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62
Washington D. C. March 5th
Dear Father
Another Wednesday evening has come and finds me seated with pencil in hand to tell you that I have Recd your letter and am glad to hear from home again. I should have writen you last Sunday but I came off guard that morning feeling somewhat exhaus ted and could not deny myself the pleasent nap which I am in the habit of takeing after such occasions. We had orders to march last Thursday, to the city, but knew not where we were to go from there. We all felt
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it a sure thing that Friday morning would not find us here. When we formed company for evening parrade Major Hurlow told us we should have to fight soon but Gen Keys countermanded the order before Nine oclock so we remain here yet but are under marching orders. Some think we shall march before Saturday night. I dont think we shall leave quite so soon as that, but donot think we shall remain here another month. I think all are seeing easier times now than we shall after we march, but we are anxious to leave. We have been here so long it is getting an
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old story. Pleasent weather is not very plenty with us yet. We had about 2 inches of snow last Sunday and a powerfull rain Monday night. My health is good and I have an excellent appetite. We have some doubts about being paid off this time at the usual time. It should come the 15th of this month, perhaps it will. Uncle Sam keeps us very much in the dark conserning all his dealings with us. I believe we have got as good a Colonel as ever commanded a Regt, he is a Capt in th Regular service was in the Mexican war. It makes a
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great difference weathe we have a real or a sham Col. He is a very pleasent man but we have to toe the line. I am very anxious to see home again but am not homesick or discouraged but am looking forward to the good time comeing. I am not unmindfull of the goodness which has prese- rved me thus far, and pray for help to lead and keep us all in the path of duty. I think I shall write you again sunday. I am [preprer?] to march at a moments notice with clan cloltes and good Boots Yours Truly Rufus
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Prospect Hill Va March 12
Dear Brother
We now find ourslves accrost the Potomack River about 14 miles from the city of washington. We moved in a direction a little sound of west. The 3 Brig ades Couckes, Grayhams, and Pecks move together. We broke camp last monday morning about 8
arrived
oclock and ^ here about sun set of the same day. I dont know how long we shall remain here. We expected to move again the next morning but for what place we new not although it was rummou red that we were going to Winch- ester. I will not attemt to tell you of the Rumours which I hear cons- erning the evacuation of places
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in this vicinity for before this reaches you you will have probably more acurate accounts that I can now give you from the papers – and conserning the movement of this portion of the army you cannot be more ignorant than I am at present We may stop here 3 or 6 months or may move tomorrow. I can tell you that I think that there will be but little more fiteing. It appears to me the Rebbels are giveing up their strong holds and are afraid to meet us. I have no time to write particulars now as the Mail will leave soon. I am well and Hearty and ready for any thing that
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comes along. Our disappoin- tment was very great when we found that we were not to march again the next day. Say to Br [Cahore?] that I have Recd both of his lettes. Give him my best Respects and tell him he must think as kindly as possible of my delay. Direct your letters the same as ever only omit [?][crossed out] Camp Brightwood
Yours Affectionly Rufus
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16th
Camp Brightwood Washington D.C. March
Dear Brother
I think you will be some what surprised to learn that we are again at our old camp. We have not had any fight- ing to do but have had a hard time since we left here last monday morning. I will proceed at once to tell you our advent- ures. I retired a little later than usual last Monday night without any knowledge of our marching the next morning. About 1/2 past 12 the orderly came in and told us to be in readiness to march the next morning at 7. There was no more sleep after that. Our Brig ade moved together. The morning was somewhat rainy and we had
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a hard [a hard][crossed out] march to chane Bridge as that was the mudiest part of the way. We halted 3 times before crossing the Bridge to rest and after marching about a mile the other side of the Bridge we halted quite an hour. I understand that our Col told Gen Couch that he was marching us at an unrea sonable rate. I think we we orderd to winchester but the news of the evacuation of that place and Bull Run caused Gen Keys to order a halt at prospect Hill. This place is about 14 miles from our camp and 7 miles from Chane Bridge. We had guard mounting as soon as we arrived at Prospect Hill and as the guard are detailed alphi-
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beticaly and had got to the Rs it was my fortine with the 3 Reeds one of them the capts Brother to be detailed to stand that night and
4 oclock
