104th New York Infantry - Captured at Gettysburg & Escaped 3 Times

Item LTR-7784

Description

Original Civil War soldier's letter. 4 pages, written in period ink.

Near McClouds Mills, Virginia
April 16, 1862
Thursday a.m.
Headquarters Duryee’s Brigade

Dear Mother,

Tuesday morning the 14th, 104th Regiment made a move. We first marched from Meridian Hill to the foot of 7th Street. Took a transport from there to Alexandria. And there from A-, we marched four miles due west on the road to Manassas to the vicinity of Clouds or McClouds Mills. Tuesday night, we all had to sleep on the ground in the open air, as our training of transportation wagons did not arrive until noon yesterday. It was fortunate that Tuesday night was very warm and pleasant or the boys would have suffered. The 104th with the other three regiments of our brigade were sent here that we might be drilled in Brigade Drill; and fitted as speedily as possible for active service. The General has not taken his quarters here yet. He comes tomorrow. The road runs upon the south side of our encampment which is upon a hill side and looks towards the west. The color line (or line of battle) of each regiment and of the brigade runs north and south on the west side of the encampment. This is a bee line and the brigade forms on their line once a day at least for dress parade.

The company tents are set at right angles with this line and the company streets run east and west. Fifty feet back of the company tents are the officers’ tents. And in the line of officers’ tents, directly in rear of Company D, you will find the new, beautiful and commodious wall tent of Lieutenants Stull and Starr. Lieutenant Stull remained in Washington for three-day special duty. And therefore, I put up this tent yesterday alone. I would say that it is a nice tent, has a fly over it to protect both from storm and the great heat of sun and as near as I can judge, is about 11 feet square. Here I have my trunk, a little table two feet square and a long company gun box upon which I make my bed. I have plenty of bed clothes and sleep very comfortably. This is a beautiful place. There is a wide view from here to the south and southwest. There are two beautiful springs of water down in the valley before us, and withal I think it must be very healthy here. There are but few soldiers now very near here. Fort Worth looks rather frowningly upon us ½ mile to the northeast and occasionally we see a stray artillerist from the Company that is stationed there. A mile over the hills also are the Cameron Dragoons. But back at Alexandria on this day, we passed through, there were 11,00 troops, all of Franklin’s Division, who all ordered down from McDowell’s Corps to reinforce McClellan and they were awaiting transports. Met George Wanzer by the road side as we were passing along. He is in the 27th Regiment, Slocum’s Brigade and Franklin’s Division and they are probably now at or near Yorktown. Our Brigade are in McDowell’s Corps and when we move will probably go on to the Rappahannock.

Mr. Ely had not yet arrived at Washington on Tuesday. But Lieutenant Stull who has to stop there a day or two will get the money from him and bring it over when he comes. My address will be about the same.




Lieutenant G. H. Starr
104th New York Regiment
Duryee’s Brigade
Washington, DC

I have a dozen photographs taken but am waiting for the money to come to get them.

Our mail goes this moment to Washington, so I close. Will write in a few days again.

With love,

George

From George, Clouds Mills, April 16, 1862