February 10, 1863. Signs of Spring

"Camp near wolfs run Va Feb 10th 1863

"... I was out [on picket] Sunday ... the weather was warm & the Sky was clear & in the morning the robbins Sang Sweetly making one think of the warm & lovely mornings in the last days of april such as we are used to Seeing in old Vermont. ...

"This forenoon we had some shooting at a target for practice. This afternoon I have cleaned my gun & sewed some stripes on to my coat sleaves & that is about all I have done. To morrow if nothing happens I am going to do my washing The weather to day has been very warm & pleasant & some of the citizens here are drawing manure which makes it seem like Spring."  ~ Jabez H. Hammond, West Windsor, age 20, Sgt. Co. A, 12th Regt,  Letter no. 27

"Tuesday 10th. Diarrhea less driving, but still the same terrible, griping pain in the bowels, that I have had for several days back. The Reg't is engaged in keeping picket up & down the river; some 6 or 7 miles up, on Bull Run, & some 2½ miles down, to one ford, below the "Sally Davis" ford."~ Diary of Horace Barlow, 81, Co. C, 12th Regiment

Sunday, February 8, 1863 ."reduced by details and sickness"

“Fairfax Stations Va. February 8, 1863

“Dear Parents,

“It is Sunday again, and one of the most beautiful days you ever saw, though we may have another storm almost any time. I am getting along first rate, have been out taking the air today.

“The measles are taking a pretty thorough run through the company, and it takes about a week to get over it. I believe you wanted to know what became of the sick when we moved. Well, the last time we moved there were a good many sick in quarters, and one company was left behind for guard duty at the Courthouse (it is said they could only muster thirty men), and each company left one hut behind for the use of the sick, and did not move them until we had got somewhat settled in our present situation.

“About the old Catholic church that the Chaplain wrote about: They say it is a good place for a hospital. There are four of our men there now, three sick with the measles, and one (Hastings of Ludlow), with inflammatory rheumatism.

 …

“There came an order yesterday for each company to send two of their best shots to headquarters. Hazen Fletcher and M.P. Baldwin were the men selected, each fired four shots, and each put three balls into the bird. None of the other companies succeeded in getting more than three shots into the board, while we had six.

“Thank you for the corn. I could also use a few good steel pens. As for Orlo Fullam, he had trouble with his feet so they detailed him to the ambulance corps as driver of the transport which carries the officers baggage. Our company has become so reduced by details and sickness that it cannot today muster sixty men present and fit for duty, though we have as yet lost but one by death,* while Co. "F" has lost 10, twice as many as all the rest of the regiment. H.G.D.” ~ Hezron G. Day, pvt., Company C, Sixteenth Regiment, Letter of February 8, 1863

 *Thomas W. Demary,  Pvt, Co. C, age 20, died  February 2, 1863.

Meanwhile at Wolf Run Shoals...

   “Camp near wolfs run Va. Feb. 7th 1863

“Dear Father Mother brothers and Sister   …   Stephen is tired & Harler is on guard so I will Scratch a few lines just to let you know that we are all alive and all of dans boys are well. the sick ones are all doing well   Stephen saw the boys at the old camp last Sauterday   John and Fred had got so that they were out doors some, & the rest were doing well   all except C Cady & F Shedd. Cady has been Sick about a month but he has not got the measels   he has got a very bad cough   is so that he sets up some. Shedd had got the measels and they were about at their height when Stephen was there and they though that he was better that morning that he was there. Steve thinks that the most of the boys will be along the last of this week or the forpart of next   I mean those that are at the old camp.

“you wished to know how far we were from Burks Station   that is more than I know I will tell you the rout that we took as near as I can. you will recollect that the road from our old camp to fairfax Station is due South   when we got to the Station we crossed the railroad and passed to the left of that spring there in the mud puddle and to the right of the encampment where that cavalry was or to the right of the hill where Slocums troops were and kept on in that direction for six miles after leaving the Station. So you will see that we are about ten miles from our old camp and we are as near South from fairfax as you can put your finger   Burks Station you know more about than we do for you have been there and we have not but I should judge that we were not as near that place as when we were at …

…

“If you can get an army map you will find wolf run and Occoquan river laid down and our camp is about one half mile east of where wolf run emptys into the Occoquan & about two miles from union mills (east of them)

“Wilber is so that he sets up most of the time but he has been pretty sick .  Give my best respects to all who may enquire & please write as soon as convenient   J H Hammond” ~ Jabez H. Hammond, West Windsor, age 20, Sgt. Co. A, 12th Regt, Letter No. 26

G.G. Benedict
Co. C. 12th Regt.

