Civil War Monthly Featured Document return to document overview
Cantonment Hicks Jan. 31, 1862 Dear Robert, I have just received by to-night's of the camp ground, the whole surface is cov- ered with thin mud from three inches to a foot deep, one can't step out from a tent, with out sinking in over his foot, and the mud is as cold as 'slosh' so you can judge how pleasant it is traveling up and down your company streets. The sun hasn't been out but twice for a fortnight. Last Saturday I was on guard, Bob. Shaw came to me and proposed as we couldn't go home that we should try and get 48 hours leave from Genl. Banks, and go down to Annapolis and see our friends Curtis and Higginson, I agreed of course and signed my name to an ap- plication. He took them and carried them himself to Gordon, Abercrombie & Banks who all approved. We made our arrange- ments to start from Frederick early Monday morning, so got leave from the Col. to go into F. Sunday night. On board the train we found out that the train for Annapolis did not connect with the one from Frederick till 4 P.M. so we concluded to go on and wait our time at Baltimore instead of at the Re- lay House. We arrived at Baltimore at 10 A.M and took carriage for the Gilmore House, here we washed and polished up, then took a stroll 'round the city. As I never have been in but very few cities I can't be good at comparison, but I was extremely pleased with Baltimore, it seemed so much like Boston that I kept imagining I was on Washington St., the people too had a very Boston look; we visited the Washington Monument, and went to the top, both making up our minds on the stairs we never would go up such a place again, the view of B. from the top however, was very fine commanding the whole city and surrounding country. After this we promenaded 'round for an hour or two looking at the people, houses & But the best fun of all was meeting on Charles St. two ladies one right after another both aristocratic looking and very richly dressed, who as they passed us, gave their dresses a slap and swept off to the further side of the sidewalk, giving us the widest berth possible as if we were the plague; of all ridiculous performances this was the richest I ever saw, I thought they had got used to our blue coats before this. We took a lunch in the morning at Guy's, of most delicious broiled oysters and ale. At two we had dinner, a first rate one, soup, fish, prairie hens, pudding pies fruit & and a bot- tle of elegant Sherry, I'll leave you to im- agine whether we did justice to it or not, the first fine dinner for 8 months. At 4 we took cars for Annapolis via Annapolis Junc- tion, got there about 7.30 too late to go to camp, so we contented ourselves at our stu- pid little hotel. Early next morning we walk- ed 'round the town, it is rather a curious old place but otherwise very uninteresting. After breakfast we walked out to the Caval- ry Camp some two miles. We found it with- out any difficulty and had Major Curtis' and Capt Higginson's tents pointed out to us. We made a bee line for the former's but were disappointed at finding he had gone to Annapolis, however, he was to be back in half an hour. Higginson was in camp and delighted to see us, we were busy ex - changing news when we heard a "How are you boys" from the outside in Curtis' jolly natural old voice, it was quite a meeting and I think he was as glad to see us as we him. Curtis and I had plenty to say to each other, so we had a good long smoke and talk. I found that all the companies of his battalion except Capt Higginson's and part of Capt Stevens were embarking from Annapolis on the Baltic that day, if the Baltic had been able to carry the whole battalion we should just missed seeing our friends. After a little lunch, the Major proposed to Bob. and I that we should take a ride over the country, we were glad enough to accept his invitation 'though the mud was knee deep on the roads, he honored me by letting me have his best horse, a regular charger, he mounted Bob. on his other horse and took one of Higginson's for himself. I never was on such a splendid horse before, in my life at the start we had a little race across some fields near the camp. My horse got the lead and kept it going of course on the full run, you know they never trot in the army, there was a little stream at the bottom of a slight inclination, I was going to pull up at first, but changed my mind and set him at it, he cleared it in his stride; after this little sprint we proceeded on more soberly, not sticking to the roads but going across fields, every little while Curtis would say "let's take a skip" and off we'd go again like the wind. Bob Shaw and Curtis varied the programme occasionally by leaping fences fallen trees and a thing I'm not quite up to yet. We got back to camp and had a very nice din- ner, the evening was spent smoking and talking over old times. We slept in the Major's tent. Before daylight Wednesday morning we had taken a cup of coffee and were off on a couple of horses for Annapolis, after bidding good bye to our friends and wondering when and how we should meet again. Major Curtis told me that he was sure he could get me a captaincy in his battalion if I would take it, it was a sore temptation, but I had made up my mind. We arrived safely in camp Wednesday afternoon. I think you will all be glad I have had such a pleasant little trip, the long est leave I have had since joining at Camp Andrew! That caricature in Vanity Fair of Gov. Andrew is capital I think. I must say that I think it would have been better for him if he had done, what he originally said he was going to viz serve only one year. Some of that Butler correspondence is very weak I think. We have some very pleasant recitations every day now, to Col. Gordon from Mahan: Out post and Detachment Service and hand- ling troops in the field, and Coppee's Evo- lutions of the Line. They are sort of lectures it is astonishing to see how well posted the Colonel is on all these topics, hav- ing a case in point for everything, from some of Napoleon's or Wellington's battles or from Scott's campaign in Mexico, Gordon you know served in this latter, was at several battles, in one of which he was woun- ded. I dont really think I want anything from home at present in the way of eatables I sometimes think that the delicacies we get rather unfit us for our kind of work, and that we are better without them. I have some very nice things left still from my last box which I occasionally dip into. I wish you would remember me to Mrs. Jones and Marguerita and Annie when you see them. Do get one of father's photographs when you can and send it to me. I have got some money to send home by the first opportunity Charles |
