7th New York Cavalry & 8th New York Heavy Artillery

Item LTR-242

Description

4 page original Civil War soldier's letter, written in period ink and war dated.

Camp Stoneman
November 30 [1861]

Dear Brother,

We arrived here last Monday morning and pitched our tents on a hill about three miles from the Capital on the north side of the City. The tent, we now occupy, are eight feet square and as we have to sleep six in a tent, it makes it rather crowded. They are to be changed in a few days for the Sibley tents, which are large circular tents capable of holding sixteen men very comfortably with stoves in the center which is very much needed as there are cold nights. It has rained pretty much all the time that we have been here. Yesterday it was very pleasant and exceedingly warm and the men were lounging around the camp in their shirt sleeves but it clouded up at dark and rained hard all night and today it was so cold that we have to wear our overcoats to be comfortable. Our living is different here from what we have had before as we have to cook our own meals. We have good coffee twice a day. Bread three times a day, potatoes once and meat twice a day besides our rice. We have had one oyster soup since we have been here. We have twenty ounces of bread and one pound of meat for a day’s rations. The meat is sometimes corned beef or fresh beef but usually salt pork. All agree with me first rate. I have gained twenty pounds since I left Lockport. I was down to Uncle Benjamin’s last Wednesday and stayed over night and took a Thanksgiving dinner with him on Thursday and called on Uncle Edmund the same day. I had a very good time. I have not had time to go to any of the public buildings yet except the Capitol. I only went through that going up the steps in front and going through the Rotunda and the back door. There are over two hundred and fifty thousand men encamped this side of the Potomac, all green troops. The city is perfectly surrounded with camps as far as you can see and there are one or two regiments arriving every day. We do not have too much time to spare. We have not received our orders yet and I doubt receiving them this winter. We received our sabers last Sunday on the road just before we entered Baltimore and we are now learning the use of them. Our pistols and carbines we have not received yet. We expect our pay in a few days. Charley McKinney is helping the Captain to make out the pay roll tonight. Harry Wells is stopping at Uncle Benjamin’s and when I was down there we took the horses and rode all over the city and saw most everything worth looking at. But it is getting late and I must close. Give my love to all the folks and write soon. You must overlook all mistakes as I have to write in a crowded tent in a great hurry. From your affectionate Brother

Arthur L. Chase
Company G
Morrison’s Northern Black Horse Cavalry
Washington DC