Camp near Warrenton Junction

Sunday Nov 1^st/63

           

Dear Father

                                    I was much pleased this evening to receive your letter. I had not received one for several days before. We are still living about the same old style. We move only a short distance at a time, but then we move very often which is equally as hard as though we did harder marching. We camped in this place last Friday. we had not been here more than half an hour before we received orders to be ready to move at a moments notice. I suppose we will not be allowed to stay here many days longer.

 

The 5^th Corps has been the Reserve of the Army, and is yet for all I know, but we are now in line with the other Corps. The report that the 5^th had been sent to check the Rebels was not exactly true, although / we have been moving about most all the time we have never been in front since we left Centreville. We have been the rear guard until now. Our movements have all been in the rear of the main part of the army. Whenever the enemy make any demonstration on any part of our line, we receive orders to move immediately. If there proves to be any force we move to the rear of the part of the line menaced. Perhaps before we get into camp there is an allarm on the other end of the line. we are then moved again. In this way we have been moving from one end of the line to the other. Our officers say that we do the marching for the army of the Potomac. As I said before, we are now on the front line, and I dont think we will have so much marching to do.

 

I was over to the 3^rd Corps today to see Capt Maynard They are about 1½ miles from us, on our left. I found Capt M— well. I like him very well so far. I have been wanting to go to see him for some time, but never could get off until today.

 

I think that the campaign in Eastern Va is about ended for this season. The Rail Road from Warrenton Junction to Rappahannock Station is completely destroyed. I heard today that they were not going to repair it now. If that is the case we will not move / much farther this winter. I think it has been proven very conclusively that the "overland Route" to Richmond is impracticable. I enclose a piece that expresses the views of a majority of the Army. It makes our line of communication to long. whenever we get any distance the Rebel Guerillas swarm along the rear of the army capturing trains & supplies, and we are compelled to keep a heavy guard along the railroad to keep communication open. While we were at Culpeper it took almost a whole Corps to guard the Rail Road. Even with that guard the track was torn up and bridges burned every few days.

 

            I received your letter enclosing an extract from a chaplains letter. I think it is much exaggerated I admit that there is a great deal of whiskey drank in the army, and that many of the officers do get drunk but still it is not so general as he states. Whiskey is issued to the men occasionally after they have been marching and lying out in rain. Every time some of them get pretty drunk. But because a few, who would get drunk anytime, do make beasts of themselves I do not think it exactly right that the whole Army of the Potomac are drunkards. I would like it if there was no whiskey ever / brought to the army. Every time it is issued I have more or less trouble with the men. As to there always being a supply at the commissarys, it is not so. There has been but one barrel at our commissary since we left Fayetteville (in August) that was issued at Fairfax the night we marched in the rain. There is usualy a supply at Corps & Div Commissary departments, but no one can get it without an order from a Brigade commander. There are more men who drink in the army than there is in the same number at home, but still there is less drunkenness.

 

            It is very cold these nights. I nearly freeze some nights when our baggage does not come up. My fingers are now cold that they are nearly stiff.

 

I am very glad to hear of the election of Curtin I was afraid that he would be defeated. The feeling in the army is very bitter against the Copperheads. They will have to keep quiet when the soldiers get home I am afraid that after these men get home they will be very turbulent. They have not much respect for civil law, and they will be hard to govern.

 

I must close, My love to Mother & the Children

 

I remain Your Affectionate Son

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