Head Quarters 1^st Div 11^th Army Corps

Brooks Station Jany 21^st 1863

 

              I wrote you last night dear wife that this morning at daylight I expected to hear the booming of cannon from the front, but in this I have been mistaken for all was quiet, except the howling of the severe storm that has been raging since bed time last night. It still continues tonight with every appearance of holding on for an indefinite time. This storm has no doubt prevented the contemplated attack, and may change our whole plans for the winter. I presume the rain which has already fallen will swell the Rappahannock to probably full banks so that pontoon bridges cannot be used for crossing. If this river is atall like the Ohio the flood will bring an immense / amount of heavy driftwood down upon its bosom which would destroy any pontoon bridge that ever was built, and hence it would be madness to rely upon such means of crossing in the face of such a terrible storm as has been raging for these last twenty four hours. The rain has also made the roads almost impassable so that a heavy army train could make but little progress. Today bad as the storm was, I rode back to Stafford Court House to obtain instructions in regard to my duties here, and I found my long boots even on horseback were none too long for the mud. I wrote you that Col Lee with my old brigade had gone to Belle Plain which by the usual road is not more than eight miles distant, but today an orderly came to me from there and reported that on account of the flood by which the streams had become / impassable he had been compelled to make a detour of about sixteen miles in order to come from there to this place. This will give you some idea of trouble this storm has produced thus far. How much more it will produce cannot yet be told, as it is still in full progress, with the wind howling like mad. Orders, orders, orders; they come in any quantity and have been just now interrupted by a handful. There is nothing new however, as we are only cautioned to be ready when the order to move comes. This to me indicates a postponement until the storm is over, of any movement. If I should get an order to move now it would take many hours before I could even have the order delivered to my command it is so widely separated. In fact I do not understand how my first brigade / can be moved atall, until other troops are sent here to relieve me, as with it I am now guarding the line of railroad and furnishing fatigue parties for the depot at Aquia Creek landing where the bulk of the supplies come from for the army in this region. We shall see what we shall see.

 

There is one thing very disagreeable which has come to light, and may determine me to make a strong effort to be transferred from this Corps. Genl Schurz has been to Washington and by his influence in some way prevailed upon the President to give him the command of the 11^th Corps now under Stahel as the senior officer on duty. Schurz is junior to Stahel and as a military man far his inferior in the opinion of the officers in this corps. His conduct in getting the command needs explanation to for he is facing severe censure and if this is persisted in and Schurz takes actually the command I will stay with him only as long as I am

 

[sideways overwritten]

 

compelled to do so. I will write you more of this when I next write. Love to Ev, Tottie, Bessie and loving good night kisses to darling wife     M^cLean

SOURCES