CAMP TENNALLY DC
SEPT 19, 1861
DEAR RACHEL- A WEEK AGO TODAY I REACHED THIS PLACE, AND A WEEK’S EXPERIENCE OF CAMP LIFE HAS ONLY INCREASED MY BELIEF THAT IT FITS ME ADMIRABLY. THE WEATHER HAS BEEN TOLERABLY GOOD. WE HAVE HAD TWO SHOWERS- ONE OF THEM VERY HEAVY – SIINCE I CAME. IT DAMPENED THINGS CONSIDERABLE, BUT OUR TENT TURNED THE RAIN, ANDD A SMALL TRENCH ALL ROUND IT CONDUCTED THE THE RUNNING WATER AWAY FROM US, LEAVING US COMFORTABLE. WE LIE UPON THE GROUND, WITH A PIECE
OF OIL CLOTH, A QUILT AND A BLANKET OVER US. I SLEEP SOUNDLY – SO SOUNDLY THAT I DO NOT EVEN DREAM, AND WAKE IIN THE MORNING FRESHER THAN IF I SLEPT ON A SOFTER BED.
THE GENERAL ROUTINE OF CAMP LIFE IS VERY MONOTONOUS, AND HENCE IT IS THAT THE SOLDIERS GET TIRED OF STAYING IN ONE PLACE, AND HAIL, WITH UNMISTAKEABLE PLEASURE, ANY EVENT THAT BREAKS IN UP THE MONOTONY. OUR REGIMENT WENT OUT THIS EVENING TO DO PICKET DUTY ABOUT FOUR MILES FROM CAMP. THEY WILL BE GONE 24 HOURS.T HE BAND ESCORTED THEM AS FAR AS GEN. McCALL’S HEAD – QUARTERS. THE GENERAL CAME UPON US. AND ASKED US TO VISIT HIS QUARTERS TO ENTERTAIN SOME GUESTS OF DISTINCTION. WE DID SO, AND RECEIVED HIS THANKS
THE PENNA TROOPS ENCAMPED HEERE HAVE BEEN BRIGADED LATELY. THE 10TH ,12TH, 6TH AND 9TH REGIMENTS FORM THE THIRD BRIGADE, AND COL. McCALMONT ACTS AS BRIGADIER GENERAL UNTIL ONE IS APPOINTED. THE GENERAL IMPRESSION HERE IS THAT HE WILL BE PERMANENTLY APPOINTED, AND WHILE FOR HIS OWN SAKE I WOULD BE GLAD TO SEE IT, YET THE REGIMENT WOULD MISS HIM. THE 10TH IS THE BEST, MOST ORDERLY, AND ONE OF THE BEST DRILLED REGIMENTS IN THE FIELD. THERE IS NO QUARRELING OR FIGHTING IN IT. I HAVE BEEN TOLD, AND BELIEVE IT, THAT NOT A FIGHT IN WHICH BLOWS WERE EXCHANGED, HAS OCCURRED IN THE REGIMENT SINCE IT CAME HERE. EVERYTHING APPEARS HARMONIOUS, AND IT ADDS MUCH TO ITS EFFICIENCY. THERE IS NONE OF THAT OFFICIAL ARISTOCRACY THAT WE HEAR OF SO OFTEN. OFFICERS AND MEN, OFF PARADE, APPEAR TO BE ON PERFECTLY EQUAL FOOTING, AND YET THE FAMILIARITY DOES NOT APPEAR TO BREED CONTEMPT, FOR EVE RY ORDER IS OBEYED AND EVERY DUTY PERFORMED PROMPTLY, IF NOT CHEERFULLY, BY THEMEN. I HAVE MODIFIED, CONSIDERABLY MY IDEAS OF MILITARY LIFE, OF COURSE, THE REGULAR SERVICE IS DIFFERENT.
THE HEALTH OF THIS REGIMENT IS REMARKABLE. OUT OF UPWARDS OF 900 MEN, THERE ARE NOT HALF A DOZEN IN HOSPITAL. THE SAME RULE HOLDS GOOD WITH ALL THE REGIMENTS ABOUT WASHINGTON.
