Headquarters 21^st Reg Conn. Vols.

Camp Chase                                        Sept Sunday 21^st 1862

 

Dearest of all that is dear—Mary—

I received your first letter last evening and Oh if you could know the sensations I experienced while opening it how home sick it made me to read it I was quite sick when I received it and was just going over to the surgeons to get some medicine The home-sick feeling was soon overballenced by joy It is the greatest joy I can experience to receive letter from Mary. I have lots of friends I suppose that would be glad to hear from me but if I were going to receive a thousand letters in one day I should want them all to be from Mary Do write just as often as you possibly can I wish you were here this morning I could then show you how I love you it makes the boys all become sick to receive letters from home/

 

We are now encamped on the land formerly owned & occupied by the Rebl Gen Lee I have been this morning with Sergeant Bassett over to the house formerly occupied & owned by said Gen Lee but now occupied as the Headquarters of Major Gen Heitzelman I saw the distinguished Gen. while there this morning. The house is quite a fine one & the surroundings must have been splendid but the whole country around here is one complete waste Soldiers have been encamped on almost every inch of ground for miles & miles around here Lee’s house commands the  finest view of Washington & when the war first broke out a Seccession Rag floated from the flag staff in front of the house/

 

Well now Mamy Dear I suppose you may be just going home from church. I have just been to dinner we had Pea Soup for dinner and I have eaten enough for ten men to eat I am now a mile from camp in woods & shade I came alone so as to finish my letter to Mamy I will tell you about some of our camp arrangements we have smaller tents than those at Norwich but five occupy a tent now there is in our tent J.B.B.—A.C.B. LH Park the man I used to embrace in my sleep E.S. Wheeler the Col’s clerk & you humble servant We have divine service to day Capt Wood of Groton is Chaplin he is also P.M. he takes the mail into Washington every morning & in the afternoon brings back a mail/

 

Yesterday there was a review of Gen Casey’s division of which our Brigade under Gen. Briggs is a part it was a spendid affair about fifteen thousand all in the line of Battle which is the men in 2 ranks the Sergeants & Leiutenants 2 paces in the rear the captains at the head of their companys & the Field officers in front of all The line was nearly 2 miles long I should think on a large plain in the rear of fort Albany I tell you the sight was imposing indeed The bayonets glistening in the sun only it was cloudy yesterday & the sun did not shine at all but it is all the same they glistened This morning there was a parade for inspection as there will be every Sunday morning hereafter Every man’s gun is then examined & it is all done by two men or officers the Col. & Lieut Col. But O dear there is no place like home why because Mary is there I like this war business & should be just as happy here as any where if I could only see Mary

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