CAMP TENNALLY D.C
SEPT. 25TH 1861
DEAR WIFE – I RECEIVED YOUR LETTER THIS EVENING., IT BEING THE SECOND ONE I HAVE RECEIVED FROM HOME.
I AM VERY SORRY TO HEAR THAT DIPHTHERIA HAS BROKEN OUT IN MERCER. WE HAD ESCAPED IT SO LONG THAT I WAS BEGINNING TO THINK WE WOLD HAVE NONE OF IT. I CAN EASILY APPRECIATE YOUR SOLICITUDE IIN REGARD TO OUR DEAR CHILDREN. IT IS NOT BORROW TROUBLE FOR TOMORROW NOW. NO AMOUNT OF FOREBODING CAN AVERT ANY CALAMITY.SHOULD ANY OF THE CHILDREN BE ATTACKED YOU MAY DEPEND UPON IT, MY SITUATION HERE WILL BE ONE OF FEARFUL ANXIETY. YOU WILL HAVAE THE ASSISTANCE AND SYMPATHY OF KIND NEIGHBORS, BUT I WILL SUFFER ALL THE TORTURES OF SUSPENSE ALONE; BUT THIS IS FOREBODING. WE MUST DO THE BEST WE CAN, AND LEAVE THE EVENT WWITH GOD, SATISFIED, AS FAR AS HUMAN NATURE CAN BE, THAT “THE HE DOETH ALL THINGS WELL.” I AM GLAD WILLIE’S ANKLE IS BETTER.
I HAVE NOTHING PARTICULAR TO WRITE. EVER SIINCE I CAME HERE, THE REGIMENT HAS HAD ORDERS TO KEEP ITSELF MARCHING ORDER – THAT IS, FOR EACH MAN TO HAVE HIS KNAPSACK PACKED – THIRTY ROUNDS OF BALL CARTRIDGE IN THEIR CARTRIDGE BOXES, AND TWO DAYS COOKED RATIONS IN THEIR HAVERSACKS. THIS ORDER HA BEEN SO OFTEN REPEATED, THAT THE BOYS HAVE COME TO LOOK UPON IT AS NOT MEANING ANYTHING IN PARTICULAR. TODAY NEW CARTRIDGES FOR THE NEW GUNS WERE DISTRIBUTED AND THE REGIMENT IS R EADY FOR ACTION AT ANY MOMENT. I STILL BELIEVE THERE WILL BE NO FORWARD MOVEMENT ON OUR SIDE, UNLESS THE REB ELS MAKE AN ATTACK UPON OUR LINES AND ARE DEFEATED, AS I FEEL SURE THEY WILL BE. THEY MUST DO SOMETHING SOON. THEY ARE NOW IN PRECISELY THE “FIX” GEN. LYON WAS IN MISSOURI. THEY MUST EITHER FIGHT, OR RETIRE WOHOUT STRIKING A BLOW, WHICH LATER WOULD BE EQUIVALENT TO A DEFEAT.
A GENERAL ORDER WAS READ AT DRESS PARADE THIS EVENING, CALLING FOR FIFTY VOLUNTEERS, (FIVE FROM EACH COMPANY) TO JOIN A CAVALRY AND AN ARTILLERY REGIMENT IN THE REGULAR ARMY, THEIR TERM OF SERVICE THERE, AS WELL AS PAY, TO BE REGULATED BY THE TERMS OF THE REGIMENT THEY VOLUNTEER FROM. THREE TIMES THE NUMBER WANTED PUT DOWN THEIR NAMES TEN MINUTES AFTER THE PARADE WAS OVER. THEY HAD FAR BETTER STAY AS THEY ARE. I SUPPOSE THE FIFTY WILL BE CHOSEN BY THE CAPTAINS FROM THE VOLUNTEERS. GEORGE GRAHAM WANTS TO BE ONE OF THEM. I ADVISED HIM AGAINST IT.
YESTERDAY WAS PAY DAY, AND THE BOYS ARE IN GREAT SPIRITS. A GRAND RUSH WAS MADE FOR PASSES TO THE CITY, BUT NOT ONE WAS GRANTED, NOT EVEN TO COMMISSIONED OFFICERS. THE DOGGERY KEEPERS OF WASHINGTON LOST MONEY BY THE REFUSAL. A VERY LARGE AMOUNT OF THE MONEY WAS SENT HOME. SHOULD THE REGIMENT BE ORDERED OUT THE BAND WILL REMAIN IN CAMP, SO YOU NEED NOT BE UNEASY ABOUT OUR BEING IN BATTLE WHEN ONE COMES OFF. WRITE OFTEN AS YOU CAN. GIVE MY LOVE TO ALL, KISS THE CHILDREN FOR ME, AND BELIEVE ME TRULY AND AFFECTIONATELY
TOM
