Alexandria Virginia

December 2, 1861

 

Dear Father Sisters an Brother

i take this oppertunity of writing these few lines to you hoping to find you in good health as this leaves me at preasent i received yours on the 30^th and was glad to hear from you we left Washington on the 28 for Springfield Station about 3 oclock in the evening and crossed the long bridge to Virginia and took the Columbia turnpike road and traveled about 12 miles and halted about 10 oclock and then made fires in the woods and slept till morning and then started again till we got to the last of the union pickets and then turned back for we heard / that Springfield was burned and occupied by the Rebels so then we turned back again so we traveld all day Friday in the direction of Alexandria it was the hardest work ever i had in my life we traveled altogether about 25 miles we went about 12 miles out of our way and the officers did not know where they were going and it was dark when we got to our destination we ar about 12 miles from Washington on the alexandra road we are about 3 miles from Alexandria so then we struck tents at dark and it commenced to rain all night and the rain come through the tent and we got soaking wet the blankets and clothes were wet it was the hardest time ever i had we are encamped on a hill very steep hill and the water came down upon / us but we are getting along nice now we have got 2 stoves for cooking the Captian bought them himself we did not have much to eat from the time we left Washington all i had was a loaf of bread two Regiments of the irish Brigade came here on Sunday thay are near us we can see them i seen Murry Mitchell on Sunday they are about 1 mile from us and he is going to New York in a week or two on furlough we belong to Gen. Sumners Division there are a great many men here about 60,000 men we expect to have a grand brush soon this is an awful muddy place and bad for drilling we have plenty of water

 

So no more at preasen but remains your truly

John Loughran 

 

you told me that Father is not working yet that is bad

 

direct you letter to

Camp California

Near Alexandria

57 Regt N.Y.V.

Captian McKay

Company F

 

            Send me a couple of stamps

SOURCES