A 7264
Fort Scott VA Thursday Afternoon, Sept 18 th
Dear Friend
I received your kind letter about an hour ago and hasten to answer. Troops, mostly from the new Levy[?] are being hurried back across the River. The necessity for this arised from the expected retreat of the Rebels out of Maryland when it will be necessary to have the Forts well supported ready for an attack if they chose to make one from this direction. I am sorry the people are all so discouraged. Hardly any of the boys receive a letter that does not contain some allusions to the existing state of things speaking in despairing tones. We try to believe that it is all coming out right , and it pains us to learn that our friends at home whose opinions we respect have lost confidence in the Government and in our General. For one I feel that McClellan is a good and true man. A man of Great ability and although he may have eerd[?] as what man does not at times yet I believe his motives are good. And yet because his motives are[line ends] it is no reason why he should keep his position if a better man can be found to fill it. But Until such a man is found, for the sake of the men who have fought under him and found him good and true, for the sake of the cause in which all hearts are enlisted, let us support him by words of encouragement and sympathy [stain] and if we have curses[?] to bestow upon any man let them be upon Gen McDowel, the traitor to his Country, the man to whom we may be thankful for the failure of our Campaign upon the Peninsula, for the first as well as the second Reverse at bull Run. The man who has been able to do our cause more damage in the position he has held than he could have done as a General in the Confederate service. Have you read the statement of Col Brodhead[?] ? than whom no braver man[above line] could be found in our service. “I forfeit my life a victim to the ????? of Pope and the treason of McDowell.” Men from[above line] Old Regts who had fought with us upon the Peninsula, on their return from the battle at Centreville were unsparing in their denunciations of Gen McDowell and said they wanted McClellan back again.[page ends] What a feeling of confidence was restored in the troops in Maryland when they learned that they were to fight under McClellan & Burnside. Whatever his abilities may be his presence inspires the troops with an enthusiasm that is worth half an Army and is a prestige[sic?] of victory Let us hope that the right will triumph in the Lords good time and do our duty without complaint[line ends] If our Government the beacon of light for the oppressed and downtrodden everywhere, must go down let it go down with colors flying. But it must not, shall not go down while there is a man or a dollar left. I am sorry that you are unwell and hope that you will recover, for Judea cant do without you and I want to see you looking well and happy if I ever return (which letter[?] may be reckoned among the impropable[sic?] possibilities of the future)
The 15th 19th[crossed out] 20th[crossed out] 21st are in Camp near us and I see Gilbert every day. Gilbert is Sargt[Sergeant] in one of the flank[?] Companies of the Regt and knows more about drilling than the Capt and both Leuts[sic?][Lieutenant] put together, at anyrate[sic] he has to do all the drilling of the Company. We have heard of the 19th as far as Baltimore and are watching for them this side of the River every day. [page ends]
How I should like to see the boys I know right from home and especialy that “hateful Crumlet[?]” I hope Enos will play his part as soldier as well as he did his part in the Old Seminary. I wish you would keep track of Johny Logan and if he comes to W. write to me so that I can see him. I have seen Mr. Beechers account of a Sabath spent in Washington. I think it is a very just description of the place. That marriage must have been quite an affair. An era in the lives of that young couple, long to be remembered.
Since I wrote the last sentence we have been very busy shaking hands and joking with Adjutent Den?ing who unexpectedly rode up to the gate of the Fort. So you see the 19th has arrived. They are in Alexandria and I expect our Company will all run away to see them for we know about half the men in the Regt. I am going down to see them as soon as they get in Camp and will write and tell you how the boys look. I than you for your good Advice and will try to profit by it. A word in season from friends at home has often done me[‘one’?] a great deal of good. It is hard at times to resist the temptations surrounding us but I mean to do my duty to the best of my ability. Tell Dan that I am going to write to him tomorrow** and will answer all his questions and tell him lots of interesting things.
