[margin]

The Dear Old Flag.

 

Headquarters of the 113^th Reg^t NYV.

            Fort Pennsylvania Oct 18^th 1862

Mr Livingston

 

            D. Sir

                        A few days ago Gilbert Keenholts came over to see me. he handed me a letter to read written by you. in that letter I saw my name, and also a request to write. It affords me great pleasure to write and I think it is a very profitable pass time but our time is so much occupied with drill, picket, and guard duty, that we have to make our letters short for we have a great many to write, and it is no easy matter to sit down here and write a letter when you are crowded so we do not have elbow room, and to have a half dozen or so looking over our shoulders making / remarks about our writing. you can imagine how it is, to sit down on the floor in Mr Croweses bar room, and write on a pail turned bottom side up when the house is crowded would be something like writing here in camp. It is hard work to get off many sublime thoughts under such circumstances If my friends will bear with my short and barren letters, and favor me with a few lines occasionally I will be thankful I feel very thankful for the privilege of writing to and hearing from my Friends. We have a mail regularly every day except Sundays We have Church privileges here our Chaplain preaches at 11 oclock each Sunday evening and Friday evenings on Wednesday evenings we have Bible class These meetings are very pleasant and beneficial / to those who want to serve God, and have an inheritance at Gods right hand in Heaven there is much wickedness here in camp from the reason that a great many are so near together and we are deprived of the society of woman. mans passions are unrestrained The Holy influence of woman and home are not exerted upon the Soldiers. But amidst all the wickedness and wicked there is a few who stand up for Jesus who are not afraid to confess their Saviour before men and declare for the good of others what the Lord has done for their souls

 

On the 3^rd ins^t I got a pass & went over the Potomac River four and a half miles the other side of Alexandria Va. out towards Manassas gap I went to see some friends who are on the 6^th NY Battery. I passed through Alexandria which would be quite a nice city if the blasting curse of slavery did not cast its / dark withering shadow upon it How vast the difference between the slave and Free States. The difference can be seen as soon as we cross the line between Pennsylvania and Delaware. I saw the house where the noble Ellsworth fell a victim to Southern treachery I did not have time to go in for my time was short. The place where I went to is fifteen miles from here and the time I had to be absent from camp was between the hours of 9 am and 5 pm. I had to stir myself for I had to walk most of the way. It was the hardest days work I have done since I left Dunnsville but I was amply repaid for my trouble and expense. I saw many things that interested me and I trod the “sacred soil” of the “old dominion.” war has left its mark there that time can never erase nearly every tree is cut down, nearly every hill has a fort or battery on the top of it, and surrounded with rifle pits & / trenches. the ground is dotted with little hillocks that mark the last resting place of some patriots who have sacrificed their lives on the Altar of Our Country If the soil of Virginia was sacred before the rebellion it is doubly so now for it has been baptized with the blood of heroes and patriots. I think the only part of it that was sacred was Mt Vernon the last resting place of all that is mortal of Washington the Father of Our Country. well I must stop the orders is for Co C to leave camp and go on picket—

 

Sunday Oct 19^th

Here we are on picket stationed about one mile from the fort on the road that leads to Pooleville Maryland. There is three / men on the post with me. we are on the first post nearest the fort we are near the line between the District of Columbia and Maryland. This is the sixth time I have been on picket. We are not in much danger The rebel army is a long distance from here & M^cClellan with his army is between us and the enemy. our business is to keep spies from entering our lines, to keep our own Soldiers from straggling and the sutlers and others from carrying liquor into the army, and if the rebels guerillas should happen to collect and make a dash this way why we are here to give the alarm. in answer to a question asked our Lieut Colonel the other day, What is the use of our going on picket, He said it was best to be vigilant, and watchful / and not let the enemy surprise us. Eternal vigilance is the price of Liberty—I forgot to tell you that we have a noon prayer meeting every day in addition to the meetings already mentioned—I am well I have had good health most of the time since I left Albany. I can not hardly realize that I am a Soldier but when I look around me I can not doubt it. I miss the soft and downy bed, and the delicious pies, cakes, and puddings. But I am willing to live without those things and eat the hardest crackers, and saltest meat, and sleep on the ground in the rain and mud as we have to do, to help put down rebellion. Give my respects to all my Friends who live near you, and write when you can if you consider these few disconnected lines worthy of notice /

 

Direct To—Co. C 113^th Reg^t NYVols.

                                                Washington, D.C.

 

For the present I will subscribe myself

            Truly Your Friend

                                    Stephen R Whitney

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