 |
|
|
|
|
Bolivar Heights, Pa. November 14,1862 Dear Parents, Mr. Fay and Mr. Hays arrived here last evening. Captain (J. Forman) Wilkinson received his box so I have my mittens etc. all safe. I am much obliged for everything you sent. Nothing would come amiss in this hellish country. I could buy nearly everything at Harpers Ferry but they charge three times what it is worth in Syracuse. They say General Geary has ordered large round tents with stoves in them. When they get them I will be sure that we will spend the winter here. Our regiment is in General Slocums corps, General Gearys Division and General Greens Brigade. I see the New York Herald gives an account of a big battle at Charleston, with a number of Rebs killed that day by our cannon. I wrote to you that we marched 25 miles. He said it was 28 so it seems that I didn't stretch at any. A report came in this morning that our pickets had a small skirmish last night so we may be ordered to drive them off. Our pickets are only a mile from our camp. Each company sends four men and a corporal. There are about five hundred sent out each day.. They are then posted around in the woods, with 5 or 6 men in a place about 25 rods apart. The Rebel pickets, all cavalry, generally keep scouting in the woods about a mile from our pickets and once in a while ride out in sight and take a look at us. When we went to Charleston the other day we scared them so they kept away for 2 or 3 days and they havn't came back to their old posts again. I was on picket Wednesday for 24 hours. I saw 3 Rebels ride up to a farmhouse about a half mile from us but we have orders not to fire unless they come into good shot range. We haven't got a drum or fife in the whole outfit. The drums all got broken and the only good fifer in the whole regiment died just before we got into Virginia. The rest of the musicians that havn't run away have gone into the ranks. The drummer for our company run away when we were in Pleasant Valley. He came from Pompey. We have good fare now. We have drawn fresh bread every morning for a week and if we are of a mind to pay 40 cents a pound for butter we can live quite high. Oliver |
|
|