Yours Affectionately
Charley
Fort Scott VA Thursday Afternoon, Sept 18 th
Dear Friend
I received your kind letter about an hour ago and hasten to answer. Troops, mostly from the new Levy[?] are being hurried back across the River. The necessity for this arised from the expected retreat of the Rebels out of Maryland when it will be necessary to have the Forts well supported ready for an attack if they chose to make one from this direction. I am sorry the people are all so discouraged. Hardly any of the boys receive a letter that does not contain some allusions to the existing state of things speaking in despairing tones. We try to believe that it is all coming out right , and it pains us to learn that our friends at home whose opinions we respect have lost confidence in the Government and in our General. For one I feel that McClellan is a good and true man. A man of Great ability and although he may have eerd[?] as what man does not at times yet I believe his motives are good. And yet because his motives are[line ends] it is no reason why he should keep his position if a better man can be found to fill it. But Until such a man is found, for the sake of the men who have fought under him and found him good and true, for the sake of the cause in which all hearts are enlisted, let us support him by words of encouragement and sympathy [stain] and if we have curses[?] to bestow upon any man let them be upon Gen McDowel, the traitor to his Country, the man to whom we may be thankful for the failure of our Campaign upon the Peninsula, for the first as well as the second Reverse at bull Run. The man who has been able to do our cause more damage in the position he has held than he could have done as a General in the Confederate service. Have you read the statement of Col Brodhead[?] ? than whom no braver man[above line] could be found in our service. “I forfeit my life a victim to the ????? of Pope and the treason of McDowell.” Men from[above line] Old Regts who had fought with us upon the Peninsula, on their return from the battle at Centreville were unsparing in their denunciations of Gen McDowell and said they wanted McClellan back again.[page ends] What a feeling of confidence was restored in the troops in Maryland when they learned that they were to fight under McClellan & Burnside. Whatever his abilities may be his presence inspires the troops with an enthusiasm that is worth half an Army and is a prestige[sic?] of victory Let us hope that the right will triumph in the Lords good time and do our duty without complaint[line ends] If our Government the beacon of light for the oppressed and downtrodden everywhere, must go down let it go down with colors flying. But it must not, shall not go down while there is a man or a dollar left. I am sorry that you are unwell and hope that you will recover, for Judea cant do without you and I want to see you looking well and happy if I ever return (which letter[?] may be reckoned among the impropable[sic?] possibilities of the future)
The 15th 19th[crossed out] 20th[crossed out] 21st are in Camp near us and I see Gilbert every day. Gilbert is Sargt[Sergeant] in one of the flank[?] Companies of the Regt and knows more about drilling than the Capt and both Leuts[sic?][Lieutenant] put together, at anyrate[sic] he has to do all the drilling of the Company. We have heard of the 19th as far as Baltimore and are watching for them this side of the River every day. [page ends]
How I should like to see the boys I know right from home and especialy that “hateful Crumlet[?]” I hope Enos will play his part as soldier as well as he did his part in the Old Seminary. I wish you would keep track of Johny Logan and if he comes to W. write to me so that I can see him. I have seen Mr. Beechers account of a Sabath spent in Washington. I think it is a very just description of the place. That marriage must have been quite an affair. An era in the lives of that young couple, long to be remembered.
Since I wrote the last sentence we have been very busy shaking hands and joking with Adjutent Den?ing who unexpectedly rode up to the gate of the Fort. So you see the 19th has arrived. They are in Alexandria and I expect our Company will all run away to see them for we know about half the men in the Regt. I am going down to see them as soon as they get in Camp and will write and tell you how the boys look. I than you for your good Advice and will try to profit by it. A word in season from friends at home has often done me[‘one’?] a great deal of good. It is hard at times to resist the temptations surrounding us but I mean to do my duty to the best of my ability. Tell Dan that I am going to write to him tomorrow** and will answer all his questions and tell him lots of interesting things.
Yours Affectionately
Charley
HTML Comment Box is loading comments...