Huttonsville April 1^st /62

Head Quarters of Gen^l Milroy.

 

            You see dear wife my letter is being written away from my own quarters. The reason of this is the arrival of the paymaster. He occupies my quarters in paying off the regiment, so that there is no place for me to write there. He arrived yesterday afternoon whilst I was occupied at battalion drill. During the evening until late bed time my tent was used in paying off the officers, including myself. There was no chance to write my usual letter, so that I am compelled to write you a short letter this morning at this place in order to take advantage of todays mail. The paymaster was a welcome visitor I assume to the whole regiment. Col Constable and myself are entertaining him and his clerk in our tent. We contrive to do this by moving / the mess chest and borrowing two cots from some of the officers. Our stores now come in good play, as we can feed them much better than any one else in the neighbourhood. The only bore is that there will be no privacy for me until his departure which will probably be tomorrow morning. Now that we have received our money the next thing is to dispose of it. We must first pay off all of our debts, so as to start fair and square again the next quarter. Capt Friend has already telegraphed to Mr Fox of Lockland to come on for the money of the soldiers whose families live in that neighborhood, and I think that I will send all the money I can spare by him to you He can easily remit to Louisville and this will probably be the safest and securest method of sending the money. How much it will be I cannot tell until I pay my share of the mess, forage for my horses, servants wages, &c. / I am writing in a room filled with officers and others who keep up such a clatter that I cannot tell whether I am writing nonsense or not. You must take the will for the deed, and believe that I mean to write you the best of letters. After the departure of the paymaster I can again have my own tent, and will then make up for any deficiencies if I can. How is the weather with you? Yesterday it was a magnificent day, but now the sky is overcast, and it threatens rain before night. They say this year it is impossible to have more than one or two clear days in succession. How I should love to be with you today at Glendale. The buds must be swelling and almost ready to burst and all green things are beginning to show. But all this is not for me at this time. I will hope for the best, and endeavor to do my duty wherever I may be, & under all circumstances. 

 

Our paymaster is Major Pendleton. He is a Virginian, and a cousin of Colⁿ Pendleton of Cincinnati. He took Charley to Louisville on her late trip. He is also a cousin of Mr Seborn, so that he and I come very near being relations. He seems to be a very clever gentleman. I left him this morning paying off the men which I have no doubt he will do honestly. I intend to hurry back as soon as I finish this letter to have an eye over the whole proceeding. As yet there is no forward movement, although we are making full preparation to that end. We are waiting with great anxiety for news from Gen^l Banks & his army. He is said to be within thirty miles of Staunton, and if this is so they will have to beat him back or leave this line of defense near us. This is only rumor however and may not be true.

Give my love to the children and all the family. Many loving and warm kisses to darling wife from her loving husband                    

N. C. M^cLean

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