"Camp Near Wolf Run Shoals, Va.,February 7, 1863.

"Near us, several hundred feet below the level of our camps, runs the Occoquan river, a muddy stream about as large as the Winooski. Across it, on the heights beyond, are earthworks thrown up by Beauregard's soldiers last winter, now untenanted.

"Our camp is on a knoll from which the men have cleared the pine trees. It is much narrower in its limits than our former fine camp near Fairfax, and it is less attractive in almost every particular.

"The first battalion drill since the regiment left Camp Fairfax, came off to-day. The men have had all they could do in digging rifle pits, picket duty, constructing corduroy roads,--of which they had made miles between this and Fairfax Station,--and the labor of clearing and making camp; and between rain and snow and mud have had the roughest time they have as yet known. Their spirits are good, however...~ G.G. Benedict, Lieut.., Company C, 12th Regiment, Letter to the Free Press of February 7, 1863 in Army Life in Virginia.

Target practice; Sounds in the night.

"Fairfax Station Feb 6th 1863

E.D.Keyes
Capt. Co. H

"Dear Father
        "Having a few leisure moments this forenoon, I take the pen to improve them by writing you to inform you that I am well and enjoying myself finely. I take it you are well as I hear nothing to the contrary.  I have expected a letter from you for a long time but dont appear to come. I make due allowance for I know you are always busy and seldom write to anybody unless on business.  I have written to Lorette most every day since I got able to and have not received but one letter for over a fortnight.  Something about the mail is not right I think for I know she has written.  Rumors are that the mail was broken open at Alexandria the other day.  I presume you do not get all the letters that I write you .  

"I have got entirely over the measles and have been on duty 4 days.  I got along with them nicely but I thought it pretty hard for 2 or 3 days when sickest.  There has been over 100 cases of measles but few have died.  Not a man of my Co has died since we left Vermont. This is about the only Co but what has lost one or more. One Co has lost 10, Co F. of Windham County. 

"I have been Capt. of this Co since Dec 31st.  I had a pretty hard time at first straightening out things to my liking which were all in a hub but just as our Capt. used to do every thing.  I have got two good Lieuts to help me now and things go on very easily.  One is acting Adjutant* and I fear I am going to lose him as there is one to be appointed soon.  

"There has been lots of promotions and resignations mostly on account of fear to go before the Military Board of Examination to see if they were qualified to hold their respective positions.  But few ever [come] back that go before the Board so most of them resign with out going.  But few are sent only those that are not wanted here.  

"I have a large tent for myself and one for the 2 Lieuts. We do not live separately however but put the tents up together and and make our site larger.  We have two bunks one above the other : long and wide enough for two made just like two sinks.  The sides are hewed out of logs and the bottom covered with boards on which we lay with simply one army blanket under us.  It isn't always we get so good a bed as this.  I rest nicely every night.  At first my hip bones were about 8 inches longer in the morning then when I went to bed. That is they felt as though were.  

"We live as well as I care to while we remain in camp where we are now.  My waiter goes to Alexandria once a week and buys what ever we want.  We have no pies nor fine fixings nor do I care for any.  We have got used to going without and do not think of them.  My waiter had a box come from Vermont with some pies in which tasted awful good I tell you.  We can not buy good pies.  I dont believe there is a decent one in Va.  

"Suppose you keep all your colts yet.  I hope you never will sell any to go into the army.  They work them all day in many cases without a thing to eat and at night tie them to a hut or post there to stand all night in the cold and if it rains it makes no difference.  I wake up very often in the night and hear them making dreadful pitiful sounds and whinneys.  

"It has rained or snowed most of the time for a week past.  We have had a foot of snow and I guess more.  Yesterday morn and night before last was terrible cold.  Cold as Vermont.

"Come! come in and have some dinner with me.  It is all ready. We have ham & eggs enough for all. It is no use to ask you for you never eat away from home. Never mind we have ham & eggs for 3 of us.  I guess we are good for them.  Give my love to Mrs. Fay ...Albert Herrick is sick with measles.  Elmer"  ~  E. D. Keyes, Captain, Company H, Sixteenth Regiment, Letter of February 6, 1863

"February 6. Our target practice is getting to be an interesting exercise. Col. Nichols, wishing to know which company possessed the greatest ability in marksmanship, ordered the battalion out, each man with forty rounds of cartridges, and on testing their ability, the honor was conferred upon Company B. Sixty round are being used daily for this practice."  ~ J. C. Williams, Corporal, Co. B, 14th Regiment, Life in Camp, 79 (1864)

*Harland Orlando Peabody, Andover, age 23, promoted 1st Lieut. Co. H, then Adjutant. "Our 2nd Lt. Peabody has been promoted to 1st Lt.,...The boys all... like Peabody first rate."  ~ Hezron G. Day, pvt., Company C, Sixteenth Regiment, Letter of January 15, 1863

February 4, 1863. Sending money home.

