Huttonsville April 5^th 1862

 

            Once more darling wife I write you from this place. Gen^l Milroy started this morning and we follow tomorrow. I have been making my preparations for the march and hope to be all ready to march at 6 AM. Unfortunately some of my wagons had been sent off for hay by order of the General so that I could not move this morning, and they have not yet returned. They may not arrive by tonight, and in anticipation of this I have just sent out to press in teams from the neighborhood to haul our baggage on the march to Camp Baldwin. The farmers around here do not have any love for our troops, and I cannot blame them much, for report says that some of our regiments have depredated upon them to a shameful extent. / With the 75^th this has been different and I do not believe a man in the neighborhood can truthfully say that our men have taken anything from him. We have even here established a good reputation among those who were disposed to frown upon us. As evidence of this, a neighbor met us this morning in the road and after saying good morning, he remarked "I suppose Colonel I should not see you again as you are going in the morning and I will tell you good bye, and wish you may have prosperity wherever you go. You have behaved so differently from the others who have been here that I must compliment you for it". I thanked him, shook hands & passed on. This to me was very gratifying, for I am proud of the character of the regiment and am determined to sustain it in all things wherever we go. It is hard / to convince men however that all soldiers are not robbers. When we first came upon our present camping ground the owner Mr Ward immediately had his sheep, hogs and cattle all driven up to his house for protection, fearing that like others we would help ourselves without regard to the rights of any one. In a few days however his property ran about as usual, and even nice little porkers just fit for a delicious roast walked about the camp with impunity and grew fat upon the slops. He now thinks we are honest and looks to us for protection. His wife of whom I wrote you has been supplying us with milk ever since our arrival, and now refuses to take any pay from us, she likes us so well. We have exchanged favors with her in the shape of sugar & cheese but it is kind in her to give instead of selling the milk. /

 

When I sent for our bill this morning she told the servant that I must not go without coming to see her and I must find time to do so for a little while. She has a son in the rebel army, and of course is on that side herself, yet she treats us well.

 

Just below us Capt Hyman from Cincinnati I believe is encamped with his battery. He arrived there last night without his tents, and was out all night in a drenching rain without shelter. I asked him this morning how he fared. Oh said he it is a soldiers life; some of his men took the rain standing & some on the ground. That was all he said. There was no complaint. I must close as I have to go to Huttonsville for a blouse which I intend to wear during the hot weather. This morning my coat was too warm & I must prepare for a hot sun from this time out. Write to me as usual and your letters will reach me. Do not be alarmed if you do not hear from me regularly or as often as usual for

 

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the mail does not run beyond here. Rest assured that if anything should happen to me you shall hear it immediately and always in the absence of news believe that I am well. Give my love to the children & all the family and receive for yourself darling wife a thousand warm and loving kisses from your devoted husband—N. C. M^cLean

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