No. 1. Group of officers of the Eighth U. S. Infantry at General McClellan's headquar- we then would have a group of the "We were inspected October 7 by Colonel A. S. Webb, inspectorgeneral on General Porter's staff. Line was formed in four and one half minutes." claimed the ground; so we went back to quarters to await further orders. Had our usual squad and company drili. Battalion drill was had in the afternoon, and dress parade. Just at sunset one of the batteries fired a few shots over the river, but received no reply." "October 10. "Drilled in the forenoon. Commenced to rain towards night. No dress parade. In the afternoon a sutler came into camp with bread to sell. Not being able to deal it out fast enough, and charging exorbitant rates, Colonel Barnes confiscated the entire lot. October II and 12. Cold and rainy." The brothers, Walter and, Bob now say: "Sunday, October 12, 1862. "To-day has been a day of rest for me, and I cannot let it close without writing for once a short letter home. I have had a good quality of food today, and that has seemed to content me, for my stomach has been at ease, and not continually yearning for a fulness scarcely ever satisfied in this barren land. I have had a plate of baked beans for breakfast, and some soup made of the water in which our meat was boiled, and rice, beef, pepper, etc., boiled in with the mess for dinner. Very rich living that! The surgeon came to our company, and said that we must have food of that kind, or else we would all die, so our cook (Hazen Clements), pitched in and got up this savory dish. I have been to meeting twice in the open air, and heard very fine addresses delivered by Pennsylvania and Michigan chaplains; it was a rich this old yellow corn in an old iron pan; it tasted good, and most of it reminded me of the leavings at home the old maids' in the bottom of the dish. They tasted even better than those at home, for Bob cooked them in pork fat and let them do brown and crispy. I got hold of some fresh bread and gingerbread that some of our boys cleaned out of a transient sutler, who had no license, and that went good between us. They do the same with every one who comes along, and declare they will continue to do so, until Uncle Sam comes along with his iron box. The boys are expecting him daily; we recruits will not get a cent, as they left us out when the regiment was mustered. "We still continue in our daily duties of picket and camp guard, some drilling, fatigue duty for shoulder straps, company police duty, cleaning up street, inspections, dress parade, etc. Still there are many idle hours, and I try to improve them by writing to you at home, reading books, and other avocations. I often am ambitious enough to take my tactics,' and study it, but I find the finer senses of understanding are dulled by the influences around me, and it affects the mental powers, I do verily believe, as it does the physical. . Bob and I got a pass Saturday, and started for McClellan's headquarters to see Gene. We started in high glee, in bright anticipations of a pleasant visit and a good time, for we had worked hard for the pass, and three officers' names had to be affixed before we could start. No. 2. Residence of Mrs. Lee in "Pleasant Valley," near Knoxville, Md. This house was General McClellan's headquarters during most of October, 1862, after the Battle of Antietam, and it was where Mrs. McClellan visited him. Two of the officers in the group were on General Burnside's staff, and the other on General McClellan's. It was intended that General McClellan should make one of the group; but a cavalry reconnoissance had gone across the river, and heavy firing was heard just then, which drew him away. It was near this house that our brother, then acting quartermaster of the five companies of the Eighth U. S. Infantry, was in camp. Beginning at the left, as one faces it, and No. 1, servant. No. 2. Dr. McClellan, brother of General McClellan (?). 3. Mrs. Gen. George B. McClellan (née Ellen Marcy). 4. Capt. George R. Fearing (General Burnside's staff). 5. Mrs. Lee. 6. Capt. D. C. Pell (General Burnside's staff) (?). 7. Unknown lady. 8. Col. E. McK. Hudson (General McClellan's staff) (?) come I celebrated this morn by getting a breakfast with another young man of H. at a farm-house. I paid fifty cents for the two of us, and it was a decent meal. We had bread and poor butter, middling coffee, stewed mutton, cold ham, and some Stewart's syrup; the first time I have sat down to a morning repast for a month and a half. I have not even sat down in a chair, the ground being the resting place for my sore limbs. and racked hips. I saw something of the mode of living in this heathen country by this transitory repast. The old woman sat at the head of the table in a high-backed chair, cane seat, and the legs were up from the floor, and she leaning towards the table, and when eating, one of her elbows was continually on; when she replenished the bread plate (the "When we got there we found no headquarters, and Little Mac' had flown to Harper's Ferry with the provost guard, Gene and all. Wasn't that a disappointment? We had to back without seeing him. There are rumors in camp to-day that we leave for Washington in less than a week to take up our winter quarters. There are many other reports, but I never give credence to them, and scarcely ever repeat them. The 'secesh' prisoners near us say that if it was not for the last proclamation the trouble would have been settled this winter. A pretty dodge that! How artful in them! I have slept well the last two nights under a blanket. Do not be too anxious. I shall soon manage to be all right. It is growing terribly cold, and the leaves are falling. "Thursday morning, October 16, loaf lying beside her), she would 1862, my birthday. On reserve picket above Shepardstown, Md.? the loaf, and then turning it around (Va.) seize her knife and gouge out half would repeat the operation. Such Every one of the family used their own knife for butter and syrup, and it made no difference whether it came from the mouth or not; into the plates of butter and syrup it would go. Down came the children, one by one, hair uncombed, faces dirty, and they pitched in 'lemons,' their noses receiving the application of their fingers for want of rags, though there were plenty of them on the poor urchins. My hair was uncombed, but it was because I could n't comb it, it being too short as yet. This is the way they live; is n't it horrid? While I write our cavalry are crossing the river, and the head of the column is at Shepardstown. The rebel pickets are firing, skedaddling as they run. All the brigades are under arms to-night, except ours (which is on picket), and the whole army was crossing last night. I can hear the booming of cannon, and everything betokens a fight; what our army does must be done now, for in a month the roads will be impassable, and the winter season will usher in winter quarters for the men. We may now cross as soon as we are relieved." NOTE. The foregoing movement of troops proved to be a reconnoissance in force in the direction of Charlestown, Bunker Hill, and Winchester, by Generals Hancock and Humphreys. "Griffin's and Butterfield's brigades of our division have gone over, and Martindale's will follow, very likely. Bob is back at camp, and I only hope he will get a mail. I wish Father would send me a paper with a detailed account of the review,' by President Lincoln, if he can get it. I saw a paper for the first time during the week, and I was surprised to learn of the two Union victories at Corinth and Perryville, and how I hope the latter was followed up. The cavalry raid by the rebel Stuart is a disgrace to our army, and I hope it will teach us a lesson. Captain (Thompson) has resigned, but it will not be accepted, and he is expected back from W. He has been there long enough, his furlough having long since run out. . . . We have an inspection of ourselves every day in camp, to prevent our bodily enemies coming the flank movement on us; you may start at the word lice, in the peaceful, cleanly cottage in Bradford; so did I, at first, but now it is our family conversation here, while armies of them invade our borders. I am not troubled much, but some of the boys are. It is perfectly horrid, and too disgusting to us, but we have to come to it on account of others. I have to be plain on such a subject. but I shall not broach it often. I am quite well now, except a hoarseness in my throat. My voice for singing has been gone for some time. I don't know when I shall get over it. It is a cold, raw day, and the wind blows just as it does at home these fall days. I hear the rustling of the corn, and the leaves falling from the trees. I long to get back to camp; we have been out two days, and to-night sees us through. I have got to stand extra to-night, one of our number being sick; there are fewer on post; one sick, and one a corporal, leaving myself and Craig (a lad from Boston), to stand guard. the twelve hours of the night. I guess I can stand it. How often do I think of you all, and many things besides, during the long hours of the night guard, especially when on picket." |