Head Quarters 2^nd Brig 1^st Div

Camp on Robertsons river Aug 15^th 1862

 

            We marched to this point dear wife yesterday morning and after pitching our tents the rest of the day was occupied in riding round the neighborhood in order to properly ascertain our positions in a military point of view. In the course of our ride we came across a mountain of no great elevation which had been cleared and cultivated with grain. From the top of this mountain we had one of the most magnificent I have ever seen of its kind. We seemed to be in the center of a panorama extending for twenty or thirty miles on every side with everything exposed to our view. I have rarely seen a point from which the view was so extensive on every side. Here we can watch the enemy make an approach / no matter from which side he may come, and make our preparations accordingly. The picture presented was a beautiful one. Several villages were scattered around and looked beautifully in the distance. The whole plain was interspersed with farm houses, woods and cultivated fields, and the edge of the horizon fringed with mountain peaks gradually rising in succession from the broad plain. Here and there we could discover houses of much apparent beauty and size most probably the residences of the wealthier classes. It makes me very sad to know that all this beautiful country will most probably in a few days be made most desolate by the vandals of our army. Houses are entered and pillaged without the least shame and defenseless women robbed and insulted most grossly by men wearing our uniforms. I have done all that I / possibly could to stop these things, and I am thankful to be able to say that my brigade is clear of all this. It is very rare that I discover any one of my soldiers engaged in any of these things. I have some black sheep of course, but generally my men are kept within bounds. Day after day I arrest parties engaged in plundering and in most instances find they belong to the German regiments. I have sent to the Provost Marshal a large number of prisoners of this sort on purpose to see if our Commanding General will keep his word, & punish them in such a manner as to strike terror to those who feel disposed to act in the same way. God grant that Ohio may never be the scene of actual conflict in this war, and that it may always be confined to the rebel states. They have brought on this trouble & let them bear the whole burden. 

 

I see the papers make our late battle quite a victory, but it is not so regarded here in the army. Gen^l Banks did nobly and if he had been properly supported we might have had a victory which would have been complete. As it was however we were all rejoiced that his whole force was not driven back in utter confusion. Jackson had much the larger force and nothing but the hard fighting of our men saved us. The loss of life on our side was enormous, when we look at the number of troops engaged. Gen^l Schenck talked with Banks after the battle and says that he admits he lost in killed, wounded, & missing about one third of the force engaged. This is terrible and all arises from want of support. As I understand the battle, no troops arrived in time to take part in the battle with Banks but his own forces. The rest of us came up after the whole battle of that day was over. Yet the enemy won. "Vive la baggatelle". 

 

            Our paymaster has not yet arrived and I feel distressed lest you may be put to inconvenience in regard to money matters. He certainly will arrive shortly, and then I will send you some money, if I cannot bring it myself.

 

As yet I have received no answer to my application for leave of absence and I believe this is owing in some measure at least to my papers not having been forwarded by the officers of Gen^l Pope. I have just received an order to go to head quarters immediately for transaction of official business. I must stop for the present.

 

            Our meeting at headquarters was merely in regard to some police matters and nothing about a forward movement. Gen^l M^cDowell's army is now passing our lines and will take positions in our front towards Orange Court House. He encamps right at the / mountain from which we have the fine view. Some deserters have come in today from the enemy who say that on last Sunday the morning after the battle when the enemy were retreating and expecting us to attack them, they became frightened at some reports about our advance and commenced stampeding at a fearful rate, but that it was stopped after a while & they then retreated in good order. The enemy left in much haste not even taking time to bury all their dead. We found on the battlefield quite a number of their dead whom we buried ourselves.

 

            The time has now come where I had determined to leave for home and my anxiety to hear from my application is very great. I am very much afraid that Gen^l Pope in forwarding my papers may not have approved / them, so that I shall be refused. I cannot imagine why there should exist all this delay, particularly as my application was made upon a surgeons certificate of sickness. When it was given I was suffering from an attack of jaundice, and although I was able by great exertion to keep in my saddle and perform every duty yet I was really sick enough to be at home in bed. Gen^l Pope & his Adjutant General knew and saw this personally and yet I know that several days after my application had been sent in, it had not been forwarded to Washington City. At present I have recovered almost entirely, so that I eat everything that comes before with a grand appetite and could not get the certificate of any surgeon excepting to my good health. I recovered much more rapidly than they had any idea of & I believe I may / attribute it to my determination not to yield to anything, but to continue in the performance of my duty as long as I could sit in my saddle. If however the War Department should act on my application now, and grant me leave I shall take advantage of it, and go home. My disappointment dear wife will be as great as yours, and there is nothing that I would not do to accomplish my wishes that is honorable. You would not expect me to do more. I received a letter today from Jane and one from you for both of which I was very thankful. I telegraphed you the other day after the battle thinking you might feel uneasy. I cannot see why you all think it so strange that Morton Morris & Fannie Crain should be married. For my part I have always thought it would be a most sensible marriage on the part of both of them, & you may remember I have often said Morton Morris would be very foolish not to marry her if he could get her. Love to Lindy and all the children with loving kisses to darling wife.             

N. C. M^cLean

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