I HAVE NO BETTER MEANS OF KNOWING MOVEMENTS, PROBABLY OR ACTUAL, OF THE GREAT ARMY OF THE POTOMAC, THAN YOU HAVE, BUT MY BELIEF IS THAT OUR FORCES WILL MAKE NOI FORWARD MOVEMENT, UNTIL THE NAVAL EXPEDITIONS AGAINST THE SOUTHERN COAST SHALL HAVE DRAWN A LARGE PORTION OF BEAUREGARDE’S ARMY AWAY – FIR HOME DEFENSE. IT MAY BE, THAT BEFORE HE LETS MANY OF HIS TROOPS GO. HE WILL MAKE A DESPERATE ATTEMPT AGAINST OUR LINES. IF HE DOES, I AM SURE HE WILL FAIL. IT IS A MATTER OF MUCH SPECULATION AMONG OUR MEN WHERE WE WILL GET QUARTERED FOR THE WINTER, BUT WE HAVE NOTHING BUT SPECULATION FOR IT. IT WILL BE ACCORDING TO CIRCUMSTANCES.
NEW ARMS (RIFLED MUSKETS) HAVE COME INTO CAMP THIS EVENING, ENOUGH TO ARM FIVE COMPANIES. TWO COMPANIES ALREADY ARMED WITH IMPROVED GUNS, SO THAT ONLY THREE COMPANIES REMAIN WITH THE OLD MUSKETS, AND AS SOON S POSSIBLE THEY WILL BE REPLACED. THERE IS MUCH REJOICING OVER THE CHANGE.
I HAVE NOT YET GOT DOWN TO THE CITY, AND DO NOT KNOW WHEN I SHALL. I COULD GET OFF, BUT IT IS VERY DIFFICULT FOR EVEN AN OFFICER TO GET OUT OF CAMP. CAPT. WARNER’S WIFE AND CHILD ARE NOW LIVING IN GEORGETOWN, ONE OF THE SUBURBS OF WASHINGTON, BUT HE CAN ONLY GET TO SEE THEM OCCASIONALLY. PATROLS SCOUR ALL THE COUNTRY ABOUT HERE , SO THAT IF A MAN HAS A PASS, HE HAS TO SHOW IT OFTEN, THAT THEREI S NO FUN IN GETTING OUT OF CAMP. I UNDERSTAND THAT REV. GREEN IS BACK IN MERCER COUNTY, TRYING TO CONVINCE PEOPLE THAT HE IS AN INNOCENT MAN. THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT WHATEVER OF HIS GUILT. THE PROOFS AGAINST HIN WERE DIRECT AND POSITIVE, AND SUCH THAT HE CANNOT EXPLAIN AWAY. THE POSTMASTER AT WASHINGTON PUT DECOY LETTERS, CONTAINING MONEY, IINTO HIS MAIL BAG. WITNESSES SAW THEM OUT IN. YET NOT A TRACE OF THOSE LETTERS COULD BE FOUND UPON SEARCH AMOG HIS EFFECTS AN HOUR AFTERWARD. THIS IS ONLY ONEOF MANY PROOFS. HE WAS NOT TRIED, BUT DISCHARGED BY THE JUSTICE. NOT A MAN IN THE REGIMENT, HIGH OR LOW, DOUBT HIS GUILT.
THE MERCER BOYS ARE ALL WELL, EXCEPT A FEW WHO ARE TROUBLED WITH DIARRHEA, YET ARE STILL ABLE TO DO DUTY. THE BOX OF THINGS FOR CAPT. WARNER’S COMPANY, THAT STARTED FROM MERCER ABOUT THE 1ST OF AUGUST, ONLY GOT HERE THREE DAYS AGO. THE BUTTER WSAS TOLERABLY GOOD, AS WAS THE CHESSE, BUT MOST OF THE BOTTLED FRUITS HAD SPOILED. BUTTER IS A GREAT TREAT, AND THE TWO KEGS IN THE BOX ARE DISAPPEARING RAPIDLY. WE CAN GET BUTTER HERE, BUT WE MUST PAY 31 CENTS A POUND FOR IT. WE GET MILK FOR OUR COFFEE FOR 5 CENTS A PINT.
