Point of Rocks Md Oct 14 1862

 

Dear Mother

 

As I have plenty of time to-day I take this opportunity to give you some account of a tramp the 36^th has had. I suppose you have got an account in the papers of the raid of Stewarts cavalry into Maryland. I do not know much about it only that they crossed the Potomac and back again without much damage. But I will proceed with my story. We started from our camp in Pleasant Valley (where my last letter was written) about 6 oclock P.M. Saturday. We were just getting ready for dress parade when the order came for our brigade to take 24 hours rations and start. We left our tents knapsacks and blankets at our camp with a guard over them and put on / our overcoats and started. They marched us down to the railroad about a mile from our camp where we found a train of cars waiting for us. We loaded ourselves as quickly as possible and started off between 11 & 12 oclock at night we landed at Frederick City M^d. It was the Baltimore and Ohio RR that we went up on. There is a branch of it runs up to Frederick. I suppose the object in sending us up there was to prevent Stewarts destroying the stores there as there was quite a pile of them there. After we got off the cars they took us up to the principal street in the city and we camped on the sidewalks for the rest of the night. The weather was quite cold so that we could not sleep much. When daylight came we went out into a field near by and made some coffee for our breakfast and staid there till about noon when we marched back through the city and out about two miles on the Washington road where we staid till about four / oclock P.M. We had a battery of light artillery with us. During the day parties of cavalry were out scouting in all directions. One party brought in 7 rebels. They were not dressed in uniform but wore citizens clothes. One of them said as he passed us "well boys only 7 of us have come to see you this time. About 4 oclock Sunday afternoon we went back to the RR depot and got on board the cars back as far as the Point of Rocks where we now are. We reached here about ½ past 8 oclock in the evening. The night was dark and somewhat rainy but we had to sleep as best some out doors others were lucky enough into a shed or under the piazza of a house. I laid down side of the road and took one nap after that I got up and crawled under the floor of a piazza and slept very comfortable till morning. Point of Rocks is a railroad station on the B & O RR. There are two stores / a hotel and several houses in the village. I do not know how long we shall stay here we expect every day to either go back to our old camp or have our baggage sent to us. Just as we got ready to start from Frederick, Henry Page came down to the cars and inquired for the Harvard boys. I did not see him but George Phelps did. He was well is in one of the hospitals there. When we came through F city there was a union flag flying a good many of the houses and some of them had four or five so I think there must be a good deal of union sentiment there. But I must close my letter now. I received a letter from Mary the other day so that I know by the writing in that that I have received all of your letters up to that date. All of the Harvard boys are well. Good Bye.

                                                                       

From your son             E. W. Stacy.

 

Direct your letters to me Co G 36 regt Mass Vols 9^th Army Corps Washington D. C.

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