Head Quarters 1^st Div 11^th Army Corps

Stafford Court House Jany 17^th 1863

 

              A letter from you dear wife tonight dated the 14^th ins^t. It was very welcome for I had not heard from you for several days and began to feel a little uneasy. As I wrote you in my last letter we are under marching orders twice repeated, but whether we go or not is yet in the future. For my part I do not believe that we will march quite so soon. We were ordered first to cook three days rations, which was done, and today we received another curious order, as follows. You will be ready to march tomorrow morning at day break with three days cooked rations, should you receive such an order. This was rich, and they say the order was given to me just as it was received from Headquarters. It is now ten oclock at night and no order to march / has been received, and I shall go to bed as soon as I finish this letter in the full expectation of not being in the least disturbed by any order to move. In truth there seems to be an expectation that something is going to be done, but how or what or when is as yet unknown, unless Genl Sigel has found it out this afternoon in his visit to Genl Burnside. You say that all my letters are filled with wishes for an advance, which you so much deprecate. I only wish that something should be done that will terminate this war and once more unite us again in peace and love. I am not anxious to fight for the sake of fighting or winning reputation, but I do desire most ardently that this rebellion may be crushed out and I see no way of doing this but by hard fighting. At times I feel very much discouraged when I see such / mistakes as are constantly made on all sides with such terrible results. When will the measure of our punishment be full, so that once again we may be permitted to have a peaceful & prosperous country. I was here interrupted by the receipt of a bundle of orders, but none for marching, so that the prospect is yet good for our remaining.

 

              I regret very much that any trouble has arisen in the 75^th regiment, but Col Constable made up his mind fully before he acted and must now take the consequences of his deliberate act. An order has been issued suspending him and one other officer in the regiment from their commands until their resignations are heard from. They have been forwarded to the War Department for special action and as yet no answer has been received. Genl Stahel believed it his duty to issue the last order in case we should march. He feared to / have the regiment under the command of an officer who felt as Col Constable does. I myself would not fear any misconduct on the part of Col Constable in case of active service, but I know that many of the officers in the regiment would almost refuse to obey his orders under present circumstances.

 

              I am glad to find that you are beginning to receive my letters and perhaps after a while you will feel satisfied that I have written quite as often as some else in Washington. I do not know where the fault is for our mail goes now regularly every day. Two letters ought not to be received at once unless written on the same day & when this happens you may be sure that there has been some detention.

 

I do not believe that I have any photographs and you had better send an order to Cinti for another set, and have some sent to Dayton. I did promise the girls they should have them. Love to Ev Tottie Bessie and good night kisses warm & loving to darling wife—M^cLean

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