Chantilly Va.              

October 18. 1863.

                       

Dear Sister.

              We have moved out of our winter quarters though for that reason you must not suppose it is Spring. We left Bristoe at four oclock Tuesday morning with orders to report at Warrenton Junction that night. we reached Catletts Station soon after sunrise and halted for breakfast where we staid quite a while about noon we came in sight of our wagon park where all the trains belonging to the army were collected on the plains east of Warrenton Junction. we kept on about two miles farther and joined the first army corps and waited till the two other Divisions of the Sixth corps came up in order to take our own position with it. You see we had to march ten miles to join our corps and turn about and march ten miles back again, and we then / were just where we were when we started from Tuesday morning. We marched very slow coming back on account of the long trains ahead and also so many troops. in six hours we had not marched over three miles and there was no prospect of going any faster, or of going into camp. I had had no sleep the night before being on guard and began to feel rather drowsy. I was ahead of the Brigade a mile then with another man of the co. and Parkhurst came along and we all three agreed to go on into the woods between Catletts and Bristoes stations and lie down for the night I heard the corps go by some time in the night and in the morning at sunrise we got up and followed. some of the Second R.I. kept on that night till they got to Bristoe and slept in their old quarters. we overtook the regiment about noon on the plains of Manassas and kept on with them to Centreville where we slept that night the next morning we came here. we are in line of battle awaiting an attack, though I do not think there is one expected at present we are well / fortified clear back to Centreville. quite a battle was fought in our old camp at Bristoe Wednesday afternoon in which the stragglers were put in. some of this regiment were in it I did not think a week ago when I wrote to you about our army going to fall back that it was going to take place so soon but you see it has. The rebels followed us up pretty close and the firing made by both parties made an awful racket, but for two or three days past things have been pretty quiet. Your letter written last Sunday got along yesterday, a good while coming wasnt it. I shall be looking for the box as soon as we get settled down in some place where there is some likelyhood of stopping a few days. Major Parker has been with us all along. I cannot see how he could have written from Maryland. It may be another brother of Mrs. Js. He is a regular old granny the boys all call him "aunt Easter" and every time he rides along they holler at him. When we crossed Bull Run some of the tenth climb up on an old bridge that had been torn up partly and undertook to cross on that but he ordered them back. Says he / "Wy! you will all fall and break your legs, so go right back every one". most of them turned and did go around the other way, and some tried to cross the bridge, but he ordered them all back squealing out "Such men I never did see in all my life" he talks very much like an old woman. Lewis is on the Pioneer corps. he stays in camp when we are in camp but in the condition we are now he stays with the others at head quarters. I am in the tent with Corey and Parkhurst, three of us, one to many. It has been wet rainy weather since we came here until yesterday when it cleared away very warm. water for cooking purposes is very scarce and wood is at a long distance We are stuck in here in all ways just as though we had been poured out of a bag I hope we shall get straightened after a while I dont know what to make of this quiet unless the rebels are leaving for the mountains to try Maryland again we got papers yesterday the first we had got lately It seems Vallandigham will have to "wait and watch" over the border another long stretch. Ohio has done well. I hope by another Sunday to be into the good things from home. Give my respects to all enquiring friends.

                                                                       

loel c. cook.

 

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