1864
Lookout Valley Tennessee Sunday
February 28, 1864
Dear Mother,
I am perfectly conscious that
it is not your turn for a letter, yet as
I began a story and promised the conclusion
I think I will dedicate it to you. Mary shall
have the full benefit of my literary tal-
ents next Sunday. I was to write today
about the non commissioned officers and
privates who are my comrades.
The first Sergeant, Lawton by name
is quite a good fellow and a good officer
really, though not nominally the commander
of the company, Our Lieut being sick he
has charge of us, and when the Lieut is well
he does about as Lawton tells him. He
used to be a clerk in a
Taunton store and
although not a literary personage has the
Serg't Johnson or Obed as we all call him
is second serg't and my particular friend. A rough
uncouth Sharon shoemaker, yet a well informed
and kind hearted man. He is more disposed
to do the best he can for the men, keep them out
of scrapes and make hard times than any other
officer we have. He is our story teller, our news-
monger and our prophet. He and I have got
talks and discussions on matters military, civil
and religious. He is known all over the reg't
and generally liked. He is a man of good prin-
ciples and I think a fit companion for any fellow
although he is well posted in the ways of the
world. He is my great crony any way.
Our third, Harrison, is a pretty good fellow
only rather snappish and not very popular.
Our fourth, West, a "Blue Nose" is one of my
oldest military acquaintances, being one of Capt
Soules squad, a pretty good fellow, whose
principal trouble is having been called a
"big Yank" by one of the western men when we marched through Chattanooga.
Our fifth, Eldridge is rather slack
witted but
got his position through former friendship of
the Orderly. Very companionable fellow nevertheless.
Of the Corporals I will say nothing as they are
very good fellows and none of them either
very friendly or other wise to me. On the whole
I think in most points we have the best non-
commissioned officers in the reg't.
Our company, although composed mostly
of rough, vulgar men still has less pun-
ished than any other I think. It is not be –
cause we were old acquaintances of our officers
as is often the case, for we never knew them till they
took command, but because we generally do
our duty well and if there is once in a great
while a fellow who is stubborn or doesn't
do right our Capt always preferred to take
him into his tent and talk to him as a human
being, rather than to tie him up or other wise
maltreat him as a brute. And he had the satis-
faction of knowing that his words had more
and affection of his company.
The treatment of some of our officers is unpleasant
to say the least although it may be justifiable and to
their limited capacities it may seem necessary
and the only way. This morning one of the Lieuts had
some difficulty with one of his men and the
man run from him, when he drew his re-
volver and shot at him. I have seen a good
many men struck with a sword and once a
wounded man. Tying up is a very common thing
and so is knapsack drill. All these things
may be necessary to "good order and military
discipline" but I don’t believe it. I think we have
a set of narrow minded, under witted, vulgar
drunken officers in the main, but our
company is lucky in having had the exceptions.
Don't think I write this because I am in the sulks
or have been punished, for I don’t get sulky and
try to give no cause for punishment, and as yet
no fault has been found or punishment in
flicted except very little plice duty for missing roll
call.
But the last part of my letter has not been saying
any thing about my tentmates or comrades.
My bunk mate is not a particular crony of mine
but as I said before I did not have exactly my own
choice in regard to him. My other two tentmates
are good friends of mine. One Gay is very
nearly
my age, but a great deal taller. At home he was
considered a fine scholar and his father is one
of the fathers and noted men of
Sharon.
He is a very nice fellow, but has been sick
and in the hospital a great deal since he has been
in the regt, not having the strength
corresponding
to his size. Although he is several inches the taller
yet I claim physical superiority. He has, like
myself many correspondents and is very
fond of reading so you can imagine he is
quite a pleasant tent mate.
My other tentmate, White, is a
very old
chum of mine as we have tented together the
most of the time since leaving
Lynn-
and is called cross, snappish, and grouty, but I
know him pretty well and he is about my age, so I
get along very pleasantly and consider him a
free hearted, goodtempered fellow, considering
his situation and almost anyone knowing his
former life must wonder that he is so good
natured as he is. He told me part of his story the
other night after the other fellows had gone
to sleep. His mother died when he was a little
fellow and his other parent, though still
living can not legitimately be called his father.
Meddling tattlers broke up the marriage almost on
the eve. After his mother died he went to the poor
house and ever since has been tossed around
amongst strangers. He seldom
writes to any body and I don’t remember to have
seen him ever get a letter. His guardian to
whom he sometimes sends for money (he has a little property)
answers him very harshly although I rather think
for his good, and refuses the money. He used
to be a hard working boy, he so say some acquain
tances.
Altogether I think he is a kind obliging freehearted
good fellow. My former tentmate Bramhall
is now company cook. He is a good fellow
too, and has been a sailor considerably. He was on
board the U.S. Frigate St
Lawrence at
Hampton
Roads, when the fights with the Merrimac came
off, and he thinks the Admiral commanding was
either a coward or a traitor. He is a first
rate fellow. I will say no more about par-
ticular comrades. We have boys and men
from seventeen to fifty, and almost
all very illiterate men. I am very
glad indeed Capt Henry
Stone is coming
into this department and shall undoubted-
ly see him sometime. Just at present
Gen’l
Thomas, I believe, is on the move so
I can’t probably see him, but just as soon
as I know of his being in
Chattanooga I shall
go there if he does not condescend & come
and see an inferior before. Although I suppose
great movements are on foot, yet I think
The unenviable name attached to our corps
and the jealousy of Gen’l Thomas towards Potomac
troops I think will keep us guarding the R. R.
Think me not cowardly if I say I am not sorry.
We have an addition of six thousand to
our corps, I hear, who have never seen the front
but always been guarding cities and the line
of supplies. I think I have done pretty well
this time as far as length goes. I got Lilly's
long letter and "Atlantic," also one from you
today. Father's letter was
answered last Sunday.
I think I have acknowledged all the letters rec'd
last week except Sophie's and
her's I shall answer
soon. I got a Spy and Transcript last week.
Give my love to all neighbors and to all
the Olivebranches and the trunk of the
Edes tree.
love, I am your son,