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Harpers Ferry, Md October 10th 1862 Dear Friends; Wrote to you last from Frederick City. We received orders to march the same day for Harpers Ferry. We started back to the city and got on a big train of wood cars and started at 6 pm, arrived at 10 pm. We marched up a big hill on the Maryland side of the river, laid down on the ground and slept till morning. We are encamped within a half mile of the late battleground of Harpers Ferry. There are a number of Rebel graves on our camp ground. There is one within three rods of my tent. There is a small board stuck in the ground with the name of John Knight, Dixie Artillery from Page Company Va. Killed September 15, 1862. We are within a half mile of Harpers Ferry. I went down the other day to see this famous town. Nearly all of the buildings are damaged and a good many are burned down. I saw the little engine house where John Brown was taken prisoner. I then went up on the opposite side of the river from the ferry. You can see the country for miles around. From here, as far as you can see are the tents of our army. In the fields around our camp are soldiers baggage, wagons, artillery, etc. I forgot to write in my last letter that we had to leave our knapsacks in Washington when we left for Frederick. Just before we got in the cars the regiment was ordered to throw off their knapsacks and take their blankets and overcoats. They were in such an almighty hurry that they would not give the men time to take anything out of them so hardly any of the men have a change of clothes. A good many of them left their money in the sacks but they didn't happen to catch me for I expected we would have to leave them. Before we left Arlington Heights I took everything I needed and put them in my pockets. As a result I have a clean shirt to put on which is more than the rest of them can say. They have promised to send them on to us if we stay here any length of time. We have been furnished with tents since we arrived here. Each man has a piece about 6 ft. square. Each piece is fixed so they can be buttoned together. Three men make a tent by buttoning two pieces together and stretching them over a stick about 6 feet long which is placed in two crotches about four and one half feet high. The sides are fastened down by wooden pegs The third piece is fastened at one end of the tent which leaves one end open. We get coffee, hard crackers, and smoked bacon for breakfast, salt beef, crackers and boiled beans for dinner, coffee, meat and crackers for supper. We also get boiled rice and molasses every third day for dinner. The meat is generally very good but this morning we got bacon that was full of maggots so we did not eat any bacon this morning. There are plenty of settlers around here so if you have any money you can get fresh bread, apple pies, etc. Enough to keep one full. My health has been first rate ever since we left home. I received the Standard and expect another tonight. Please write as often as you can and about everything you can think of. Write about how Ned, Nell and Rover and how all of my friends are doing. From your Loving, Oliver |
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