Camp 40^th Regt. N.Y.V.

Sept. 9^th 1862

 

My Dear Brother James

                                                                                                                        We were glad to hear from you yesterday of dates Aug 31^st & Sept 1^st and rejoice that God is still bestowing his blessings upon you. We in this life are subject to constant changes and disappointments and I think I can say I have shared very largely in them for the last few weeks. You will remember how much we were tried whilst upon the paninsula and our Regt was called upon to take part in six different engagements and it was the privilege of Wilson and myself to be in all of them. besides the heavy Marches and lots of fatigue duty, and dangerous Picket Duty, wherever our Regt. has been ordered I have been with them. On the fifteenth of Aug. we were ordered to leave Harrison Landing for some / other place. We fondly hoped for some post where we woud find rest, for we all felt that we had done our share of the great work. for a time at least, our numbers had been sadly decimated, and we were but a small number. But time told us how false where our hopes, for as soon as our feet had tread upon the walks of Alexandria we were ordered forward to reinforce Gen. Pope, and instead of rest, we found it was daily work of danger. We have been in three different Battles since our arrival on the 22^nd. We were the ones to open the engagement on the 27^th inst. near Bristol Station, and we were also in the great fight at Bull Run on the 29^th and 30^th inst, and also on Sept. 1^st upon the Fairfax road at which time we lost our esteemed General Kearney. And still Wilson and myself are numbered among the unharmed. dear Brother why is it that we should / be so abundantly blest, when there are thousands that fall around us. Why are we spared. We will ever praise him who is the sparrow's guardian, for we have reason to believe he careth for us. Our Lieut Colonel was captured and adjutant Hudson, together with four Companies. The men however have been released upon parole, but the officers have been retained as prisoners of war among them are our best officers. Capt. Lasson is one of them. A few days since those in authority over us thought fit to disband the Eighty Seventh Regt. on account of its numbers being so small, and its officers mustered out of service, but the enlisted men were to be tranfered to the 40^th Regt. N.Y.V. Mozart, or otherwise Fernando Woods Regt. Of course we all have to come in the Regt. as privates, and if they think fit they may make some non Commissioned off. This was a movement that took us some what by surprise, and caused us to feel somewhat chagrined. Our / indignant feelings caused us to offer some resistance for a time, to what we thought unfair and unjust mode of doing things. But it did not avail much we were compeled to submit by the force of arms. The consolidation was very much after this wise. Upon friday Sept. 5^th about four o'clock in the afternoon, word came for us to be ready for muster in one hour. We did not think strange of that for we always mustered once every two months and it was a little past time now. The time came and we were formed in line and taken out one side and those that had loads in their Rifles were ordered to fire them off, which was done, after which the form of muster was gone through with and we returned to our quarters. It was not long before orders to have three days ration in our havresack and hold ourselves in readiness for a march. Morning came and about seven o'clock the word was given to fall in. Immediately all kinds of rumors were afloat. Among the most prominent was one that we were about to be consolidated in to the fourtieth Mozart. But of course we would not believe it at first. Soon however the rumor began to be substantiated by good testimony. the men were raving and we were about one hour forming the line. All hands swore they would not submit. About / nine o'clock the command forward was given and we marched over to Birneys Brigade of which the fourtieth is a part and found the fourtieth formed in line of Battle. We marched right up in front of them and halted facing one another about ten paces apart. We were ordered to order Arms and parade rest. The 40^th were at shoulder arms and fixed Bayonets. The Colonel of the 37^th Regt. N.Y.V. was charged with the execution of the order. He read the order to us, of disbanding the 87^th Regt. and the transfer of the men to the 40^th. When the Colonel gave the order for Co. A. to step two paces to the front all the men in our line told them to stand fast. Col. of the 40^th immediately gave the order to load at will, load. to his regt. And there was not half of his men obeyed the order. notwithstanding he gave the order some half dozen times. A great many put nothing but powder in their pieces and threw the ball away. others would not put anything in but only go through the motions of loading. Co. A. / seeing this demonstration faltered from their purpose and walked over to the other side. there was only four or five of them. Co. C was the next Co. the Colonel came to our front and commanded shoulder arms. Some three or four obeyed the order but the rest did not stir. the order was repeated and those that had come to a shoulder now came to an order. He then ordered us to march two paces to the front and not a man moved. The Col. was about as mad as we were. He repeated the order several times, and tried to reason with us but of no avail. He reread the order to us, and then ordered us again to the front. Not a man moved. He then said he would have to be under the necessity of firing upon us. He told those in front of us and those in the rear of us to stand one side, and called for Company C of the 40^th Regt. who marched down directly to our front halting and facing us. We thought indeed our appointed hour was at hand. The order was again given / for us to advance to the front but still not a man moved, but kept joking with those in our front with remarks to be sure to aim low, and the like. We were then summoned out as our names were called with a gaurd on either side, and we presumed we were going to the stake for execution but after our Company were all taken out man by man we were marched to our new quarters instead of the post of execution. And so they managed it with every Co. I think this one of the most outrages things that has transpired since the war. I am sure after such treatment on the part of the government the Eighty Seventh Regt. feel very little like fighting for its maintenance. Take for an example my own position. You are aware of the favorable conditions of my enlistment, and how I have distinguished myself upon nine different Battlefields, and my alone commanding our Company for nearly three months. And the Col. Commanding seeing my merritt had an unworthy officer removed in order to make room for me, and recommended / me for promotion to Gen. M^cClellan and gave me the nomination to Gov. Morgan for a Lieutenancy. And because my papers with the commission has not yet come I must submit to be consolidated into another Regt. with strange Officers, as a private in the ranks. I am now like a new recruit in the eyes of the officers I ask is there a word of justice in it? The Lieut Com. our present Co. has offered to make room for me as a Sergeant, but I told him he need not do anything of the kind as a Sergeancy was played out I would rather serve as a private in the ranks. The Officers that might do something for me are now prisoners in Richmond, and my case is a hopeless one unless some one should spring up in N.Y. and influence the Gov. in my behalf. But I have made this story already too long I expected to have written about other things but my time and paper is full. Wilson and myself are quite well but rather low in spirrits. Tell Garret not to go to the war if he can stay at home, and above all not to go with an Infantry Regt. The Navy is prefferable. Those receipts are not worth much if anything. I shall endeavor to get to Alex. some time and see about getting the value and sending to you. The boxes are not worth sending for as they contain our old clothes. Write when convenient. Our love to all our friends especially yourself. Your Aff. Brother

                                                                                                Jonathan Sproul

Co. C. 40^th Regt. N.Y.V. Birneys Division Hookers Corps.

 

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We are still at Spring Hill, Hunters Creek, near Alexandria.

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