Head Quarters 2^nd Brigade 1^st Div

Camp at Sperryville August 8th 1862

 

            I have not written to you for two days dear wife because I have felt quite unwell & when through with my duties rest has been needful, so that I have thought I will not write just now but rest, & so two days have past. I find that each day brings its own work & fatigue and that I must not put off writing although tired. I wrote you some time since that I was not very well, and I am still suffering from the same sickness. As yet I have kept up in the performance of every duty, but I expect to quit for a short time to recruit, unless I get leave of absence for that purpose, for which I have already applied. As I wrote you before I intended to apply for leave of absence after the 18^th of this month and I did actually make the application and had it approved by Gen^l Schenck & Gen^l Sigel, but before presenting it to Gen^l Pope by advice of / two of our surgeons I changed the application for sick leave to take effect now, upon their certificates. This second application was also approved & recommended to be granted by both Gen^l Schenck & Gen^l Sigel, and I attempted to present it myself to Gen^l Pope. In this however I was not successful, as he declined to receive the papers from my hands unless it came through his Adjutant Gen^l Col Ruggles. This was red tape which I, simply a Colonel was foolish enough to suppose might be omitted, so as at least to permit a Major General to read the papers, which was all that I desired at that time. Gen^l Pope then dilated upon the great abuse which existed in the army in regard to absentees from duty, and said that surgeons certificates were worthless as they had been in the habit of selling them to whoever desired them. This was rather strange talk to an officer who was applying for leave of absence upon a surgeons certificate and I demurred to his remarks as wholly inapplicable in my case. He then, & several times / afterwards disclaimed having any reference to me atall in his remarks, but that he spoke generally of the abuse in the army and that it must be corrected &c. All this was not very encouraging particularly as my papers were required to be forwarded to Gen^l Halleck at Washington City with such endorsement upon them as Gen^l Pope might see fit to make. I however did as he required, left my papers with Col Ruggles after having been examined by Gen^l Pope's Medical Director, and after having also received his endorsement of approval upon my application for leave. I wonder if Gen^l Pope thought his own Medical officer could be bribed, or whether upon his sanction he would then feel bound to approve of my application. Besides feeling unwell this morning, you will see from this letter that I am much discouraged in regard to my obtaining leave of absence upon any ground whatever from Gen^l Pope. His treatment of me was to say the least very singular and I shall treasure it up for future occasion / when possibly it may come my turn. I have now in my pocket a pass from Gen^l Pope to go anywhere within the lines of this Department, of which I possibly may avail myself in case I am refused leave of absence. If you were only in a different situation I might send to you and thus we could be together for a little while at all events. Should my present application fail I may if my sickness continues go to Alexandria and send for Ev to come and see me, and through her still get permission to go home. I will succeed if it is possible. Gen^l Pope passed through here on yesterday for Culpepper and stopped for two or three hours at the quarters of Gen^l Sigel. We expect to move forward in a day or two to a new camping ground near Madison where I think likely enough we may remain for some time waiting for recruits &c. I have not heard from you this week atall and yet our mails come in regularly every day. Why

 

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is this? I must hear from you almost daily or I become very uneasy. Do write if is only a line to say that you are well.

 

Love to Tot, Burn & all the children & Lindy with loving kisses to darling wife which I hope soon to be able to give in person.

N. C. M^cLean

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