Near Crab Orchard Ky Aug 31^st 1863

 

Dear Mother

I have received your letter No 6 it came straight to me although I forgot to send you the direction. I sent it in my last but I will change it a little in this. Just write my name Company and regiment 9^th army corps via Cincinnati Ohio and I have no doubt I shall get them. My last letter I wrote to father we had just been paid off and I got a check for ten dollars on the Worcester City Bank of the adjutant and sent it in the letter please write to me whether you get it or not as if it is lost I can procure another.

 

At the time of my last letter we were encamped near Nicholasville. A day or two after our company and Co. C were sent down to Nicholasville to do guard duty. Our business was to guard the army supplies that came in on the railroad. We staid there about a week and then the brigade moved up here and we were relieved and joined the regiment again. We had a very pleasant time while we staid there. Crab Orchard is a new town to us our reg^t never was here before. It is about 35 miles from Nicholasville. We followed the same road we did last spring till we came to Lancaster where we turned off to the left. It is 12 miles from Lancaster to Crab Orchard. We passed our old camp ground at Camp Dick Robinson. Crab Orchard is quite a respectable sized town. I supposed is so called from the large number of crab apple trees that grow in the vicinity. We expect to stop here a couple of weeks or so but it is altogether uncertain how long a soldier will stop in one place. There are a great many sick in our reg^t and throughout the whole 9^th corps. It is the effects of our Mississippi campaign

 

Charles Priest is sick with a sort of fever. He was left back at our old camp along with a lot of others. George Wooster has been sick with the diphtheria but is getting better. Ephraim Houghton had a touch of the chills and fever. He and George Wooster we left at Nicholasville with some others of our company and Co C. till they could be brought up to the reg^t as they were fit to march so far. Nahum Farmer was left there too as one of the number. Joseph Haskell and William Dunn have rejoined us looking well and hearty though not quite so badly tuned up as some of the rest of us. Joe is fat as a porpoise. I do not know whether I have mentioned the death of our division commander Brig. Gen. Welsh or not. He died of a fever contracted in Mississippi. When we were first brigaded with the 45^th reg^t Pa he was colonel of that reg^t but was afterwards appointed brigadier and commanded our brigade till he was appointed to the command of the 1^st division. I liked as a commander much. He always had a smile and a kind word for us whenever he met us. He served in the Mexican war. He commenced as orderly sergeant. He was some connection of Gov. Curtins by marriage. Gen Ferrero commands our division now. He ranks as brigadier Gen and commanded a brigade in the 2^nd division 9^th Corps till Gen. Welshes death. Our Major is at home on a furlough and I understand he has been commissioned as Colonel of our reg^t. He is a young man not over thirty I should judge and as Artemus Ward would say is of a gay and festive disposition and is an officer who is not afraid to speak to a private and I have no doubt will make a good Col. By the way do you hear anything of Col Bowman? I suppose you do as he does not live a great way off.

 

I suppose you would like to hear something from "Old Burnside". He has now two Army Corps' under his command the 23^d and 9^th. The 23^d is mounted infantry and is composed of new troops. Burnside has taken the 23^d and gone on to East Tennessee. The 9th corps will remain in reserve and keep the roads open as his supplies will have to come this way and will hold themselves in readiness to support him in case he needs any help. I have not heard anything from him since he crossed the Cumberland river which was over a week ago but I presume he is all right. /

 

I intend to write to George Adams soon although I believe it is his time to write to me. I am glad to hear how all my old neighbors get along in the world it seems like home to have you write about them. I am glad to hear that Mr & Mrs Ball are well enough to be able to come up to H. and should like to receive a letter from Charles. I have [faded, paper fold] since we left Covington he was getting better then none of the sick that were left there have come up yet. I have not seen Turner again. I saw one of his reg^t the other day and inquired after him he said he was well and with the reg^t. I do not know where the reg^t is now. I received the stamps you sent all right. How does Mary get along at school give my love to her. My health is good as usual and I believe all the rest of the Harvard boys except those I have mentioned are well. With much love to you and father I will close good bye.

                                                           

From your son

E. W. Stacy

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