I HAVE BEEN ANXIOUSLY EXPECTING A LETTER FROM HOME, BUT PROBABLY IT IS TOO SOON YET. I CONFIDENTLY EXPECT ONE TOMORROW.
TATTOO HAS BEAT AND I MUST CLOSE. WRITE ME AS LONG LETTERS AS YOU CAN, AND TELL ME ALL THE NEWS. GIVE MY LOVE TO FATHER AND MOTHER, ELLEN, MARY, WILLIE AND ALL OUR FRIENDS. KISS WILLIE, ELLIE, AND DEAR LITTLE SAMMY FOR ME, AND BELIEVE ME, MOST AFFECTIONATELY, YOUR OWN
TOM
P.S. IF ANY BOYS INQUIRE OF ANY OF YOU IN REFERENCE TO GETTING INTO THE BAND HERE, TELL THEM THERE IS NO CHANCE. THE BALANCE OF IT WILL BE MADE UP OUR OF THE REGIMENT.
TOM
DO NOT PUBLISH ANY OF MY LETTERS UNLESS I SO DIRECT IN THEM.
MORNING, 20TH SEPT– I HEARD YESTERDAY EVENING THAT GREEN IS TRYING NOT SINCERELY TO ESTABLISH HIS OWN INNOCENCE, BUT TO IMPLICATE OTHERS IN
THE REGIMENT. IF YOU CAN BE SATISFIED THAT HE IS, PUBLISH THE FOLLOWING DATING IT AS THE FIRST PAGE OF THIS LETTER:
ED. OF THE PRESS – BY LETTERS RECEIVED IN CAMP, I LEARN THE REV. J.M. GREEN, LATE CHAPLAIN OF OUR REGIMENT, IS BACK AGAIN IN MERCER COUNTY, AND IS TRYING NOT ONLY TO ESTABLISH HIS OWN INNOCENCE BUT ALSO TO THROW SUSPICION UPON THE CHARACTER OF OTHERS IN THE REGIMENT. I CANNOT KNOW WITH WHAT SUCCESS HE IS DOING THIS, BUT THE MERE ATTEMPT SHOWS A DEPTH OF BASENESS ONLY GUILT THERE CAN BE NO DOUBT ENTERTAINED BY ANY ONE CONVERSANT WITH THE FACTS. ALTHOUGH HE WAS DISCHARGED BY THE JUSTICE BEFORE WHOM HE WAS BROUGHT, YET HE ONLY ESCAPED THROUGH SOME TECHNICALITY OF LAW; AND SHOULD NOT OFFER THAT DISCHARGE AS EVIDENCE OF HIS INNOCENCE. DECOY LETTERS, CONTAINING MONEY, WERE PLACED IN HIS MAIL BAG BY THE POSTMASTER AT WASHINGTON, AND THOUGH HE WAS OVERHAULED BY A DETECTIVE OFFICER BEFORE HE LEFT TO THE CITY, YET NO TRACE OF THOSE LETTERS COULD BE FOUND IN HIS MAIL BAG. . THIS IS ONLY ONE OF MANY FACTS
IN HIS CASE. SINCE HE LEFT, HE WROTE TO AN OFFICER OF THE REGIMENT, ASKING HIM TO GET UP TESTIMONIAL OF HIS GOOD CHARACTER, AND HAVE IT SIGNED BY AN OFFICER OF THE REGIMENT, DECLARING HIS INNOCENCE OF THE CHARGES MADE AGAINST HIM ,THE OFFICER DID SO BUT NOT AN OFFICER, HIGH OR LOW, WOULD SIGN IT. NO MAN IN THE REGIMENT, OFFICER OR PRIVATE WOULD SIGN SUCH A PAPER. THESE FACTS WILL STAND AGAINST HIS DISCHARGE BY THE JUSTICE.
THOS McKEAN