Lt. Col. Charles Cummings

"Fairfax Court House, Feb 4th, 1863

"The Colonel and I have just returned from Washington where we went Monday afternoon. Having got paid some money I though I would spend some of it - so I purchased a blouse, pair of boots, saddle cloth, belt, and cravat, costing me nearly $40, including expenses.

"Everything is dear any where but especially so at sutlers. We pay nearly $2.00 per bushel for potatoes, 40 cents for butter and other things except what we can purchase at the quartermaster at government prices in proportion.

"As I have been unremitting in my attentions to you I will amend by enclosing a check for $100. I understand from Major Halsey that early in March he will pay us for four months which will give me the means to send you a good lump. Unless some accident occurs I shall not have to buy any more clothing for several months if at all except possibly another pair of boots.

"It is cold out here. The snow is three fourth gone and now the ground is frozen quite hard. It has scarcely thawed today. But I prefer this weather to the wet, muddy, cloudy, foggy air of the last few weeks. I feel quite well and am in good condition.

"I must attend the dress parade for which the call has sounded, get my lesson and hear a recitation this evening. Doing all this I can’t write much more and get this into the mail tonight, and I am anxious that you ...receive this remittance as soon as possible." ~ Lt. Col. Charles Cummings, Sixteenth Regiment, Letter No. 19, February 4,, 1863. VHS.


"February 4. Target practice is our main drill at present."  ~ J. C. Williams, Corporal, Co. B, 14th Regiment, Life in Camp, 78 (1864)

February 3, 1863. Money and Measles.

"Fairfax Station - February 3, 1863

"Dear Parents,

"I presume that you will have learned before this reaches you that I have had what you most feared the measles. When I last wrote you I told you that I had been unwell for several days and that the surgeon said that l was billious. Mistaken man! The next morning as expected I was sick as a dog but I got along nicely and now am able to sit up all day and have been out in the street today and mean to go again if nothing happens. In short, I am getting along nicely though I do not intend to go on duty for some time. The weather today is clear and pleasant though quite cold. The measles are having a pretty general promenade through Camp.

"You should have been in camp the day after we were paid off. Everybody was rich and almost everybody was trying to trade watches. Uncle Joseph has just been here. Mr. Balcom is in camp today and is going to take home some of the boys' money for them. I gave Uncle J. $30.00 which he is going to put with his and hand to Mr. Balcom all to be paid to you. Uncle proposed this as Aunt M. is at Plymouth I suppose, and he thought it would be more convenient for you to get it for her. Perhaps you may think that I have sent myself short but it is not so. I have about $12 left and if we get home in June that will be plenty enough to last, even if we are not paid off again."   ~ Hezron G. Day, pvt., Company C, Sixteenth Regiment, Letter of February 3, 1863


"Feb. 3,1863. Last night was the coldest night I have seen in Virginia. ... we had a Vermont winter until to-day, which is quite pleasant. Things are going on quite quiet for an army like ours, and it is my opinion that if they would reduce the pay of an officer down to that of a private this war would have been ended long ago. I happened to hear an officer say to-day that he did not care how long it lasted if they would continue to pay him $175. 00 per month, as they had done for the last year or more, and it is the mind of most every officer in the army. ..."  ~ Diary of Oliver A. Browne, Co. K, 15th Regiment.

February 2, 1863. "Headquarters [is] five miles distant."

"February 2.  Our camp is again getting monotonous. The regiments of this brigade area at present situated as follows: The 12th and 13th are at Wolf Run Shoals, five miles from here; the 15th and 16th are encamped near the 14th, the headquarters of the brigade being at the Court House, five miles distant."  ~ J. C. Williams, Corporal, Co. B, 14th Regiment, Life in Camp, 77-78 (1864)

Samuel Peter Heintzelman
1805-1880

On the 2d of February the troops on the defenses of the capital were organized into the Twenty second Army Corps, under command of Major-General Heintzleman, and to this command the brigade was attached, still forming, however, a part of Casey's division. ~"THE SIXTEENTH REGIMENT—(NINE MONTHS)" in Lewis Cass Aldrich, Frank R. Holmes, History of Windsor County, Vermont  128-30 (1891)

After his corps took a severe beating during the Second Manassas campaign Heintzelman was relieved of his corps command in October 1862 and “kicked upstairs” to command the Military District of Washington where he remained for the rest of the war.