Fort Lyon Va Sunday April 26  1863.

 

                        You will see by the date of this that I am still at the old Fort. We are still under marching orders but our orders to march have not yet appeard. A terrible rain storm prevented our marching a week ago and the mud has kept us as well as the whole Army in our camps. Last week the mud nearly covered the fences here and one could scarcely leave the “lines of Sentry” without being lost. I recd your letter of the 23 this morning and though short it was welcome. Your forebodings are but natural, though I must confess that I do not share them with you. I feel as if war was my especial occupation and any other business would seem un-natural. I was never in a place where I enjoyed myself so well (The “Second person” excepted) or where my health was better than here. So unless I change my mind I shall stay in the army as long as they will keep me. We are liable to leave here at any hour and we have to keep our rations ready cooked three days in advance and everything packed up. I think very likely that we may stay here this summer after all the fuss. still it is very uncertain. On some accounts I would like to remain here on ordinary Garrison duty and on others I would full as well like to go into Active Service. The deeds of valor you speak of my relating to the “little Blakes” (I’m going to / have a “dress parade” of them some time) will probably exist only in imagination and “my name unknown in story”

 

But we we will leave this to the future—

 

Last week we went over the river (Potomac) and arrested a minister and his daughter who were caught sending Rebel Mails and giving information to the enemy. The Old Man is quite rich and his daughter quite a beauty (Looks most as well as you Mary). She is about Sixteen and smart as you please. She is Secesh clean through her lover being a Captain in the Rebel Army. She was quite indignant when informed of our mission and her remarks were anything but complimentary to “us Mudsills”. Seeing that it was no use talking or crying as neither would pacify the fury of We invaders she commenced packing up with commendable zeal but showing her ankles charms to an alarming extent. I could have blown her brains out with a very good stomache upon an intimation of which she became more docile. Father and daughter have now a good time for meditation upon the sins of the world and the Yanks in particular in the old Capitol Prison at Washington. I have seen a good many Secesh girls out here but I believe she is the bitterest as well as the handsomest one yet.

 

            Every Tuesday and Saturday during the month of April we have practiced at Target firing from the new Redoubts. The Targets are placed at a distance of two miles for Rifled Guns and one mile for the old smooth bore Barbetts—To hit the Targets we have to fire over a volley where there is quite a village and if we dont shoot straight we should be in danger / of sending a shell on to someones dinner table. While firing a 10 inch Mortar the other day I came near getting blown up. After discharging it two or three times and when it was ready loaded to fire again the Gunner discovered a fracture (caused by a previous discharge) near the trunnions. Had the piece been fired it would have certainly burst scattering the fragments in every direction. I was commanding a detachment on a Parrott Gun not more than 10 paces from the mortar. Had the piece been discharged before the fracture was discovered probably this child with eight or ten comrades would have been seen journeying skyward some what after the manner of a “Shenkle Shell”. Did I ever tell you how that is? The Shenkle Shell is used in the Rodman Gun of various sizes. It is elongated and has a percussion fuse attached to it. The packing around the base intended to expand when the gun is discharged and fill the Grooves in the Rifle is composed of “Papier Mache” which becomes dry if the shells become old and fail to do their duty. It gives too much “Windage” and the shell instead of going straight and head first goes end over end making a very peculiar noise and striking very short of its mark. While firing one of these guns last Tuesday one of the shells went “upseting” and hit a brick barn near the house of a Mr Mason brother to the Slidell Mason. It exploded just as it struck the barn and the way the bricks flew was a caution to Secesh farmers. Mr Mason has a daughter too about 16 years old but / she is as homely as a Hedge fence. Looks & acts a good deal like Lydia Priedle—you ought to have seen her fly around when we knocked her barn to pieces. You can imagine what an “operation” it would cause if Lydia should have a shell burst and blow their back kitchen up. That’s the way this girl acted. She threatned to sweep the whole northern scum from the face of the earth. We have fired several shells that way since then but I have not been “Swept” yet. When I do I will let you know.

 

            Last week we were afflicted by a visit from the paymaster. That of course makes us all happy. It does more good to pay the soldiers promptly than all the “patriotic” speeches that ever was or ever will be made.

 

            Write me again if you hav’n’t “dried up” and “blown away” (no danger of it I guess) for your letters do me a powerfull heap of good. Wish I had some of that sugar. Guess shall have to waite till next year though Dont forget to write me now.

 

                                                                                    Truly Yours

                                                                                                Grin Blake

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