Camp of the Sec. R. I. Regt.

In the woods 10 miles this side

Ashbys Gap. Nov. 5^th 1862.

 

Dear Sister,

                                                I received your letter this morning before light and another from Ans. quite unexpected though not unacceptable. We got in here yesterday afternoon about three oclock we are expecting to march at any moment so this letter may be cut short pretty sudden at any time. The weather and roads are in splendid condition for marching and I believe the whole army is taking advantage of it by pushing forward rapidly. this Division I know is rushing along at almost double quick. Couch has taken command of another corps whether whether permanently or only temporarily I dont know. but I hope / he will come back to us again for I like him better than the one that commands us now. Gen. Newton seems as though he has no idea that men get tired carrying a knapsack weighing thirty or forty pounds and trotting along after that horse of his. But I am willing to march as long as I can put one foot before the other if it will help to end this war. Our Generals are all so slow that the rebels dont care a snap for them. if they take a notion to make a raid into Penn its done in spite of all we can do. and I dont believe but what they could make a raid into R.I. if they wanted to. I wish the whole army would start this morning and march night and day till they had accomplished something or had got taken prisoners. I have got sick of this laying along idle so long, it is time something was done or before long it will be too late. The South has maintained its independence two years and I dont see but / what it's just as able to do so for the next two for all we can do. You write of its being cold at home. it is beginning to feel a little fingery here mornings. last night was a very frosty night. it looked this morn when we got up as though there had been a little snow storm. it did not seem as though it was very cold but we were in the woods and I suppose that made some difference I slept as warm as a bug in a rug. When you write again let me know how much corn and potatoes Pa has raised this year. I should like to step into the cellar and see that pile of potatoes in the bin. I believe the second thing I should do would be to look into that barrel of pippins and see how they tasted. I want apples this fall the most I ever did. every time I get where there is any I make out a meal of them there is some nice ones here, or was in Maryland. I suppose every thing will be scarce now we have got into this miserable State again, but what country we have as yet passed through is good farm- / ing country. But I dont see any thing yet like Old New England, for me.

 

I suppose Gen Devens passed a sleepless night last night and will untill he hears from the elections in Mass. I think he will get elected though I dont know scarcely a thing about Mass politics. He is a good general I think. Where will Pa and Ma go if they should let the farm out? Up to the Benny Bates place? I should almost rather see that nest of bed bugs burnt up than to see them move up there. I should think the shop would make a better and pleasanter place to live in by a good deal. I should hate to see the farm let out to some one else to carry on but I suppose the work is too hard, and it will have to be done I should like to carry it on a year. I believe I could farm it now with a little better heart than I used to. farming after all is a good deal better business than fighting. at least they get a good deal better living than soldiers. I dont know as you will be able to make any thing out of this letter for I have written like a race horse to get it done before we marched.                                                                                                                                                

L.C.C.

 

[Wednesday, October 30, 1861.]

We have quite a pleasant day for the time of year. It looked a little like rain a while to day but it soon cleared away pleasanter than before_x I have sat in the tent most all the time today writing I went out on battalion drill in the afternoon. I have had a severe attack of diarhoea caused by eating a lemon pie yesterday I did not eat my breakfast till about four oclock this afternoon I feel pretty well again tonight I suppose we shall have to march again in the morning I dont know where we shall go but I think to Harpers Ferry_x

 

[Thursday, October 31, 1861.]

We had a beautiful day and Couch's Division has improved it by marching from Downsville to Rohersville, a distance of ten or twelve miles I should think_x We passed through the villages of Bakersvill and Keedysvill on the march also passed over a small portion of the battle field_x We crossed Antietam Creek a little above the old stone bridge where Burnsides troops had their tough battle The fields still show the effects of the fight. dead horses still remain unburied, and the smell is yet very sickening in passing through or very near

 

[Friday, November 1, 1861.]

It has been a very warm day We marched this morning a little before sunrise on our way south We passed over the battle field of South Mountain, through the village Birketsville and arrived early in the afternoon at Berlin on the river, where we halted for the night. we have marched about ten miles today_x I took a little swim in the Potomac and cleaned up a little as soon as we stopped. I caught two fish and cooked them for my supper. they tasted pretty good Berlin is the busyest little town I have been in in a long time_x I am on guard to night at the Col. Another little lot of clothing has come I got one pr of drawers

 

[Saturday, November 2, 1861.]

It has been uncomfortably warm to day especially in the middle of the day_x

We have had a good days rest and we shall be in good condition to march tomorrow morning as we are to leave at half past eight, probably over to go over the river into Virginia_x A considerable of a lot of clothing came again to day, but there was only four pair of pants to a Co, and they were all a mile too big for me. I got a pair of shoes and a blouse, so I am not quite so bad off as I was a week ago_x

 

[Sunday, November 3,1861.]

We had a very different day from yesterday. it has been cold cloudy and the wind has blown almost hard enough to take a fellows hair off_x We did not march till half past twelve. then we crossed over the Potomac on the pontoon bridge into Virginia. Gen. Newton put us right straight over the road. the posts flew by as we passed along like trees when riding after a fast horse we paced off eleven miles before the sun went down. thats what I call fast marching we had a nice place to camp in the woods where there was a good lot of leaves for a bed_x

 

[Monday, November 4,1861.]

We got up this morning at half past four. had roll call then went to getting breakfast or rather some of us did, and some went to bed again and I was with the last named. we got on the road before sunrise but it took over an hour for the division to get straightened out, then when we did get started we pulled ahead till three oclock when we camped We have marched today about fifteen miles. the firing seems about as far off to day as it did Saturday. this evening there was some very heavy firing but it sounded as though it was twenty miles away_x

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