Residents and soldiers did not always make a good mix.

The locals and the soldiers did not always get along.

Many did not consider Camp Cameron a good neighbor. Complaints were made about noise, property and crop damage not only by recruits but also their visitors. (1) Arrests in the area increased because of the camp. (2) Some of the incidents include a fight between two recruits, John Riley and John Cooney and a Mr. Blanchard. The recruits were charged with assault and Blanchard ended up in critical condition. (3) The Boston Herald reported a fight on Nov. 9 1861 between two volunteers and the Cambridge Police. As soon as the camp opened, a shanty was opened across the street for the sale of illegal alcohol. (4) Gambling was also a problem. A dice game called a sweat-cloth was practiced extensively in the camp. (5) The camp also attracted recruits who wanted to swindle the Army through the practice of bounty jumping. This is when a recruit receives his signing bounty then deserts to reenlist someplace else.
Another activity that received complaints was the fact that the
Union Horse RR used their cars to haul the lumber to build the camp, on a
Sunday! (6)

(1)
Cambridge Chronicle, June 22, 1861
(2)
Boston Evening Transcript, Jan. 6, 1862, pg. 2
(3)
Boston Evening Transcript, July 20, 1861, pg 4
(4)
Boston Evening Transcript, Jun. 17, 1861, pg. 2
(5)
Boston Evening Transcript, Sep. 5, 1862
(6)
Cambridge Chronicle, June 22, 1861