CM II # 1
Fort Scott Va May 23d . 63
Dear Sir .
Today is the anniversary day of our enlistment and the boys are all rejoicing over the prospect of seeing home in a year. The fact is we are all sick of this garrison duty and I believe that if the men thought that they would have to stay in the Forts[?] if they enlisted for three months after their time of service expired that they would run away first. Well what shall we think of Gen Hooker. The man who thinks he is the only perfect Gen, neither too hot nor to[sic] cold, to hasty nor to slow. the proper medium between the digging McClellan and the daring Burnside. The befamer[‘defamer’?] of both these men, that he might fill their places. He has crossed the River with his Army as well prepared for a struggle as it could possibly have been and has retreated again with no better results than Burnside derived from his move; and without even the merit of going across on a plan of his own for Burnsides second plan which Hooker opposed while under him seems to be the same with Hookers. At anyrate[sic] some one is to blame for our repeated defeats in Virginia and I think old Hallecks shoulders are the best fitted for it of any mans.
Hooker proved as he has done time and again before that he is a brave man and upon the whole I think that if he had not rated[?] his own abilities so highly it would be every mans duty[page 1 ends] of all to be satisfied with his performance. But I do think that Government and the editors are playing a very foolish game trying the make the people believe that Hooker was not whiped[sic]. What good does it do to try to cover up these things? Last summer on the Peninsula[?] after the Rebels had been chasing us for seven days the Papers came out with a report of a change of base a masterly retreat &.c. and now Hooker has only crcrossed[?] for some reason which will be known hereafter which involves[?] death and destruction to the Rebs. We are having success in the Southwest to our hearts content. Grant whips the Rebs in three battles in as many days almost and still on the march for Vicksburg.1 Banks[ed note: not %100 sure if the Banks mentioned here is Nathaniel Banks] and Grant together have done more real good than[sic – ‘there’?] than the whole Army of the Potomac in the few weeks that they have marching[??] and fighting, and why? Simply because they are far enough away from W[crossed out/line ends] Washington to do as they wish without fear of having their[looks like ‘there’] orders countermanded.2 Burnside might have whiped[sic] the Rebs perhaps, but Gen’s Newton and Cochrane went to the President and talked[??] into a belief that Burnsides plan was not good.3 What a spectacle. An army in which the strife among the Gen’s is not to see which will do most to whip the Enemy, but to rise[?] a step higher by slandering their superiors, and what a[page ends] President Lincoln is to listen to them all. With all due respect for honest Abe he has not one particle of mind of his own but moves as he is moved without any regard to the right of the thing one way or the other. If he dont[sic] do something decent within a year and a half I hope he will be requested by the people to lead a private life . Then[?] Halleck dont[sic] want the North successful anyway because he is a Pro Slavery man and who cares for nothing so much as getting all Gens who may become his rivals out of the way. The best wish I have had for him for a long while was that he might be sunk in the bottom of the Atlantic. Nothing has gone right that he could make go wrong so far. Another thing in which Lincoln and his advisers show their wisdom is in[??] never doing as the Rebels have done even when it will insure success. The Rebels concentrate all their forces on points most liable to be taken[line ends] reinforce their Armies where the danger is most imminent, reinforce Lee and leave Richmond at our mercy for the time being and this policy makes them successful. President Lincoln keeps some[line ends] - where from 60 to 80,000 men around Washington and fails to reinforce McClellan and he is driven off the Peninsula fails to reinforce Hooker and make his Army equal to the Rebs and he comes back across[page ends] the Rapahanock[sic?] defeated and he[inserted above] must be still and wait six months longer before he can move. This idea of never risking any thing in this war on our side has been our trouble. Nothing risked nothing gained. I verily believe that the western Army will be the one to take Richmond yet if something is not done here and that quickly[?] Why a telegraphic Despatch[sic] has just been brought to the fort that Gen Grant has taken Haines Bluff.4 If that’s so Vicksburg is ours sure. The Potomac Army has fought as bravely and as well as the western Army. But one has Patriots to lead it and the other Office Seekers. We are still at Fort Scott and I would like the books as soon as you can send them. I wrote to Grannie[?] about it but her letter may not reach you. Bowey[‘Romey’?] always enquires about you and wishes sometimes that you had time to write to him. Gilliss[??] tells me that Henry[?] Gold is looking very bad and that they are afraid he will have the consumption I hope it’s a mistake. I hope you will enjoy your new style of school this summer. Johny is the same Johny of old Judea times and is turned neither to the right hand or to the left by the temptations which beset his path. Lew[?] is having a military Honeymoon with his Mary which is I suppose agreable to both parties. Please write soon[line ends]
Yours truly
Charles
Fort Scott Va May 23d . 63
Dear Sir .
