Head Quarters 1^st Div 11^th Army Corps

Brooks Station Feb 5^th 1863

 

              Two more letters from you tonight dear both written before my last visit. One of them was marked politeness kindness of Col Taylor. Tell the Baron he is a nice fellow to deliver letters. I will employ him as special messenger when I am in a hurry. By tomorrow I hope to receive a letter written after I left you. I am very anxious to hear how you all are. Sattie and Bessie I trust are both well by this time. It is late bedtime and Major Reily has just left me. He arrived with the 75^th from Belle Plain today. Tonight he stops with Capt Miner instead of sleeping in his tent, and he is wise in doing so, as the night is a terrible one for our poor soldiers. This morning it commenced to snow, but by afternoon it turned to rain / and there has been a steady soaking driving rain ever since. I rode over to Stafford Court House to see Genl Sigel and had the full benefit of the storm, but my heavy blue coat protected me most perfectly, so that I did not get wet in the least. Genl Stahel came to see me and asked if I intended to bring my wife here, to which I replied that I was now engaged in stopping up all the holes with windows and walls to keep out the cold so as to make the place more comfortable for her, and that I hoped as soon as the baby got well to have her pay me a visit. What do you say? I have not yet been able to stir out in the neighborhood to see if I can find a cow. I am very doubtful about bringing baby to this place on account of the trip on the cars. I am afraid the exposure might be too great in her delicate state, and yet I do not see how you can leave her behind. I sent today / to Aquia Creek landing for lumber to patch up the room upstairs so as to make it more comfortable but was unable to get a single plank. If you were alone you might come and stay with me here very well but with Bessie I am almost afraid to venture. Has Sattie given up her trip to Philadelphia? Would she like to come with you? Write me what you think of coming. I am afraid there will not be much chance for my coming up very soon again, as an order has just been issued by Genl Hooker making it necessary for all Generals to have their leaves of absence approved by him before they can go away, and only one General from a Corps can be absent at any one time. Steinwehr and Schurz are now both absent in Washington, and were there before this late order was issued. They are both working for their promotions / and I most earnestly hope that both of them will be defeated. One difficulty in regard to the command of the Corps has not yet been settled, but Genl Schurz has gone to Washington in a huff because Sigel recommends Stahel to the President. I only hope his anger will carry him a long ways from the command of the Corps. As yet Sigel will not give me Col Smith's brigade. His reason is a good one for the present. He says that it would not do to interfere with Genl Steinwehr's Division during his absence, but I am afraid he will not interfere with it when he returns either, and this I will regret very much. Sigel admits the propriety of the change, but does not feel like doing anything which would anger Steinwehr. Neither do I, but I had hoped the matter might be accomplished without hard feeling atall. I must wait with patience yet awhile longer. Perhaps the Senate will save us a world of trouble. Love to Ev & family, Sattie, Bessie & darling wife—          M^cLean

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