Beverly Feb 24^th 1862

 

            Here we are darling wife bag & baggage We arrived about one oclock at this desolate muddy place in the midst of a heavy sleety snow storm. We were all cold, muddy, & more or less wet. I was not wet, but both cold & muddy. The men had to march over roads which were horrible. I cannot give you an idea of their condition. On last Thursday morning we marched from Evansville from which place I last wrote you. The roads were very bad. With us they would be considered impassable but here they go through mud as if it was water. We marched about ten miles each day arriving in camp in time to pitch our tents before night. So far we have been fortunate in the selection of our camping ground, having succeeded in finding good meadows, with plenty of wood & water near. We crossed Laurel Hill on yesterday. As we / approached the foot of the hill we came upon the battleground of that name. Several of my officers were in that battle, and pointed out to me the various points of interest. We came upon Garnett's fortifications and upon the line of his retreat where he had cut down an immense number of trees to prevent or impede the march of our army. All however proved unavailing, as you will remember for poor Garnett was killed upon his retreat. The mountain is filled with beautiful moss. I picked two specimens which I will send you, if it has not spoiled in my overcoat pocket. I thought of you on the top of the mountain and wished that we might be there together under different circumstances. The men had been dreading the crossing of the mountain and they toiled painfully & slowly up to the top. When they began the descent however the / change with them was like magic. The slow march became a quick step, of their own accord, and shouts, songs, jokes & laughter rang along the whole line. Today however the march has been our heavy labor. We started at a quarter past seven in the morning, the sky looking bright and everything giving promise of a fine day. In about fifteen minutes the wind changed and presto came rain sleet & snow with the severest wind I almost ever felt. The wind was so strong as almost to blow me off my horse. The sleet almost cut our faces, it came so hard. I became very much alarmed for the men. We could not stop to rest on account of the cold as I feared the men would freeze and Beverly was some seven miles distant. I halted but once to rest for about fifteen minutes on the road and / made the whole march steadily tramping along. Picture to yourself a whole regiment marching along in such a storm, in mud sometimes up to their knees and wading small creeks every little while, the weather growing colder every moment and you can imagine our condition, and some of my anxiety for the men. They came on bravely however and reached here tired but in much better condition than I dared to hope on the road. I managed to leave them in some commission building & an old dilapidated church without fires, until our wagons arrived & then we pitched our tents just out of town around a house in which the field officers had their quarters. Col Constable & Major Reily have just gone to bed on the floor both desiring to be remembered to all of you particularly. Col C. wishes me / to thank Jane for his ear bobs which he has worn with great comfort. Just after I had commenced my letter I received an order from Gen^l Milroy commanding me to march to Huttonsville and take command of that post & to send four companies of the regiment under command of a Field officer to Elkwater which is some seven miles distant. I regret this order very much as it separates the regiment and leaves me I suppose no chance for active service. Gen^l Milroy is himself at Huttonsville and in command there. when he will go I do not know. This puts me in a new position which I do not exactly relish although it is one of trust & responsibility. I prefer the regiment to which I am attached / to any other service. The men I believe all like me and I believe that I can do more with them than any one else. I have nothing however to do but to obey and will therefore march on this Thursday for Huttonsville You must direct your next letter to that point. No letters were seen for me today but I hope to get some on tomorrow. There is a telegraph to this point, to Huttonsville, & I went to the office to let you know of my arrival, but the line was out of order and my message could not go. Tomorrow it may be in order & then I will send you a message. Did you receive my message from Newburg? I advised you by telegraph of my removal here on last Monday week & confidently expected to meet a letter from you here. It is now past eleven oclock; my room mates are sound asleep & I am tired. So with love to all and

 

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a warm good night Kiss darling wife I must say good night—N. C. M^cLean

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