First Reg'm't N. Y. Vols.

January 14. 1863

 

My Dear Father,

                        You left me yesterday A.M. This morning or rather yesterday afternoon an aid from Gen'l Hooker rode over to see me and asked if I had yet sent the papers up. I told him I had, and directed him to call at Stoneman's Headquarters and get them on his way back. I have not yet heard from them. You will remember the order I rec'd (for drill the next day) on the evening before you left. You lay upon my bed when I read it to you. We all supposed as you then intimated that Birney was going to have a spectacle for the gratification of his ladies, and show off his abilities to handle a Brigade. Prompted by the same belief, hundreds or a great many of the Officers, staff, &c of other Reg'm'ts & Headquarters visited the ground. With the Reg'm't I reached the ground and took up my position fourth in line.

 

No General appeared, but very soon Capt. G W Wilson (Berry's A.A.G.) rode up to me and said that he had rec'd another order or intimation that Gen'l Birney would not drill the Brigade and that I was the senior Officer present and should take command. I saw at a glance the whole affair, and riding out to the / front of the line commenced the drill, which I continued for two hours, and in a manner very satisfactory to all. Lt. Col. Reardon Command'g the 37^th N.Y. Vols. is a noisy, conceited, Irishman of the most poisonous democratic school, and particularly prided himself upon his intimate knowledge of all Tactics, his happy manner of displaying said knowledge to the complete satisfaction and disgust of all listeners, and lastly upon his ability to find the bottom of a whisky bottle before his neighbors could clear its neck. This valiant patriot some time ago, while wearing the red sash, was the referee between a little another Commandant of Reg'm't and myself, in regard to a little difference arising about a camping ground. Full of whisky or poteen, and prejudice, himself being the most interested party, he decided as the General declared, most unjustly against me. For this I owed him an equivalent. On the Drill he was in command of his Reg'm't and full of pomposity, I saw at once that he hailed my assuming command as a good thing to afford merriment & ridicule based upon mistakes & confusions about to ensue. Out of fun, I made the first two or three movements upon the rear Battalions, and giving my orders, waited for him to give his preparatory commands but the poor wiseacre was completely / lost, and every time could only repeat "About face" Then I shouted at him to front again and in the voice of an instructor told him what he should say & do. This occurred until every Officer and private in his Reg'm't were laughing at him and his ignorance, and then feeling my little debt of vengeance gratified I left him to stumble through. I can only say that every one has assured me that the Brigade was handled better than they ever knew it to be before, and considering a number of Generals have tried it, think I have said enough. But the whole affair was undoubtedly arranged by B. to humiliate me, and give him the powerful weapon of "incompetence" to handle. You can imagine the feelings of Capt. Wilson A.A.A.G. &c. I have enjoyed the triumph and their mortification hugely. As this then did not answer fully the purposes, I rec'd a visit the same next evening from the Judge Advocate of Birneys G. C. Martial, ordering me to appear the next morning (this morning) at 10 o'clock before the Court for trial on Clancy's charges. Talking with the J.A. he told me he had rec'd an order at 11 o'clock the same night of the Drill from B. ordering him to lay other business aside and bring my case before the Court without delay. As soon as he had / gone, I jumped on "Pet" and rode John Gilpin-ny to Hookers Headquarters. Saw the Fighting old man, told him B. had ordered me to be tried on these charges the next morning, and that the validity of the charges depended altogether upon his decision upon the papers I had forwarded to his Headquarters. He said his aid had got the papers from Stoneman, but as that General had not yet acted upon them he had sent them back to him to have his report. he continued "There is no use in any Court, none at all, as soon as I get the papers I will be the Court, judge and all" I replied "but I am ordered to appear to-morrow morning at 9 o'clock" Never mind, said he, I will send an order at once to Birney to have him stop proceedings until he hears from me" I thanked him, went to Stoneman, found the papers, and had them sent up the same night. This morning I went to the place appointed to hold court, and the J.A. was rec'g testimony or lies from Clancy, and to my question said "he had no orders to postpone my trial" I went to B's boudoir alias Headquarters, and saw a thing of gold lace, shoulder straps, and boots, leaning against a tent. Upon nearer observation I discerned the expressive moustache of my / good friend B. Anticipating an order to get out, I advanced pretty firmly to the attack and was surprised to see the moustache part, a beautiful smile to play lovingly around it, and a hand extended, while the mouth said "Oh! Colonel. I am glad to see you Shades of Peace, Humility, and Charity! You live again and flourish in the person of D.B.B." I asked him if he would not withdraw temporarily the charges against me (I knew Hooker had ordered him to do it, but that he might not contest the point I bowed to his pride; and by the request allow him to say "I did it myself upon the earnest solicitation of Col. Pierson") He said Yes! he had rec'd an order from Gen'l Hooker to take some course, but it seems to me Col, that you are very unnecessarily complicating the whole matter, he then added.

 

I told him my action had been through his Headquarters and had been open to his scrutiny. He replied "Well, first comes orders from the Sec. of War then from Gen'l Hooker, then from somewhere else, whereas the point is very simple and you had better have left it for me". I cannot repeat all our conversation, I will only say that he backed down completely from everything, ord sent an Aid to withdraw / the charges, and another Aid to get my papers from Stoneman if they had not been forwarded. He said Yeamans was Major and that he had been wrong. Of course he did not use these words "Pride hath a fall" but not so perpendicularly a one as that—he let himself down the slope of humiliation or acknowledged wrong slowly and carefully, catching at everything to make his descent easy, and less visible. But nevertheless he still sank down, and with the acknowledgment that "Yeamans is Major" he reached the bottom. I have not heard from Hooker.

 

I have just rec'd marching orders—"To be prepared to move early to-morrow morning, ea. man with 60 rounds of ammunition and three days cooked rations" I do not know where we are to go, but as the pontoon train has gone up the river some 15 miles presume we will cross there, and flank the Rebs, provided they will let us. Reckon from past experience that they wont, however. Only our Centre Grand Division as I understand it, is to go. Go where? The "Richmond Enquirer" can probably inform you, I dont know myself.

 

            I bought a horse this morning, a very fine, blooded bay mare, six years old. Her dam was a valuable blooded Morgan mare and her father Ticonderoga. The person I bought her from is ordered peremptorily away on detached service and was forced to sell the horse at a sacrifice. I paid $125. for which I have drawn a draft on Pierson & Co. The seller wanted cash, and I told him to go to Fred. Cozzens in Washington and that he could get the cash there. I wrote a letter to Mr. Cozzens asking him if he could do this for me, or endorse it that the bearer might get the money from the Bank. If I did no wrong, wont you write to Mr. Cozzens and ask him to accommodate me in this manner if I am ever again forced to pursue the same course. I have sold the black for all she is worth also. Give my love to all at home.

 

I will not write you again probably from here—Direct to me merely Reg'm't 3^d Corps & Hookers Division—

                                                                       

Your Aff. Son.

Fred.

 

1863

Jany 14

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