Picket post on Potomac River

                                                                                    at the Mouth of the Monocacy River

                                                                                                40^th Regt. N.Y.V.

                                                                                                            Sept. Sunday 21^st

 

My Dear Bro. James

                                    Your letter found us safe and sound near the Mouth of the Monocacy River, And glad indeed we were to hear from you, and learn that you were still well. Dear James the spirit of your last letter pleased me beyond measure, and glad I am that you have become interested in the New Church organisation, and more so because they have to endure trial. When your sympathies are drawn after such, and you are constrained to lend your influence and your Mite in aid of such, I have no fear of your growing cold and indifferent in the Masters Cause, or the future well being of that which is immortal. I thank God and take courage. Your advice in regard to my disappointments are timely and worthy of my earnest consideration. Surely adversities and disappointments when / sanctified are sweet to the confiding soul. Ah, James, if it were not for the grace of God I do not know what I should have done since I have been at the seat of war. For surely it is all of grace that I have been enabled to face the enemy time after time, and tis all of Gods Mercy that I live to tell it. Oh how precious are the promises of God when in the midst of dangers. When the missles of death flew thick and fast and mortality giving place that which is immortal, then with a richer fulness than I have ever before realized, have I listened to the still small voice, saying I am with you, I will help thee, yea, I will remember you, Let dangers come, as they will, yet I will trust thee, oh, My God, has ever been my response. And then when the sound of cannon and musketry is hushed and the stillness of darkness covers the earth, how inspirriting to bow the knee in prayer and raise the heart in thanksgiving to him who is the sparrows Gaurdian / Surely the Lord is good. Never have I learned to prize the Religion of Christ so much as I have since I have been so severely tried. I never care to witness the horrors of the Battle field again. I have wondered why God should allow men to mutilate one another by thousands in the way its done upon the fields in this Christian land. But the wickedness of the people is great. And if we should receive our just deserts we would all be obliterated from the face of the earth. May God save us is my prayer and I am convinced that this horrible war will not cease until God shall interfere, and bid the troubled waters be still. At the Second days Battle of Bull Run our Reg’t. had but seven men to representatives its name in the Battle. one of the six that followed me in to the Bloody field was a young man of more than ordinary intelectual accomplishments, and one of the professors of the religion of Christ. he had both of his feet taken off by a piece of a shell. The first words / that escaped his lips, was, “Tis the Lords doing I am resigned to his will” And whilst his limbs were being amputated, he would often make the remark, “Its all right” “Its all right” This is an example of what the religion of Christ will do upon severe occasions. The physitians ascribe his still being alive to his being so resigned, and the preservation of good spirrits whilst enduring the severest of bodily pain. Ah, the true deciples of Jesus know where to find comfort, when all human sympathy fails. Our hospitals present a most horrible picture for humanity to look upon. And I am thinking that the streets of our large cities will present a sad scene when this war shall be hushed by the wings of peace I hope we will be a wiser and better people. And trust more firmly in him who rules the destinies of Nations.

 

When you write again tell me how your Sunday school is getting along, and how you are interested in it. I alwas rejoice in the Sunday school work. There is nothing that tends so much to the souls spirritual growth, as laboring in this department of Gods vineyard. If we love we will work, and if we work it is proof that we love. /

 

I was down to Alexandria a few days since, and seen the man in charge of that Baggage left there last spring. He wants $2.25 for that valise I left with him. I told him I would write to you and have you send for it, as I did not have change enough at the time, which if you do I will be obliged. Mail that receipt for the valise (not the Boxes) and $2.25, together with instructions for him to send to you per Adams Ex. and they will be safely delivered to your store. A knapsack will be attached to the valise, which I left there a few days ago. The boxes I think I will leave with him as the things in them would not amount to as much as the storage came to. The whole thing was a misunderstanding on our part as we supposed the things were agoing to follow us in a few weeks never dreaming that we were to pay storage upon them, and consequently hurriedly packed up things we would have thrown away. That Box you sent was received / on the evening of the 15^th inst. We were glad to receive it, but sorry to find the things spoiled in it. I know we should have enjoyed most wonderfully if we had rec’d it in time. Those combs however was alright and just what we wanted. That Bottle of stuff that Garret sent I think will be good if we get it again. We packed it in a box together with that can we could not tell what, as the label was much disfigured, and left in the Quartermasters charge. I do not know as we shall ever receive it again or not we were ordered away that night in great hast and were compelled to leave them behind. Wilson and myself are quite well. We are now as you see not far from the Sugar Loaf Mountain along the potomac River. We are on picket along side of the aqueduct that crosses the Monocacy This is a splendid spot. And also this is the place where Jackson forded the River to get on Maryland soil. We are to prevent the Rebels from getting in M^cClellans rear. It is by President Lincolns / order that we are here. he told the General he wanted a good division here to protect the rear, Kearneys Division prefered. Big thing that for us. At all events we are satisfied if they will only let us remain here for a while. I am glad you are still busy in your business, but sorry to learn that you had unworthy help. I hope you will find better success in future. You did not write what Regiment William Stillwell was in in. if we ever come across him I should like to see him. I should like to get a furlough home now for a while right well I think I would enjoy things most wonderfully. Wilson seems to get along about as well as ever, but I think he is anxious now to see home again, but not any more so than myself. The Rebels just below here broke the canal and let all the water all out. I presume that was done to make a road in case they wanted to retreat in a hurry they would have a good road, and also the means of transportation by canal for our Army /

 

I hope Garret will be contented to stay home a while yet, as I think things are now at a crisis, and the questions will soon be told. Gen M^cClellan is in the field again and all will be well if they only let him alone. but all I fear is they will interfere again in his plans.

 

Maryland is much nicer place than Virginia. We see nice farms all the way along the route and it is a splendid looking country. The soldiers are not alowed to tear things to pieces so much as they did in Virginia. I have learned what it is to be hungry after fat pork now, I think I can eat it with any one now, and I fry my “hard tack” in pork fat and make them quite digestable. in fact they have to be as we can not get any thing else now.

Give my love to Kate, Caroline & Alice, Garret & Jane. And by no means forgetting yourself. Write soon                       From Your Brother                        Jonathan

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