until ^ th next day afternoon. There were 4 detailed from each comp in the Brigade. There were 7 Reliefs so I had to stand only 2 hours that night and 2 hours the next forenoon I felt a good deal like crying when I found I had got to do guard duty that night for I was vey tired. I was on the 2d rel- ief and stood from 9 to 11. I then spread a rubber Blanket on the ground and laid down with one of the Reeds covering ourselves with our wollen Blank-
ets
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It was fair weather then though quite cool. I went to sleep as soon as I laid down feeling quite warm and com- fortable. I think it would be a strange sight to you to see soldiers sleeping on the ground useing their knapsacks for pillo- us and coverd with their white wollen Blankets and snoreing as loudly as if they were at home in their beds. After sleeping 2 hours I awoke feeing a little cool so i sat around the camp fire until morning. I didnot sleep again until 2 oclock the next afternoon. it was quite warm then and I had a comfortable nap of 2 hours. When the neu guard was marched on and I was relieved. All the Shelter we had all the time we were out of camp was Huts made of Pine Boughs but
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these afforded but littel protection from the cold wind. Wednes was a very warm day – [as warm as[crossed out] warmer than you will see probably before the middle of May. Thursday and Friday and in fact [?][crossed out] ever since Wednesday the wind has been N East. I wish I could give you a desceription of our encam- pment at P Hill. It is [aun?][crossed out] a large plantation ouned by the airs of Com Jones. One of them is at Fort Pickins anot- her commands the Merrimack and one is in jail at Washin gton. a cesesionist. You can have but [little][crossed out] a small idea of the vast teritory which could be seen from the top of this hill. at night 500 camp fires
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and perhaps twice that u well visible within a mile of us. Not less than 20 Acres of young pines were cut for building Bough house. We left P Hill Friday morn ing and returned to within a mile of chane Bridge. We halted by the road side until nearly dark then went back into the woods to spend the night. I made my bed with Lieut Mayhew and slept comfortabel until 4 oclock. It rained sone in the night and wet our Blankets. I stood by the fire until daylight then went to the cook stand and got some Sugar and Coffee which I Boiled in my dipper a slice of fat Port and hard Bread was my breakfast.
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I thought of home and the Breakfast you ere eating but yours couldnot hav been eaten with a better relish than was mine. I tried to write you a feu lines after Breakfast but it was so misty then that I couldnot. The place where we were enca- mpt looked [lot][crossed out] some like the Hills in Mane where we went [Gunning?] the trees were mostly oak and pretty large. It commenced raining hard early in the forenoon and continued to pore all day. We cont- rived to shelter ourselves with our Rubber Blankets but it was to cold to remain under the cover of our Blanket house all the [?][crossed out] time so we were obliged to get wet
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Ed hutchingson is wateing to take my letter to you so I must finish. My health is good I think we shall leave here this week. I am glad you sent me the Stamps. I hav got paper enough. I have got no money but I can get things at th sutlers without. I am afraide you cant Read what I have written. I Recd a letter from Ruth this morning. She is well from you Br Rufus
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[Marginalia at top – upside down]
Hen Dont work too hard [Take comfort][underlined] hou can you help it when evry thing is look- ing so well and such fine weather
Since I last wrote you I have seen some very fine Pear Trees loaded with fruit as large as the end of your Thumb. I had no Idea that fruit of all kinds was so plenty in this part of the world.
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Washington D.C. Tues. March 18th
Dear Brother
In my letter to you
In my letter to you which I sent by Ed Hutchingson I tried to give you a discription of our last weeks work to Prospect Hill and our return. I didnt write all I wished to as I was short for time and what I did write I am afraid will be difficult to understand. I ment to have told you of our Saturday nights march from chane Bridge. We left Prospect Hill Friday morning and returned to within a[n][crossed out] mile of chane Bridge where the division was halted to wate for farther
not
orders but ^ receiving any the Gen ordered us on a littel farther towa- rds chane Bridge to a piece of woods to rest for the night. I cann ot give you a better idea of the place where we stopt than to
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compare it to the woods in Mane about Hirams place. It was a very hilly country on one side of the road the Trees were mostly fallen and lying upon the ground. It was nearly dark when we arrivd at this place so we could make but little prepar- ation for sleep. But sleep I did and in the morning awoke very much refreshed. This was Saturday morning. It began to rain hard at ten oclock and continued to until 12 oclock Saturday night. The wud was flooded with water and the mud was ankle deep. We pined our Rubb- er Blankets to frames which we made branches of trees to protect us from the rain. But it was too cold to remane under the shelter all the time so we were exposed to the rain whilst warming ourselves by the fires which we built the night previous. Thus we spent the day the most disagreeable one I ever experienced.
