Rush. On his return to Ohio in 1851, he was shipwrecked off the coast Central America but all hands were saved. He attended school at Hayesville University and in 1854 joined the law firm of Brinkerhoff and Geddes. In April of 1861 he began to raise a company of men to answer President Lincoln's call to arms. He was appointed Lt. Col of the 15th Ohio Volunteers for three months duty. Mustered out on August 7, 1861, he was commissioned Colonel of the 15th OVI. He was afflicted with chronic diarrhoea while in the service in 1862 and resigned upon the suggestion from army doctors. He returned to Mansfield to resume his law practice. In 1876, he was elected judge of the common pleas court. Judge Dickey was married in March of 1857 to Margaret M. Simmons and the couple had four children. He remarried in June of 1874 to Harriet H. Todd and had one child by her. Moses Dickey died in Mansfield on July 15, 1913 and is buried in that city.