Naples Feby 12^th 1865

 

Sergeant C. E. Reed

                        Dear Orderly

                                                I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 4^th inst and in reply would state that it is the first letter I have received from the Company since I left it. I was very much pleased to hear from you this once, and I trust you will continue to write me as long as you remain in the service. When I learned that Sergeants Housel and Barker were wounded I wrote to them and have since received several letters from Barker, but Housel poor fellow died before he received my letter. He was a faithful soldier and an upright man, and loved by all who knew him. I have been informed that he was in command of the Company a long time previous to his death / and that he gave good satisfaction to his superior officers, and the men whom he had the honor to command. I learn that Sergt Barker will not again be able to perform military duty in the field and will probably remain in Hospital until his time expires. I have heard that Barker done well all through the summer campaign, and was well liked by the men in the company. John Hone was another good man poor fellow I heard he was shot dead. Sam Oatman died at home bled to death before he could obtain medical assistance. He was another good soldier. I have also heard of the death of Geo A Buchanan and Hortiutius A Chamberlain both good and faithful soldiers. These are all the deaths I have heard of and I hope all who have died in the company since I left you. I would be pleased to have you write me a brief history of the company since I was wounded. I forgot / Phoenemonine Lacy. He died at home and I attended his funeral, and I assure you that I was as deep a mourner as any present. I for one knew what he had suffered while in the service of his country, for I had been with him and seen him suffer. I have many pleasant recollections of all these brave men and of all those left in the Company. I presume others have died but as no one took it upon himself to inform me I am left in darkness regarding their fate. I was pleased to hear of your appointment as Orderly Sergeant and will be glad when I shall hear that you have received a commission, for you will soon be entitled to one, and will I have no doubt soon receive it. There are many good men in the company whom I would love to see promoted and if I can be of any use to them will use my influence for them. I have had nothing to do with the / appointments in the company since I was wounded, but so far as I have heard they are all good. I am sorry to hear that Lieut Paddock gives such poor satisfaction. You will remember that when he was promoted every man in the company signed a petition to have him appointed first Lieutenant and on this petition he was appointed. I think Pad did wrong when he left the company and went into the Artillery It is impossible for an Officer to please a full company of men. I have not heard who is to take my place, but I trust it will be some one who will please the Company. I hope you will have a captain who will please you as well, if not better than I did. I am beginning to believe that I have done as well by the boys as any man who will succeed me, can do. You know that military laws and customs are different from those of civil life and if you are ever a / commissioned officer you will see things in a different light, and will then discover how well I performed my part as an officer. Until you arrive at that rank you can never clearly judge of my military life, or form a correct idea of the responsible position I filled. You of course know what an enlisted man most requires of his officers, and I know what an officer most requires of his men. It is as difficult to please one as the other. I wish I could come back to you I would try and do better than I did before, but I fear I shall never be able to perform military duty again. My wounds have all healed up nicely but my left arm is useless and my health is poor. I am gaining however and may possibly join the Army again I was discharged the service on a medical certificate furnished me by the Medical Director of Elmira / I received an honorable discharge on account of wounds received in action The Colonel wrote to me to go to Washington and be reinstated but I was in a poor condition to be reinstated I was discharge on my own application and could not of course seek to be restored. I would have remained in the service if I could have had a detail suitable to my condition but no one seemed to be interested in my case enough to help me obtain a detail. I want to settle my accounts with the government now and will call you in to assist me. I would have done this before had I known you were Orderly. I supposed you were off with the Sharp Shooters. I have written several times for papers and blanks but no body has sent them and if you will be kind enough to send what I ask for, I will consider it a particular favor besides returning you pay for your trouble and the necessary postage 

 

In the first place I would like to have you find my old day book that I used to charge clothing in. Cut out the leaves on which are charged the clothing for the months of January February March & April 1864 and send them to me by mail I left the Company books with the Sutlers at or near Williamsburg. They were boxed up nicely and with them were papers which I would like to have sent me I have never heard whether these books had been brought back to the Company or not. If they never have been you ask the sutler where they are and get a pass to go and get them. Ask the Colonel if there are any papers in the Adjutants Office belonging to me and if so send them along with the leaves from the old clothing book send me a lot of blank receipt rolls for clothing also monthly returns for camp and garrison equipage send them as soon as possible / when I get the receipt rolls made out I will send them to you and you have them signed by the men and return them to me. You can transfer the accounts to the clothing book before you return the rolls to me please attend to this business as soon as you can. Write me what has ever been done with the Ordnance and Camp and Garrison Equipage whether this property was ever transferred or taken up by any other officer. I have written to Paddock several times in regard to this but he has not answered any of my letters. Find out whether any other officer has made out any returns of the property since I was wounded and write me all the particulars. Do not fail to find the clothing book. A long thin book used as a day book or blotter. If any of the boys are coming home send the whole book by them. /

 

The snow is four feet deep and it is impossible to get around. The roads are all blockaded and there is no travel from place to place. We have received no papers here in a week We received a small mail the other day which was brought through on a mans back. We hear there has been fighting going on for a week around Petersburg, but we have had no particulars The cars cant run on the railroads.

 

            The citizens of this place were very much excited over the peace rumors. All agreed that we would have peace right off and all who are liable to the draft held up their heads and assumed a bolder front than they have for three years. They have resumed their usual colors and are as meek as kittens now Every one seems to think they will be drafted and are preparing to go to war or run away / We have got to raise 38 men in Naples It will take every third man who is liable, in the place. I can just lay back and laugh at them

 

            I hope the 148^th will not get into a fight during the remaining part of their term of service. I think the old regt has done enough and ought to be allowed to lay off a while. The regt has got a good name at home and I have no doubt it has in the Army. There seems to be more sympathy with the 126^th than with the 148^th but it is easily accounted for. The 126 has been so unfortunate that every body seem to pity them

 

            I shall be glad to meet you when you return home, and I hope God will spare you, and permit you to return to your friends I trust you will do your duty while you remain in the Army and come out victorious /

 

I am enjoying life as well as circumstances will permit swallowing its trials and tribulations with Christian fortitude. Am living with my Father in Law. I am not doing anything now but as soon as I get able, I am going into the County Clerks Office for a while. When the war closes and prices are settled I shall go into the Mercantile business

 

            When I was wounded I lost my over coat dress coat hat shoes and shirt. In my dress coat pocket were some valuable papers which were lost. I want the clothing charges that I have spoken about to make out new returns. I wish you would get my over coat cape of A D Paul and send it to me either by express or by somebody who will be coming home. My wife sends her regards. Please remember me to all the boys and say that I would / be happy to hear from all of them

 

Please write me often and keep me posted regarding your movements. Excuse writing for I have been swinging the quill at a breakneck speed. If you want any assistance to obtain a commission call on me and I will help you. I can give you a good recommend to the Colonel

 

You can obtain the blank clothing receipt rolls from Hutch

 

Write soon and believe me as ever your sincere friend

E A Griswold

 

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