3rd Maine Infantry

Item LTR-495

Description

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

3rd Maine Regiment, Camp Howard

October 26, 1861

Dear Sister,

I received your letter sometime since and will try to answer it although I have but very little to write. I suppose you get the daily news sooner and more correct than I do. We have the Daily Tribune, supposed you get it as soon as we do. We are situated about 2 miles from Alexandria. Don’t know when we shall move or where we shall move to but things look like a forward movement. There are but a few troops about here compared to what there was one month ago. We don’t know when or where they went. It is possible that we shall be left here to guard the forts. If we are, we shall have to build log houses or we shall freeze. It has been so cold here some nights that water has frozen 3/8 of an inch thick. I have got a fireplace in my tent which does a very good business, but it gets cold very quick after the fire goes down. Mr. Pishor has been here but has gone home. If you see him, I should like to know what kind of a report he gives of us. He seemed to be very much pleased with our appearance. He had a pleasant visit, I think.
Yes, I am supposed to be a captain – what do you suppose some folks will say and think about that. I mean some who are always jealous of another’s success, do you know of any such? I used to hear of such ones. A captain’s office is no small office, it is a very responsible position. On him depends the success of his company, the looks and cleanliness of his men and tents. Men will get careless and lazy if they are not obliged to be otherwise. If anything goes wrong, if any man appears on parade or inspection whose fixings are not all right, the captain has to bear the blame. Every man’s shoes have to be blacked, his gun and brasses have to be bright. They are very much more particular about those things now than ever before. I shall not be afraid to parade with that company who escorted us through Boston when we came on here.
I saw three men put into the guard tent one night for just raising their hand to their face. Our brigade drilled three hours with knapsacks on. They say it is to get them so that they can stand a march and lug their things.
By being captain, I have got rid of being officer of the guard, which is a very hard place. I have done my share of it.
I have not had but one letter from home for nearly two weeks. Have written several. I don’t suppose I get all they write. But can’t see why. Everything sees to go on smoothly in the company. Every man seems to be disposed to do right. We have only 2 sick. One of them is as well as anyone only he has a bullet in his right shoulder received at Bull Run. That is quite a different state of affairs than when Capt. Hesseltine left. You never heard men cheer as they did when they heard of his promotion. I never liked him any better than they did but I knew it would be policy for me to use him decent. Consequently, I tried to do so and gave him good satisfaction.

I suppose you have heard of the skirmish on the upper Potomac. One company had 5 captains killed. Rather hard on officers. I must go out and take a walk, so shall have to close this. Hoping to hear from you often.

From your brother,
N. Hanscom