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No 2 It was geting along in the evening and we were expectig to spend another night there when the order came for us to get into line and be ready to march amediately. It was dark and the men were scatered far and near through the woods. Drums beat and the officers shouted. the men cheered for we were glad to leave the place though we kneu not where we were going. Our company officers were as [?][crossed out] ignorant as we were. We thou- ght most that we were going to the city then by transports doun the River to Norfo[l]crossed out]rk. At 9 we were on the march. From chane Bridge we came back to camp by a different rout. Throu
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gh Georgetown and Washington. The distance was ten miles we took the rout to avoid some bad Hill. We should have the other way. The mud a part of the way was almost up to my knees but the rain had thined it so it was not so bad. At one oclock our mess were all in our Barrack. I was in at 1/2 past 12. You cant emagine what looking creatures we were to sick ones which we left behind had hot coffee for us when we came in. They heard that we were comeing. We soon had on dry clothes and went to Bet. The two last days have been very busy ones cleaning and drying our clothes guns and equipments. I had got 2 clean suits again one on my Back another in my knapsack.
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3 We expected when we came into camp to have marched again before this time. I think
start
now we shall [go][crossed out] tomorrow morning for Alexandra and prob ably from there to Norfork. You will know if we move when you Rece this but perhaps I shall not be able to tell you for a[s][crossed out] certainty where we are to go. It is suppriseing
that
to me ^ myself and all of us could pass throug so much fatique and exposure and yet remane in such perfect health. One year ago I feel sure we could not endured it but we have been gradualy prepared for it. When I marched through Baltmore last summer
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my knapsack was such a burden to me that I couldnt see the sights. But I took it along on my last march with suppriseing ease notwithstandg the additional heft caused by [the][crossed out] our clothing being wet. All my rigging includeing overcoat which I wore could not have weighed less than 45 lbs. The next time you write send me a feu postage stamps, not more than 1 Doz. I will write as often as I want then. They are as good as money will ans the same purpose and the most conven ient way of sending it. I must close now but will write a few lines in the morning to let you know if we go. Yours Affectionately Rufus
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March 18th
I have again a few leisure moments to write tonight and I feel sure now that we shall not march tomorrow. The order was countermanded about two hours ago. I suppose the reason why we donot go tomorrow is because the means are lacking for conveying us down the river that seems to be the
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talk within a few hours. I would write you a few lines in the mor- nigh but I shall go on guard. My guard comes about once a week, and guard at th Fort about once a month. The weather has been quite pl- easant today and if we have a good day tomorrow guard duty will not be very hard. Send me an envelope when you write. I have got Paper enough
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Washington D.C. March 23d, 1862
Dear Brother
I dont know whether it is best to tell you the feelings which posess me today and I might say even longer –
since
for ever ^ we returned from our march (I am going to tell you) I have felt very discontented and by spells almost discoureaged. You know me of old as one of the discontented kind, subject to ups and downs, but perhaps by this time [have?] hoped better things of me. We are pined here now to [this place][underlined] in my opinion so long as the war lasts or dureing our term of enlistment. Last winter we were looking forward anxiously for the spring to open feeling quite sure that we should then be removed from this place to a new country and perhaps more active duties. I have no doubt you have thought us very fortunate in being permitted to stay here so long, and so in some respects we have. We have had an
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easy time, enough to eat and drink and better quarters than many of the soldiers have had, but you dont know and never can until you try it what a tiresome life it is to be pent up seven month on one plot of ground with nothing in particular to interest you. It is the same old story day in and day out and no prospect of anything different. When I last wrote you we had just returned from a hard march and whilst I was telling you about it I was elated with the prospect of moveing again soon, but that is played out and there is now no fear that Couches [Babies][underlined] will ever be tired with another march unless he should hear that the enemy were retreating from some place and then he might say come on my brave Boys. Now I have told my story – done a little grumbling and feel better. I went to meeting this forenoon Ten of us got a pass signed by the Col. The church where we went is about a mile and 1/2 from our
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camp. We have attended meeting there once before. I wrote Edwin about it. It is near the soldiers home. I think I wrote Edwin something about that place. The church was built in 1719 and rebuilt in 1770. The text today was Paul to the Romans [12c – 12v?] [continues?] instant in prayer. It was a very good sermon. The congregation was mostly soldiers from privates to Brigade Generals. They have an organ about the size of ours and four good singers. We are not having much pleasant weather yet. My guard day last Wednesday commenced quite pleasant but it was a very rainy night. The storm continued until friday morning. It is not very muddy here now, the ground is quite solid. I find that old March is quite as successfull in [comeing?] his shifts over[s][crossed out] us here as at home but not quite so successfull at blow ing cold but sometimes rather rough. The grass is growing in spite of him
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The Birds and Frogs sing us merry songs night and morning. I suppose they are feeling more contented than I am, but realy I am feeling much better than when I commenced writing I must close now
Yours Truly Rufus
[Marginalia - bottom left side of page]
Henry H Robbins
