Camp of Sixth Mass. Volunteers

Suffolk, Virginia. March 8. 1863

 

My Dear Anderson

                                    Your healthy epistle of the 1^st inst. came to me in due season, and with its variety of contents was very interesting. I always depend upon you for early and correct information, and I get it. The city box arrived here on Tuesday last, and with it the "Atlantic" and the ruler. Notwithstanding I had countermanded the order, I put them both to good uses, and I am very much obliged to you for your kindness in sending them to me. The ruler is just what I wanted, and I have installed it among my writing utensils, discarding entirely the maple one, on which my affections before centered. Making a dash upon business matters first, I would say that you understand my wishes about the W. Mills. If it commences declining, and in your opinion will continue to do so, sell at once, otherwise hold it, and sell when it advances above 200, and commences to decline. What I wish is this, to have the three shares bring me in about 625. (208 or 10 apiece) and then the odd $25 will pay all my expenses on it. This is the idea, and you may act accordingly. I shall not change my mind, and shall be satisfied, to have you, knowing this, act your discretion. The check put upon the Gold speculation, by Secretary Chase, may affect stocks somewhat adversely, I am not posted enough to know. The Hamilton I shall keep. Massachusetts, I do not hold any. Lowell, I do not wish to sell less than $1000. certain, as it always pays good dividends, from 80 to 100 pr year on $625. The prospect is that I may have eight or nine hundred dollars to invest, by the first or middle of April, what would you buy? Have you bot the Naumkeag yet, and do you know anything about the Lyman Mills? I think a man that can see into the financial prospects of this distracted country, at all clearly, is smart. Abe Lincoln has power enough in his hands now to satisfy the most greedy monarch. The / poor devils out here in service are as much tormented in their minds about the prospect of being drafted, as the hypochondriacs at home. I construe it, that we, now here, although returning in June, will not be enrolled this time, and consequently will not be victims. Is that right? Every mother's son of us, that makes any pretensions to want being able bodied, are in the President's clutches sooner or later, and I think it is about as well, that I came out when I did.

 

Have you seen the Major, and what does he say of the service. I wish to know if he changes his mind any as he nears home. We are plodding along in the beaten track of regular camp life; occasionally the "long roll" turns us out double quick, and we jump for the forts and rifle pits, but veterans of six months on the "front" don't lose much sleep from false alarms, they have played that tune too often. There is a deal to be learned by experience in soldiering as well as any other business, in fact I think more in this profession, than any other. We all look back with contempt upon many things, that we did when we first came out, supposing then, that we were reflecting great credit upon ourselves, but which none of us would be guilty of doing now for our commissions. The whole business is comprehended in this, "Do as little as you can, but do it prompt and thoroughly". The weather here is now very warm and springlike, the grass is fast growing green, and the heavy rains of three or four days duration, that have been so frequent, have now given place to showers, one or two of which we have nearly every day. Our drills are now regular, company drill from 9½ to 11 in the forenoon, and battalion or brigade drill from 2 to 4 in the afternoon. These latter are tedious, there are five regiments in the Brigade and in line with the proper intervals, stretch about three fourths of a mile. The Sixth is on the extreme left, and when we change position at right angles, we have to trot like blazes. 

 

I'm down on foot service, and shall have a horse if I come out again. I might remark, what I think I have never written you before, that the "legal finish" acquired by so long association with you, has resulted in my being detailed upon every Court Martial that has yet been held in the Regiment—ahem! Justice Best—his great mind. I've been on eight times. Three commissioned officers constitute a Regimental Court Martial. The oldest commissioned is President, the youngest Judge Advocate and Recorder. I filled the latter place five times, now a 2^d Lieut. is detailed, and I get rid of the work. We dispense justice with dignity and grace; one months imprisonment is the longest confinement, and one months pay, the heaviest fine we can sentence. Graver offences are carried before a General Court Martial convened by an order from the Major Generals Head Quarters. Lieut. Devoll was convicted of aiding in smuggling goods through our lines to the rebels, and sharing the profits, or receiving money for his assistance, this, while he was Assistant Provost Marshal at Fortress Monroe. He was dismissed the service, and can't hold a commission again, and stands before the world, a young man, but a tried and convicted traitor. Every means possible was used to get him acquitted, but it was of no avail. Gen. Dix put it to him hard on the sentence. I will lend you a copy of it, if I can find it, but probably shall not be able to, as they are kept out of sight here. I saw one however before it got to Suffolk. Devoll is not very sensitive, and is amply able to brass his way through the world, even if the noose hung about his neck. Between you and I, the seventh Battery captain & the convicted Lt. are two precious scamps. Whining, drinking and gambling are every day pastimes with them. Davis is gifted with an address and manners that can carry him through most everything, and by it he gains multitudes of favor, where very much better men fail of obtaining anything. I do not know that Billings was any way connected with the affair, I never heard his name mentioned in connection with it. He is a man / of the same stamp, and associates in the same company. He is Commissary Sergeant of the Regiment and keeps a horse and a servant, this on $21. per month. Did it ever occur to you how much farther some people could make a little money go, than others equally talented in other respects?

