CAMP TENNALLYTOWN, D.C.
SEPT 15TH, 1861
DEAR WIFE – ACCORDING TO PROMISE, I WRITE YOU AGAIN, TO LET YOU KNOW THAT I AM WELL, AND ENJOYING MYSELF. I WRITE THIS BEAUTIFUL MORNING UPON THE BANKS OF ROCK CREEK, A PRETTY LITTLE STREAM, ABOUT A MILE FROM OUR CAMP, WHERE A SQUAD OF US HAVE BEEN BATHING NEAR A STONE MILL, BUILT IN 1801. I AM SITTING IN A LITTLE GIRL’S PLAY HOUSE, AND THE FRAGMENTS OF CUPS, SAUCES ETC., APPEAL STRONGLY TO MY FEELINGS AS A FATHER, AND I FEEL ASL ITTLE LIKE A SOLDIER AS THE MOST PEACE – LOVING OF MY DEMOCRATIC FRIENDS, IN MERCER COULD WISH. SO FAR I ENJOY CAMP LIFE PERFECTLY. MY APPETITE IS REALLY VORACIOUS,AND I HAVE TO RESTRAINT, FOR FEARMY DIGESTIVE ORGANS HAVE NOT ACQUIRED THE SAME VIGOR MY APPETITE HAS. OUR FARE IS VERY GOOD, AND EXCEPT THE ITEMOF BUTTER, LEAVES NOTHING TO WISH FOR. WE HAVE GOOD BREAD, BEEF-STEAK, HAM, COFFEE, TEA, SUGAR, VEGETABLES, AND ANYTHING ALMOST WE WANT. I AM IN THE OFFICERS‘ MESS. AND HAVE SOME FEW EXTRAS THAT THE MEN DO NOT COMMONLY HAVE. I HAVE BUT LITTLE TO AS YET, THE BAND NOT BEING FULLY ORGANIZED. MY PART WILL ALWAYS BE AN EASY ONE. OUR CAMP IS ABOUT THREE MILES FROM THE CHAIN BRIDGE, PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT POINT IN OUR LINE OF DEFENSES. THERE ARE PICKET SKIRMISHES ALMOST DAILY, ACROSS THE RIVER SOME SIX OR SEVEN MILES FROM THE BRIDGE. ALL THE AVAILABLE INFORMATION WE GET IN REFERENCE TO THE MOVEMENT OF EITHER ARMY, IS FROM THE NEWSPAPERS. WE CAN SEE THE BALLOON EVERY DAY FROM WHICH OUR RECONNOISANCES ARE MADE. A TELEGRAPH WIRE CONVEYS TO THOSE BELOW WHATEVER INFORMATION IS GAINED FROM THE VIEW. THE BALLOON STAYS UP ABOUT FIFTEEN MINUTES AT A TIME. IT IS THE UNIVERSAL OPINION HERE THAT WASHINGTON IS NOW IMPREGNABLE. THE EBELS ARE SORELY WORRIED BY OUR NAVAL OPERATIONS, AND I BELIEVE BEAUREGARD WILL BE COMPELLED TO RISK A GENERAL ENGAGEMENT SOON, OR HIS ARMY WILL BE WEAKENED BY THE WITHDRAWAL OF TROOPS FOR COAST DEFENSES. OUR BOYS REALLY APPEAR TO BE ANXIOUS FOR THE FIGHT TO COME OFF, AND BELIEVE THEY WILL FIGHT WELL WHEN IT DOES COME. OUR CAMP IS NEAR THE CENTRE OF THE PENNSYLVANIA CAMPS, SO THAT WE ARE SURROUNDED BY VAST BODIES OF MEN. YOU NEED HAVE NO FEARS FOR ME. I HAVE NO SYMPTOMS OF EITHER COLD OR RHEUMATISM. WE HAVE PLENTY OF BED- CLOTHES AND I SLEEP VERY SOUNDLY. I GET UP AT REVEILLE, FRESH AND SOUND. ONLY FOR THINKING OF HOME AND THOSE THERE, I BELIEVE I COULD SAY I AM PERFECTLY HAPPY. I WANT YOU TO WRITE OFTEN. I HOPE YOU GET WHAT THINGS YOU NEED. YOU CAN SCARCELY IMAGINE HOW GLAD I AM TO ET RID OF THE VEXATION AND ANNOYANCE OF PUBLISHING THE
PAPER. MY MIND IS TOTALLY RELIEVED FROM BUSINESS CARES, AND IS JUST IN HUMOR FOR ENJOYING WHATEVER TURNS UP. THE MERCER BOYS ARE ALL SELL EXCEPT A FEEW CASES OF DIARRHEA . FRANK FILSON HAS BEEN IN THE HOSPITAL, WITH TYPHOID FEVER BUT IS NOW ON DUTY, LOOKING AND FEELING BETTER THAN EVER. I MUST NO GO TO CAMP FOR DINNER. WE HAVE TWO LITTLE [CONTRABAND] WHO COOK FOR US, AND ATTEND TO THINGS IN GENERALLY. GIVE MY LOVE TO FATHERS FOLKS, KISS SAMMY FOR ME, TELL ELLIE AND WILLIE TO BE GOOD CHILDREN AND THAT I OFTEN THINK OF THEM, AND BELIEVE ME AS EVER
YOURS AFFECTIONATELY
TOM
P.S. I FIND THE MAIL WILL NOT GO TILL MORNING, AND WILL WRITE A LITTLE MORE . ON MY WAY HERE I SAW BUT LITTLE. WE CROSSED THE MOUNTAINS AT NIGHT, SO I SAW ONLY THE DIM OUTLINES OF THE GRAND SCENERY OF THE ALLEGHENIES. AT HARRISBURG E ERE A LONGTIME IN GETTING THROUGH THE CIRCUMULOCUTION OFFICE, SO THAT I SAW LITTLE OF THE LIONS OF HARRISBURG. IT WAS DUSK WHEN WE GOT TO BALTIMORE, SO THAT I ONLY SAW THE OUTLINES OF THE CITY, THE SHIPPING AND THE BAY. WE LEFT FOR WASHINGTON AT 4 O’CLOSK IN THE MORNING, AND REACHED THE FEDERAL CITY AT 7. MY PASSPORT TO TO THE PROVOST MARSHALL OF WASHINGTON INTIMATED THAT MYSELF AND THE RECRUITS UNDER MY CHARGE WERE TO BE FORWARDED TO CAMP TENNALLYTOWN DIRECT, AND UNDER THE RIGID DISCIPLINE NOW ENFORCED IN ALL THESE PARTS, WE COULD NOT DELAY AN HOUR. THEREFORE ANY TRIP WAS BARREN OF INCIDENT OR PLEASURE. WE ARE FIVE MILES FROM WASHINGTON, BUT NO ONE – NOT EVEN COL. McCALMONT – CAN GO TO THE THE CITY WITHOUT A PASS SIGNED BY GENERAL McCALL. THIS IS STRICT DISCIPLINE, BUT IT IS THE MAKING OF A GOOD ARMY, AND I AM PLEASED TO SEE IT. AS FOR GETTING HOME ON FURLOUGH I SEE NO POSSIBILITY NOW. A CHANGE IN THE SITUATION OF AFFAIRS MUST SOON TAKE PLACE, AND IF IT IS AT ALL POSSIBLE, I WILL GET HOME BY CHRISTMAS. I GOT THE MUSIC BOOK YESTERDAY.
TOM
