Headquarters Regt., 23 Camp Diven Co. F

Virginia.          Arlington hights                                            

Virginia. August 12  1861      

                                                                                                           

Mrs Mary Kennedy

 

Dear Sister, I now take this opportunity to let you know that I am quite well and hope that this will find you the same. I supose that you have looked for a letter from me. I have written to almost every one else but you and now our postmaster has gone with the mail and left me to take care of his office and so I thought that I would send you a few words so that you would know where I am. I am now in Virginia on Arlington hights, some four or five miles from Georgetown. we are encamped on a hill in a white oak grove. we are nearly the advance line of our troops in this direction our picket guards are about two miles in advance of us. the day before yesterday some of our boys had a skirmish with some of the black horse cavelry of the rebels / three of the enemy were killed. none of our boys were hurt! our Lieutenant had a lock of hair cut from his head in the contest by a bullet, and that was all the harm done to the boys of this Regiment. we have encamped in three different places since our arrival in Washington district and I suppose the next time we shall go into battle. we have been called up two or three times in the night and fell in battalion line ready for the foe but they were false alarms. although it is but 6 or 8 miles to where the enemy are stationed there are suposed to be some 25 or 30 thousand northern troops in 6 or 8 miles of Washington City so you see that the city cannot be taken very easy. they are cuting down the timber in every direction and building forts. the timber is most whiteoak, cedar, hickory and pine and seems to be second growth timber, for it is mostly small. the land is not very well cultivated on the farms around here, but there are plenty of peaches and some apples. there are as high as 6 peddlers in our camp some days with waggon loads of provisions. Pies, cakes, cheese, gingerbread, figs, lemonade and other things to numerous to mention. Cheese is 30 cents a pound. Butter is 30 cents and strong enough to draw a waggon. eggs have been sold for a dollar a dozen, but they are cheaper now. Pies and cakes are very dear. Peaches are 20 cents per dozen milk 10 cents a quart, so you see that a man can soon eat up his wages. /

 

It rained so hard last night that we liked to got wet. as it was we had to carry cord wood and put in our tent for a floor and then put on our bed ticks, blankets and overcoats and then we slept quite comfortable for it is so warm here that we dont want anything over us. there are four more in the same tent with me. our furniture consists of 1 tin plate, 1 tin cup that holds a quart a knife and fork and spoon. we have cooks to cook for our whole company which consists of Capt. Dingeldey, Lieutenant Wilkinson, Ensign Benedict and 75 men, out of which there is five sergeants and eight corporals. John Inman is third corporal; by the way I like to forgot him and Art. they are well only John has got a boil under his arm his hair is as long as ever, and it serves him to good purpose now, for it keeps the sun from burning his neck. but I think that I have wrote about enough nonsense this time. I have wrote a letter to William since I have been here and have not got an answer. I hear from home about every week. they are all well there I want you to answer this as soon as you can and tell me all about the folks out there and if will has got married the reason he has not written to me. but I have got to do some business and shall have to stop writing for this time excuse this poor writing and mistakes for I have been interrupted a good many / times since I commenced this. so no more at present. Direct your letter to, Daniel Chase, Washington, D.C. care of Cap't. Dingledey Co. F. 23 reg't N.Y.V.

                                                                                   

From Daniel Chase

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