 

It seems from your account that the Fair last week was quite a success, but from the peculiar way in which you mourned the death of "objects of interest" and "nice fancy articles", I concluded the attractions of Misses Nesmith, Robbins, Huntoon & Co. are not as potent as ever. I am glad that the misunderstanding between Alice and Mrs. Tucker bids fair to be removed. I hope the young lady in question came to her senses and accepted the invitation. I wrote Alice day before yesterday, quite a long document, and indeed I think that my letters generally are too long, and I am proposing a speedy curtailment. She writes me very pleasant and entertaining letters, and although she assures me that she does not love me, I enjoy them very much. Your photograph did not come in your letter I notice. When we are next paid, I am intending to sit for some, as we have a very fair artist here.

 

Jim Scripture has been figuring about here, more or less for several weeks, although we are relieved from his company now, as he has gone to Washington. He did not leave a reputation here for either wit or common smartness. He had a free and easy manner with him, very suggestive of the way that Haines used to levy upon your resources, and that gained him no friends. He culminated by reading Shakespeare to the officers, the evening before he went away. He selected Macbeth for our edification, and treated us to nearly the whole play. Mr. Scripture can read Psalms and Hymns, and spiritual songs, and common selections perhaps better than most people, but when a man puts himself forward to read Shakespeare, it would seem a little necessary / for him previously to have studied the effort of some of our acknowledged "good readers" of the noble bard, and at least to have witnessed the impersonations of some of our actors on the stage. This he has not done, the Theatre being "a place to be shunned" in his opinion, notwithstanding he often listened and apparently relished many indelicate stories that were told in his presence. Well, he came before us prepared to astonish us all, and well he did it, but if the Ex Principal gathered any laurels on that occasion I didn't see them. That he read a tragedy none of us doubted, and all the dirty words were pronounced in a clear and emphatic manner—for there were a few ladies present—which showed the scholar, and mentor of the pure minded young girls of the Lowell High School, but that he understood his business none of us were convinced. This is the man with whom Stevens likes to take sweet communion, and by the attrition of their minds comes that wonderful acuteness which they both display. I asked Scripture if he was acquainted with John Varnum and he said he was, so there is a treat in store for him (John) for he is going to the "National" to stay while he is there. Won't he be a lovely duck for John to take about among the fair damsels of Washington? But enough of Scripture for today, even if it is Sunday. Week before last I went to Norfolk, Fortress Monroe, Newport News and Portsmouth, just for the pleasure of the trip. If one can only get leave of absence, he can travel all about here, without paying anything, and a pair of shoulder straps admit you, where civilians beg in vain for the privilege of entering. I was at the Fortress part of two days and had ample opportunity to see all about it worth viewing. There is but one other Fortress in the United States, and that is somewhere in Arkansas, I believe. The distinction between a Fort and a Fortress is broad, but very few notice it. The common representation of this place—the greenish colored lithograph in the shop windows—gives one a very correct idea of it. The moat is wider than the new canal, and on one side touches the walls, which rise thirty or forty feet, and are / casemated, and on the other the bank, which rises at an angle of about thirty degrees, to prevent an attacking party from scrambling out easy, and is made of smooth granite, and topped out with turf. The entrance or sally port is of hewn stone, but not much ornamented. The walls are some forty feet wide, and the area enclosed seemed about half the size of Boston Common. I could not see any regularity to the buildings inside, but think they are put in any way that was most convenient. The greatest attraction to me was the ramparts, where some 400 guns are mounted en barbette. Most of them are one hundred pounder Rifled Parrots. Formerly smooth bore guns occupied their places, and at every few rods, are the furnaces which were then used for heating the shot, which were so destructive to wooden shipping. This work and the Rip Raps, which seem to the view like a pimpled pile of rocks, just jutting above the water, entirely commands the channel, all vessels have to pass between them, the interval being less than a mile, so you can imagine the hammering they would get, if necessary. From this height we could see on all sides; nothing