Today is the anniversary day of our enlistment and the boys are all rejoicing over the prospect of seeing home in a year. The fact is we are all sick of this garrison duty and I believe that if the men thought that they would have to stay in the Forts[?] if they enlisted for three months after their time of service expired that they would run away first. Well what shall we think of Gen Hooker. The man who thinks he is the only perfect Gen, neither too hot nor to[sic] cold, to hasty nor to slow. the proper medium between the digging McClellan and the daring Burnside. The befamer[‘defamer’?] of both these men, that he might fill their places. He has crossed the River with his Army as well prepared for a struggle as it could possibly have been and has retreated again with no better results than Burnside derived from his move; and without even the merit of going across on a plan of his own for Burnsides second plan which Hooker opposed while under him seems to be the same with Hookers. At anyrate[sic] some one is to blame for our repeated defeats in Virginia and I think old Hallecks shoulders are the best fitted for it of any mans.
Hooker proved as he has done time and again before that he is a brave man and upon the whole I think that if he had not rated[?] his own abilities so highly it would be every mans duty[page 1 ends] of all to be satisfied with his performance. But I do think that Government and the editors are playing a very foolish game trying the make the people believe that Hooker was not whiped[sic]. What good does it do to try to cover up these things? Last summer on the Peninsula[?] after the Rebels had been chasing us for seven days the Papers came out with a report of a change of base a masterly retreat &.c. and now Hooker has only crcrossed[?] for some reason which will be known hereafter which involves[?] death and destruction to the Rebs. We are having success in the Southwest to our hearts content. Grant whips the Rebs in three battles in as many days almost and still on the march for Vicksburg.1 Banks[ed note: not %100 sure if the Banks mentioned here is Nathaniel Banks] and Grant together have done more real good than[sic – ‘there’?] than the whole Army of the Potomac in the few weeks that they have marching[??] and fighting, and why? Simply because they are far enough away from W[crossed out/line ends] Washington to do as they wish without fear of having their[looks like ‘there’] orders countermanded.2 Burnside might have whiped[sic] the Rebs perhaps, but Gen’s Newton and Cochrane went to the President and talked[??] into a belief that Burnsides plan was not good.3 What a spectacle. An army in which the strife among the Gen’s is not to see which will do most to whip the Enemy, but to rise[?] a step higher by slandering their superiors, and what a[page ends] President Lincoln is to listen to them all. With all due respect for honest Abe he has not one particle of mind of his own but moves as he is moved without any regard to the right of the thing one way or the other. If he dont[sic] do something decent within a year and a half I hope he will be requested by the people to lead a private life . Then[?] Halleck dont[sic] want the North successful anyway because he is a Pro Slavery man and who cares for nothing so much as getting all Gens who may become his rivals out of the way. The best wish I have had for him for a long while was that he might be sunk in the bottom of the Atlantic. Nothing has gone right that he could make go wrong so far. Another thing in which Lincoln and his advisers show their wisdom is in[??] never doing as the Rebels have done even when it will insure success. The Rebels concentrate all their forces on points most liable to be taken[line ends] reinforce their Armies where the danger is most imminent, reinforce Lee and leave Richmond at our mercy for the time being and this policy makes them successful. President Lincoln keeps some[line ends] - where from 60 to 80,000 men around Washington and fails to reinforce McClellan and he is driven off the Peninsula fails to reinforce Hooker and make his Army equal to the Rebs and he comes back across[page ends] the Rapahanock[sic?] defeated and he[inserted above] must be still and wait six months longer before he can move. This idea of never risking any thing in this war on our side has been our trouble. Nothing risked nothing gained. I verily believe that the western Army will be the one to take Richmond yet if something is not done here and that quickly[?] Why a telegraphic Despatch[sic] has just been brought to the fort that Gen Grant has taken Haines Bluff.4 If that’s so Vicksburg is ours sure. The Potomac Army has fought as bravely and as well as the western Army. But one has Patriots to lead it and the other Office Seekers. We are still at Fort Scott and I would like the books as soon as you can send them. I wrote to Grannie[?] about it but her letter may not reach you. Bowey[‘Romey’?] always enquires about you and wishes sometimes that you had time to write to him. Gilliss[??] tells me that Henry[?] Gold is looking very bad and that they are afraid he will have the consumption I hope it’s a mistake. I hope you will enjoy your new style of school this summer. Johny is the same Johny of old Judea times and is turned neither to the right hand or to the left by the temptations which beset his path. Lew[?] is having a military Honeymoon with his Mary which is I suppose agreable to both parties. Please write soon[line ends]
Yours truly
Charles
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