Uptons Hill Va May 8 1863.

 

My Dear Mary

                        You will see by the above date that we have left our old quarters at Fort Lyon probably not to return. We started very suddenly on Saturday night May 5 about 11 o'clock arriving here at 4 oclock Sunday morning. It was a beautiful night to march the moon shining bright as day and the air just cool enough for comfort. We are encamped about three fourths of a mile from the village of Falls Church in a very pleasant place. This is the same Hill on which Gen McClellan attempted to capture the 8000 rebs but found that they had given him the slip—some year & half ago.

 

            Falls Church was settled mostly by New England people which accounts for the many pretty Girls there. I / was down through there the other day and I assure you it was quite a sight for me to see a decent village in Virginia. True some of the fair damsels had an awful scowl on their faces as we passed them but most of them looked pleasant enough—

 

            There is a brick church in the village which was built in 1735. The bricks were brought from Holland. The inhabitants claim that Gen Washington was married in this church but I have an impression that it is a mistake. I was thinking that he was married where he got his wife, down on the penninsular. You know more about it than I. How was it?

 

            You have probably heard of the Battles on the Rappahannock the past few days and to wind up with Hookers retreat. Many of the soldiers as well as the people feel very much / depressed by these news but I am inclined to look at it otherwise. Before this reaches you you will hear that Gen Hooker has again crossed the river and given the enemy battle when they least expect it. Now you see if I am a good Prophet. If my predictions prove true I will tell you my reasons for making the above assertion but if I am mistaken (as all are liable to be) we will let it go so.

 

            I see several names of the wounded in Company E 2^d Vt. but none with whom I am personally acquainted. The Vermont Brigade done nobly. I am proud of the Old "Green Mountain Boys".

 

            The papers say that Gen Heintzleman's Corps of 30.000 men have gone from here to reinforce Hooker. I dont know whether it is so or not but think that it is a mistake for this regiment belongs to the 22^d Army Corps (Heintzlemans) and I am very sure that we are not on / the Rappahannock yet. We received marching orders Wednesday and have been ready to march at a moments notice with three days cooked rations. If Hooker needs reinforcements we shall have to go. We are expecting Stuarts Cavalry every day as they have not been heard from for over a week. They are up to some deviltry somewhere. We have Pickets out in every direction ready for him. Tuesday night I had an occasion to visit the ouposts and had quite a time of it. It was as dark as Egypt (How dark is that?). The posts were formed in a circle around the front of the Regiment at a distance of about 2 miles. Place your hand on the table fingers extended and spread. Call the hand Uptons Hill and the Picket posts at the extremities of the fingers about half a mile apart and you have a very / good illustration of our position. After wandering around two or three hours falling into a swamp and getting covered with mud and then into a creek (to wash it off) I had found all the Pickets except one post and found "all right". I then started off through the woods to find the remaining Post in an eastily direction. I had to keep a sharp look out for our men had instructions to shoot everything of a suspicious character and if I came upon them suddenly and frighten them I should undoubtedly get a minnie ball through me. It was so dark I could not see anything and after creeping carefully allong about a mile occasionally halting, as an old stump would present itself and look very much with like a soldier standing at a charge tumbling into all sorts of holes and ditches and scratching my skin all off my bones I came to a big log over which I thought I surely / saw one of our pickets. Not knowing but it might be a Secesh I crept along very carefully and as I stepped over the log I put my foot on a partridge. Up flew the "bird" close to my face with Whiz-z-z which came near frightening the life out of me. of course I jumped back (my first idea being that it was a shell) and over the log I went backwards bringing my head in very close contact with a stone. I picked myself up and finding there was no bones broken seated my self on the log to collect my senses which were scattered in all directions. My patriotism was two or three degrees below zero I assure you and I fear that I used some very hard words about this war and picket duty in particular. I could hear a thunder storm coming up so I waited for it to enable me to see my compass by the lightning as my matches were wet by the duck I got in the swamp. By the flashes of lightning I could see my compass and which / way to steer. I came out on the Hampshire & Hampden Railroad between Uptons Station Station and Falls Church and arrived in camp about one oclock.

 

            I guess that picket post is still without its orders and it will be for some time if they wait for me to go that road again in the night.

 

            I experienced no ill effects from my exposure however and am now as patriotic as ever.

 

            I have been expecting a letter from you this week but haven't seen it yet. If I dont get it soon you will have a thrashing in store when I get home. Is it against the law to punish a "School Marm" in Vermont now?

 

            I hope to write you soon from the Rappahannock. Let me hear from you soon please for you dont know how anxiously I await your letter My dear

 

                                                            Yours affy

                                                                        Grin

 

            Please excuse this very crooked letter. My candle burns low tonight & I can't see the lines. Good night

                                    G—

SOURCES