Arlington Hights Sept 30 [1862]
Camp Chase
Dear Sister Helen,
I received your long
letter yesterday also the one from Father
and was as glad as usual to hear from
home – glad to hear that they are making
such improvements on the street and
& front of our house – hope that it will
be all fixed up when I get ready
to come home, – That must have been
a rather tough fire for poor Meriden
the town will have to build up the
Depot right away – and war times too
don’t see how they can stand it
but it really is too bad for Mrs. Norton
We had pretty lively times here
yesterday – about 2 oclock in the
morning a courier rode into Camp
with orders to have us ready to march
at 4 oclock a.m. and we were routed
up and packed our knapsacks and
haversacks with 3 days rations and
got every thing ready for a forced
march and 4 ock came, and no more
orders and so we waited and waited
and at 10 oclock an order came
that we no longer belonged to Rawe’s
Brigade, but were detailed to guard
long bridge and fort Runyan as before,
so we are to remain here, until
we are wanted somewhere else –
we shall probably go into barracks
at Washington for the winter
I was quite disappointed for I had
got all ready and got my mind all
made up to see fighting and it
came pretty hard to have to
unpack and settle down in
our old tracks – All the Regiments
around us here have gone, – I believe
to Fredericks City – and we are left all
alone there isn’t a Regiment in sight
except the guard that was left to
see to the baggage, of each –
Gen Kane said that he regretted
very much that he was obliged to
part with this “noble body of men”
and the amount of it is that we shant
see much fighting as long as we have
Col Wright to command us and
the boys are all rather provoked about
it – he don’t want to die for his
country any more than the rest of
us, and he won’t fight as long as
he can help it – so you see we
are Casey’s pets still and you need
not be very much worried about
our safety we are not in very much
danger of being cut up at present
Gen Kane is a real nice man
and a big fighter he was wounded
in the leg at the fight before
Richmond – and I wish we were in
his Brigade now – But we shall have
some good times if we go back to
Washington for the winter and I don’t
think that we shall stay here long
for it is about 5 miles from the bridge,
and it is too far to go from here 2 [-]
go down every day – and we shall go
down tomorrow – – I suppose parson
Miller will have some large stories to
tell about the war he has been of
great service to his country so far
and hope he may be spared to do still
more. I have been washing
my clothes this morning and it is
pretty hard work, I find to get them
clean, – I got a pair of stocking of
Aaron so that I am provided for at
present but when you send the box
you may send me 2 pair of those
wollen ones and I wish you would
sew a piece of cloth in the inside on
the heels and toes for they wear
right through we have to walk
so much also send me a strong
[This letter continues in the margin on page one.]
pair of suspenders – I shouldn’t
want any more shirts for
some time – these go real
nicely. – I don’t believe you
received one of my letters for
I told you that Aaron’s box
had arrived all right and
in your last you inquire about
it – did Geo get my letter
to him –
There is no more
news to tell you I write
so often that you
get all the news as
fast as there is any
and more too –
15 Rebel prisoners passed
our camp yesterday. I must
stop now shall expect
an answer soon
Your Jim
Tell Father to write again when he gets time)
James Howard, 15th Connecticut
[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]
MSS 12668