Camp on top of Branch Mountain

May 29^th 1862            

 

            I am writing to you dear wife on the top of a mountain where we have have been encamped since yesterday morning. The whole army of Gen^l Fremont is here and the camp fires are dotted around in every direction and present a strange fanciful appearance. Our tents are all left behind and ever since we started from Franklin we have been sleeping out doors. We left Franklin on the 25^th with the intention of aiding Gen^l Banks expecting by forced marches to be able to make a diversion in his favor, or at best to overtake Gen^l Jackson and give him battle. When we reached this point we halted and have remained quiet ever since, being told to hold ourselves in readiness to march at a moments notice. We took five days rations of such things / as we could carry and they will be exhausted tomorrow night. Whether a fresh supply is coming after us we do not know. The forage for our horses will also be exhausted at the same time. Our General Commanding doubtless knows what he is doing but we understrappers do not and among the understrappers I include one brigade commander Gen^l Schenck. I wrote that we had been transferred to Gen^l Schenck and I assure you the change has been a most agreeable one in all respects to the whole regiment. We now form an Ohio brigade so far as infantry is concerned. We have in it some Connecticut cavalry & one Indiana Battery, the rest all Ohio troops. The different colonels are very sociable & I am glad to say reliable men. There is only one to whom I have any objection & he is not here but is sick at New Creek. You have no doubt seen the various newspaper accounts of our late battle. Some of the accounts are strangely inaccurate and seem to have been written by person not even on the ground. / I wish however you would cut out all the different accounts and when I return it will amuse us to read them over. The 78^th has received great praise and I hope the Department will continue on all occasions to meet the reputation it has gained. I have received several letters from you since you heard of the battle. I am sorry you feel so nervous. Rest assured dear wife that I will be guilty of no rashness. I value my life too highly both on my own account and on yours to do anything rashly. I hope always to be able to do my duty and that will lead me to share the danger of my men but I shall be careful and avoid all danger that I honorably can. Leave the issue with God dear wife. He will desire all things according to his will and we ought not to repine but trust to him implicitly. I am writing on the top of a cheese box before a camp fire in the hope of having an opportunity to send my letter to through Gen^l Scheck. He is very kind to me and you must think better of him for that & be very careful not to speak against him to any one. We may

 

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move from here at any hour night or day and to any point of the compass so that I cannot tell you where to direct my letters excepting they must be sent to Virginia to Schencks Brigade naming the regiment as usual. I have brought with me but three sheets of paper & no envelopes not expecting to have any opportunity of writing so you must not expect to hear from me until this expedition is over unless by some good fortune like tonight. I carry my blankets on my spare horse and what to eat in a haversack. I must stop. Love to Lindy & the children & good night kisses to darling wife    N. C. M^cLean

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