Annapolis November, 10^th, 1861.

 

My Dear Parents,

                                    Thinking, yes, in fact knowing you would be glad to hear from me again I thought I would write you a few lines to day. We are most of us pretty well; although some have bad colds. There has been a great deal of rain since we came here, but the soil is sandy so that is not muddy much. Our tents here are the same as we had in Hartford but we dont have any floors; we go into the woods and cut boughs from the pines, and cedars, which are plenty here and spread on the ground. next we spread our rubber blankets, then our bed ticks, (we have no straw unless we buy it,) then we stretch ourelves on them and cover up with our overcoat and blanket; the days here, when pleasant are pretty warm, but the nights quite cool and chilly. They are now landing the stores and provisions, on the dock at Annapolis, for the Naval expedition which we are going in, some of our men are detailed every day to go down and assist in unloading and stoeing away the the things. Our manner of spending sundays now is quite different from what it was at / in the morning we turn out to roll call at 1/4 past six breakfast one quarter past seven, guard mounting, one half past, to eight. Then the tents have to be cleaned and the streets, and inspected, the army regulations read, thus the forenoon is passed, dinner: one quarter past twelve, divine services at two, and prayer meeting in the evening. They have two or three men in the guard tent for sleeping on their post. I cant say what they will do with them as I suppose they will have to be tried by court martial. I suppose you have heard before this reaches you that Annapolis is under martial law; I am told they have taken one man, who had a trunk filled with military buttons for the southern Confederacy, wether it is so or not I cant vouch for the truth of it; but this I do know, one of the Sergeants of Co B. 10^th Regt. was down to the city yesterday on business with a pass from his Capt. but was taken by a squad of patrol men, to the headquarter but was dismissed without trouble. but two of our men Corporal Layton, and Private Burns, also on business were taken without a pass. ( although they got off the ground in a lawfull manner, but did’nt know that martial law had been declared,) by another squad of men / They had not gone under arrest more than five rods when they met our Colonel. they applied to him and he said it was all right, for he himself gave them permission to go; he went to the Capt. of patrol with them and had them dismissed: the Capt. told them if they were taken again, to tell them, they had been through the mill once but that, he did’nt think they would be taken, if they were to come to him and he would give them a pass. they had not been gone more than fifteen minutes when they were taken again. they wen and got a pass and had no more trouble. I have just returned from a meeting up in the woods, a good meeting it was too. conducted by the Rev. Mr Hall, Chaplain of 10^th Regt. C.V. I got an introduction from, Lieu. Mead he appears like a very nice man and not only a nice man but a good man. His remarks were directed against the evil of swearing which is a great one hear. Tell the Dr. I would like very much to receive a letter from him, and will try and answer it. And tell the other folks around there, I’d like to hear from them first rate. Inclosed you will find some seeds of the persimmon a kind fruit here which grows here on a tree.

                                                Your aff. Son. W. L. Savage. /

 

I have not received any letter from you yet. and think perhaps I did not tell you where to direct

 

                                                W. L Savage

                                                            Co. I. 10^th. Regt. C. V.

                                                                        Annapolis

                                                                                    Maryland.

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