is near to obstruct the view. Up the river we could see seven miles to Newport News, and over the scene of the Merrimac's triumphs; and another way twelve miles to Norfolk. The Union and the Lincoln Guns, two respectable worthies, comprising some fifty-tons of old iron, are some ways outside the walls, and on the beach commanding the channel. When they speak, they drop remarks with crushing effect. The Union carries a semi conical shot of 480 pounds. We found quite a nice little hotel over to Camp Hamilton, where we stayed over night. I forgot to say there were two others in the party. It seemed strange after living in camp six months, to get where rocking chairs and carpets were used again. We got our breakfast at eight the next morning & hurried over to the Fortress to see the regulars mount guard, but the Sixth do it as well as they do, and I was provoked / that I came over for it, as I missed visiting Hampton by my hurry. In the forenoon I went to Newport News, where the Ninth Army Corps are encamped. Save the great number it is like any other camp. On the trip there, we pass directly over the place where the Merrimac ran into and destroyed the Congress and Cumberland. The ruins or rather wreck of each are still there. It was a clear fine day, and the ride up and back in the steamer was fine. I wished a hundred times that you were with us. I saw the Ironclad Sangamore lying in the roads, and after we got back to the Fortress, we took a steam tug and visited the Brandywine, that dismantled and used for a store ship, now lies about a mile from the wharf. This is the vessel that brought Lafayette to these shores in 1825. Abiel Rolfe was with us, and had a letter to the Paymaster Emory who was on board. The rest of our party went on board, but as I foolishly did not wish to climb up the sides, I stayed in the tug. I repented afterwards, for they had a nice call on board, and took some wine with the Captain. I resolved I would go where any body else did in future, if it cost my neck. I saw more than fifty gun boats and as many as five hundred naval officers. They were at every turn. I thought of our old penchant for gunboats and think now I'd not object to a voyage in one. The only trouble is, you do not have anything to do, and two years in one would undo a man for anything hereafter. I got acquainted with several naval officers and they are all addicted to wine and women. It will never do for our morals. We returned to Norfolk that night and visited the Opera House, which is about as large as the Howard Athenaeum. The play—Agnes de Vere—was very good, but the star of the evening got mad, and refused to do any more, when it was about two thirds through. The audience was good, and attentive, the feminine portion were exceedingly attentive to the male members of the assembly. Raps were made while the play was going on, and the parties would rise and go out. Most of the girls came from New York and Boston. Norfolk is notorious through out the Army in Virginia for its abandoned women, and / now that the Ninth Army Corps, some 30,000 strong are so near, their vocation will be thriving. Thursday we devoted to somewhat an extensive survey of the town, and also of the city of Portsmouth, which is on the opposite bank of the river. Norfolk is the larger, and was a very flourishing business location, before the war. Now it is almost deserted, like Suffolk all the male adults, that are not sick or lame, are in the rebel army. The hopes and affections of all the women that are left is with them, and no occasion is suffered to pass, for them to assure us of it by their words and actions. Portsmouth is smaller than Norfolk, and its main feature is the Navy Yard, which is in Gosport one of its suburbs. Burned by the rebels, it is only a pile of ruins. I never saw such devastation. The beautiful dry dock was only saved from utter destruction by the pangs of conscience, or half allegiance to the rebel cause, for a workman kicked away the train and saved explosion, which would have entirely ruined it. As it is, it is badly damaged. Over a million of dollar's worth of old iron has been taken from the ruins. Leaving the yard and passing along the street, we met a very well dressed looking young female, who drew her skirts closely about her, that she might not suffer contamination from the touch of Federal Soldiers. Gay, wasn't it? Altogether, we had a fine trip, I hope to go to Yorktown and Williamsburg before I return. You see I am as brief as usual. Please let me hear from you soon. Give my regards to Alice and Josie, and also to Mr. & Mrs. Tucker, and such others as may inquire for me. Hope that when next you write me, that the golden opportunity may have occurred and another union victory be gained. Do you visit the widow with your accustomed regularity?

                                                           

Very truly Your friend

Selwyn E Bickford

SOURCES