November 27^th 1862

 

My Dear Hattie

We are yet in camp where I wrote to you last, near Aquia Creek Va. where we find ourselves to day & tis ten days since we arrived here. The weather has been cold & windy & we have had some rain. Today we are to move camp—though but just across a ravine to get more & better ground. We find very much difficulty to get good water for use. We are having such weather here as we have at home in October.

 

I read your letter of Nov 18^th last evening after going to bed but of course had to read it before going to sleep. It seems you wrote to me a day or two before, but the letter has not arrived yet think I will know more about your arrangement with Mrs Pond when it comes. 

 

I could not or did not get the place I asked for & wanted & my resignation will be honored to day or to morrow & my discharge will soon be at hand & I shall be on my way home but think I shall stay a few days in Washington with Mr Hunt & get my pay from the government ($315) & look around the City.—Ike Rosekrans will do all he can to secure a place for me, but there is little or no hope for me. My health is not a bit good, am troubled with dispepsea—piles & constipation & a tightness in my left lung. Every thing we have to eat is so greasy I cannot get along without abusing my stomach. Mr Carpenter is well but gets no letter from home & wants you to see Mrs C. & tell her. Mr Tabor' son wants / you to see his Father & tell him he is well & if he respects his son to write to him. Manfred is well & in fact the whole Com' is quite well, but very indignant about Osborn' action. Lt F. is quite well again, but the Cap is not well. He has writen but one letter home—to my knowledge—within last four weeks, & that he wrote last week. We have buried two men of our Reg since we came here. Think I will start for Washington early next week & may get home on Sat. but doubtful.—I would not have you send a penny' worth of any thing by Osborn on any account for I have not a bit of faith in him & think he will not come to the Reg unless Canada sinks I wish you would get my letter of O. & the cook book &c. send / for them & make your demand in earnest. I want you to write to Father & have him write to me where he will be found in N. York that I may call & see him If I have time to stop. Tell him to write to me at Washington DC—Care of A. Hunt City P. Office to be retained or to this effect.—I have had very many troublesome dreams within past ten days about you & our little ones & had begun to feel very anxious to hear from you, not that I believe in dreams.

 

            You did not tell me what McCreedy concluded to do about the chair. I shall want it myself now. Keep my resignation a secret until I come home as I have a purpose to serve after I get there. You seem almost afraid to have me come home, for fear of speach of people I supose, but fear not for that, for I have acquited myself to meet the approbation of all there & all the surgeons & Col advise me to go home before the fall rains set in as they are sure I cannot endure the fall. You cannot begin to imagine what we have to endure & how unlike our associations here from home. Think I shall be glad to get home & better prepared to enjoy your many merits & all the blessings of our happy home than ever before /

 

Tell Mother I am forced to give thanks every day for her efforts in the "Housewife" and a good many other little offerings of hers. Mother is one of the best of Mothers & I am grieved very often when I think how good she has been to me & what a poor return I have given her, but all I can do is to confess & promise to do better in the future. Think you had not better write to me again unless you hear from me to do so.

 

            What would the people have said if I had conducted myself as Osborn has done by our Company? We have just moved camp & all is bustle as tis near sun down. I hope the house has been banked & that you have got some good apples in store. The Reg has not been paid off yet but will be very soon / Ge^o Smith is doing cooking for us or helping me do it & we all sleep in one small tent but Manfred & Ge^o are going to have a tent next to ours now & sleep together. Joseph Green is in hospital & very sick & very weak. his case is very doubtful. Doolittle & Clark & Ge^o Hammond are also there but not so bad off. We heard today that a man of ours by name of Rule has got home—he lives in west part of the town, but I think he was not very sick "Bill Richards" looks & acts as though he had lost his last friend but is not much sick except homesick, which is bad enough with such men as he—he cant read nor write & is generally gloomy.—All of our Generals such as Smith & Franklin have been off to Washington for some days & may not have returned as yet & this fact & our long stay here is wondered at by all leading heads. I must close now. so good bye for a short time longer my dear Wife

                                                                                                           

Your Cyrus.

SOURCES