Huttonsville March 9^th 1862

 

            I had to break off dear wife very suddenly in my last letter written on yesterday morning on account of the presence of Gen^l Milroy who wished me to go with him to the top of Cheat Mountain. I determined to send it however, for I judge you by myself, and know that I would rather receive a single line from you than no letter. As soon as our horses could be made ready Major Reily & myself mounted and started off with Gen^l Milroy and his Assistant Adjutant General Captain George. The object of our visit was our fortified camp on the summit of Cheat Mountain distant about eleven miles. The day proved a very pleasant one, and I enjoyed the ride exceedingly. After going about one mile we reached the head of the valley in which we are encamped / and there began the ascent of the mountain. In the valley the ground was frozen but bare. The snow however began to appear as we ascended until soon we found everything covered with white. Near the summit we came into the pine forest and here the sight was really grand. We could catch occasional views of the distant mountain range, twenty miles or more distant through the openings in the road as we wound around the mountain which were very grand and beautiful. The sight however which exceeded this was the pine forest. You have often read of the dark pine woods but you cannot have a perfect realization of the correctness of the terms, and their perfect truthfulness until you actually see them. The description can convey to you a true idea of their dark grandeur. The ground was covered with snow, and the branches of the evergreen pines were borne down with its weight, showing a brilliant white / on top, in beautiful contrast to the dark green underneath. The snow instead of making it lighter rather increased the gloom, for the daylight could not penetrate both snow & evergreens. How I wish you could have been with me under different circumstances. I know you have enjoyed all that I saw on the trip. Every now and then we would find a sort of hut built of the evergreen brush which had been used by some of our pickets at one time or another, but now they are all deserted, as there does not seem to be any fear of an attack upon us by the enemy this side of the camp on the summit of Cheat Mountain. These huts are not very comfortable as you may well imagine but they offered some shelter. Just before dinner we reached the camp and a heavy desolate looking place it was. The camp that is fortified is situated on a hillside and is shaped like this by air [ink drawing] I did not have room to make / the projections large enough to give you a very correct idea of its form. The walls are made of logs, and are about ten or twelve feet in height, and eight feet thick. Large poles are made at proper places for the use small arms both on the outside and also also on the inside of the log huts, built for the quarters of the men situated just inside & against the walls. The object seems to have been this. If the camp should be forced and the enemy succeed in getting inside, then a heavy & destructive fire might be kept up by the men who would retreat to their log huts on the inside, and thus the enemy would find they were in a trap completely surrounded by fire. Besides this camp there is another one on the other side of a slight depression on the summit & within easy musket range which is only partially finished. It has no wall but the quarters of the men are strongly built huts which from their positions command & protect each other like so many blockhouses. The place could be defended very easily against a pretty strong force. 

 

Genl Milroy does not apprehend any attack, as he says the rebels in this region lack the courage to make such an effort. Besides this the Greenbrier river is an obstacle which they cannot easily surmount at this season of the year. We dined with the only field officer at the post Lieu^t. Col. Moran. The dinner was a hard one I assure you. Tea, nut toast, black hominy & salt pork was our entertainment. There are some nine hundred men under his command and a battery of artillery which does not seem to be very highly thought of. After dinner we rode to our outposts toward the enemy and crossed Cheat river from which point patrols are thrown out to watch the movements of the enemy. On the way to the river we came across our picket guard who had made themselves really quite comfortable. They had selected a spot between two very large rocks and / covered the top with pine branches so that they could have a fire without it being observed at night. Their room into which I peeped seemed quite large enough and comfortable. It baked they said in rainy weather but so do all the huts built for quarters. I find that the discipline of the troops at this camp is anything but good. The men do not seem to be under proper control, and when they go into a fight it seems to be every man for himself. This is all wearing and I suspect the examining board which is coming to Beverly shortly will find something to do with the officers of this regiment. Genl Milroy does not think much of them, and I get my impressions from him. We returned from our trip before tea well pleased and in good spirits. After tea three welcome letters were received from my darling little wife, which completed my day of leisure in the most agreeable way I could imagine / unless I could have had the dear writer here in person. I cannot answer your question as to where we are to stop. No one can at present tell. We cannot move from here just now, but a few days may make a great difference in all things. Many such days as today and we would not tarry here long. It has been truly a bright spring day. Everything seemed to revive in the bright sunlight. A warm wind sprang up from the south which continued until night. Tomorrow I expect to wake up and hear the rain coming down on our tent in its usual manner in this region. In this I hope I may be disappointed for it is so gloomy in rainy weather as well as uncomfortable. Today I invited Gen^l Milroy & Captain George to dine with us, and told George he must do the best he could with the material on hand. We were six at table and for the first time the napkins made their appearance. To begin we had to / borrow two plates to make up for two of ours broken, but our guests were none the wiser for this & they departed thinking we were the rich proprietors of six plates for both soup & dinner. Our bill of fare was not so bad I assure you. Fortunately on yesterday our Quartermaster had made a raise of some desiccated vegetables and George with these & some beef made us a most delicious soup. Our next course consisted of fresh beef tongue elegantly cooked with a fancy dressing of eggs &c. We had also some beef & ham very nicely cooked together with beans, hominy & potatoes. This was our stock of meats & vegetables, but George's triumph came after this. The sutler last night sent in a can of peaches & we had some quince which Col Constable brought. These with the prunes & figs with cheese constituted our stock of materials. Out of this George gave us most delicious peach, quince & prune pies & a tart made of peaches with a quince on top. These were flanked with figs & prunes as the fruit. The pastry was equal to any hotel baking I ever saw. Were we not grand? Our guests were astonished and we delighted. So we all made a hearty dinner & were thankful. It is late & I must to bed. I will write again before mail day. Love to all the family & the children with good night kisses to darling wife.            

N. C. M^cLean

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