Huttonsville March 11^th/62

 

            Mail day dear wife and no letter from you or home. I was sadly disappointed at not receiving my usual letter. When the mails come only three times a week I think the disappointment is much greater if a letter fails to come. I console myself in some measure by feeling certain that you have written and that the fault is in the mail. This however does not take away the void, but only softens in a small degree the feeling. I must now wait until next Thursday for no mail arrives at an earlier day. Do not fail to write to me dear wife if it is only a line as to have atall is a great comfort.

 

Today Gen^l Milroy, Capt George, Col Constable and myself made an excursion to Camp Elkwater where the 3^rd Virginia regiment is encamped. It is about eight miles distant, and the road runs along / the valley through which passes Tygart river. There is nothing in the scenery worth speaking of. The farms and houses on the road look neglected and desolate. All the houses look as if they had been built during the last century and as if their owners satisfied with the effort of building had never since that time expended one dollar in many or a days labor in keeping them in repair. In truth the people here are uncultivated and uneducated to a remarkable degree. The women are as bad as the men and exhibit no trace of refinement. They are slovenly in their dress and ungainly in their manners. Such a thing as crinoline I have not seen since I have been here. Calico and the course linsey is the material of which their dresses are made, and I have yet to see the first woman since we left Newburg who keeps her hair in even tolerable order. Their teeth / look as if toothbrushes were an unknown luxury. I presume I have not yet reached the district of refinement where dwell the F.F.V.'s Staunton and Richmond should we ever reach them will open my eyes in this respect.

 

Today the telegraph has brought us glorious news of the evacuation of Manassas, Winchester & Centerville. This news is said to be reliable, and if it should prove so, the effect upon the rebel army will be very great. Genl Milroy is afraid it will cause the enemy to evacuate the camp upon the summit of the mountain called I believe Camp Baldwin before he can get a chance to drive them out. He is making every effort to get supplies forwarded so as to be able to subsist his men & horses in making an advance. How he will succeed I cannot tell. After dress parade I called all the companies around me who were out and gave them the news, when / cheer after cheer was sent up with such hearty good will that it would have done you good to hear them. They not only waived their caps but threw them up into the air until there seemed to be a shower of caps. I then told them that there was a prospect of an advance in a short time, so as to enable us to do our part in the great work and then again went up the heartiest shouts I have heard for many a day. My boys will fight when the time comes like heroes, and I shall be proud to lead them. I do not believe you will ever blush to hear the 75^th named when this war is over. I have forgotten to tell you that this is the spot where Gen^l Reynolds was stationed. Will Anderson was here and can of course tell you all about the pleasures we have. Today I rode by the last encampment of the 6^th Ohio and saw the remains of their tents still on the ground. Another time I may tell you of Camp Elkwater but I must now say good night with love to the children & all the family. May God bless & protect you all. Warm loving good night kisses to darling wife. N. C. M^cLean

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