Charley

Mar. 24, '63

 

20^th Conn Vols

Stafford CH. V^a

March 24^th.63.

 

Dear Father,

                        Yours of the 16^th & 17^th inst are at hand. Thank you for the stamps. I will send them to you in installments of one. Got a nice letter from Lucy last night. She seems well and happy. Have heard nothing from Genl. Harland: from which I infer that his application has been forwarded to Washington, and not stopped at the headquarters of the army, in which event he would have written me, I think. I have all along been a little afraid that Col Ross would not like the move, and yesterday I spoke to him about it for the first time. He thought it over some time, and finally said he was glad on my account and would do all he could to help me. He sent me immediately to the telegraph office, to say / to the General that I accepted the appointment, and if he would send one copy of the order to me at this place I would meet him when and where he required. It is a rumor that the Ninth Corps has been ordered to Baltimore, there to find transportation to Kentucky! If such is the case, and I go with them, Good Bye to the North and East for a good while. On the whole I should not be sorry to exchange Virginia for Kentucky. George was last heard from at Columbus, and it wouldn't be very strange if I should come across him. What a shame that the name of Arms should be disgraced in such a way! I cant help believing that after all Geo. will think better of our cause, and return to his allegiance to the Government of his fathers. He is a noble fellow in many respects, and I am sure when the reaction comes, which certainly will come in the South, he will be found on the side with / those who confess their folly and submit to the powers that be. It seems that the Government at Washington is fearful of a raid into Kentucky, and that therefore Burnside is to take his old Corps out there. All this may be empty report, and I may see my first battle south of Richmond. It is still more likely that I shall see it at Fredericksburg, for we are soon to move on the enemy's works at that place, if the indications of battle were ever sure. Gen. Hooker reviewed our corps last week, and carried the whole of us by storm. I never heard of an instance where the mere sight of a man caused such a universal impression in his favor. All the field officers of the corps were invited to shake hands with him at Gen Slocum's Hd Qrs. after review, and he talked at some length with them. He said, "There are some people across yonder river who think we will hardly attempt to cross against them. They cannot please me / better than by continuing in that opinion. My men will all fight next time. One corps will not do the work while the rest look on. We shall defeat them terribly next time if the stay where they now are, and without any great disaster or loss of life on our side, too. So help me God, we will hurt those fellows more than they were ever hurt before". This is not bombast, for Joe doesn’t deal in the article. He has some great plan in his head, and the beauty is, none but he knows what that plan is. Col Ross said last night, "The Army of the Potomac will prove itself this Spring and Summer the most gloriously brilliant and successful army the world has ever known". We are all Hooker men, and I have not the remotest doubt of the success of his army when it moves. The roads are drying up, the troops being inspected, and inaction will soon give place to fighting. My next to Sallie, to whom I desire to be particularly remembered. Much love to all the rest, from your aff son Cha^s /

 

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I will write again as soon as I hear from Ned.

Take good care of the Col's visite. I prize it highly—

                                                                        C.

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