Head Quarters 2^nd Brig 1^st Div

 

            Once more dear wife I have returned to Centerville where I hope I may remain unless I go nearer to Washington. I am very pleasantly situated here. My quarters as I wrote you before are in the house of a Mr Stewart where I have a very comfortable sleeping room up stairs, and the parlor below for my office. This is living rather luxuriantly for the field, but heaven knows we get few enough comforts and I now make it a rule to enjoy all that I can obtain in a proper way. Today is the 29^th and in two days October will be here. Our baby will be a month old tomorrow and you will soon be able to come to me at Washington if not farther. I count the days as they pass and pray most earnestly that we may be permitted to meet as early as we hope. I do not / understand why we are placed, except it is simply as an advanced guard to the defenses of Washington City. If this is so the probability is that we will remain either here or at some point near the city all the winter unless indeed the war should be terminated sooner, of which I have now no hope. Let it be a settled thing however that as soon as you are able to travel you must come to Washington with the children whether I am there or not. I can probably reach you from the vicinity wherever I may be. Burnet will of course come with you and Tot also if possible. I hope your next letter will say that you have a good nurse, for I consider it very important that you should have a first rate servant, both for your own comfort & the health of the baby. Why cannot your mother remain at Glendale? She certainly must do so rather than run any risk either / in going or when there. If I were only at home I could settle all things very easily, but at this distance it is very hard for me to say what is best. Of course your mother knows that both of us would only be too happy to have her with us all the time. I most heartily wish that all the servants had been disposed of long ago and then there would be nothing to prevent all of them from coming to live in Ohio where we could be all together. Time perhaps will accomplish this in the end although not in the way I first proposed. If we remain here many days I mean to go to Washington City if I can get leave to ask Mr Stanton whether that "snap" is over, so that I can go home. Perhaps I may be successful. There is only one difficulty in the way, if he should feel disposed to grant me leave of absence, and that is during my absence they will be very apt to place some Brigadier Gen^l / in command of my brigade, and then back I must go to the regiment. This I confess would be very disagreeable to me, after having been in command so long. I would not hesitate however in going home even were I certain this result would happen, for I had rather be with my darling little wife & children than command a brigade. The government is acting strangely in regard to Genl Sigel. His command has been reduced & the regulars in authority seem disposed to snub him when ever they can. Genl Milroy has been taken away from here & sent to Western Virginia, and nothing given in his place. Why he should be so treated I cannot tell excepting it arises from the miserable West Point jealousy of Halleck. I must find out, and endeavor to place this brigade in the right place. I should not be surprised if Sigel asked to be relieved or resigned at any time. Love to your Mother Lindy & the children with kisses to darling wife

N. C. M^cLean 

 

I have forgotten to mention that before you come on you had better buy for me enough of the material to make me three large shirts. Those which I bought have shrunk so that they are now altogether too small. I cannot button them round the throat & they are too short in the tail & the sleeves. I refer to the outside woollen shirts. The only way to have them comfortable is to purchase the material and make them up very large so as to allow for shrinking. You may all purchase for me drawers & undershirts of silk as those I now wear are very thin & worn out. The drawers & undershirts of wool can be bought here if those I sent home will not answer. You had better bring them along when you come, and also one suit of citizens clothes. We are all ordered to reduce our baggage, so that I must discard my trunk & buy a valise.

N. C. M^cLean

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