Sunday, November 16, 1862. Getting a living.

"Sunday 16th Nothing to speak of. Sunday morning inspection as usual. The prospect is that we remain here this winter. The different Regts are puting up winter quarters."~ Joseph Spafford,  1st Lieutenant, Company E, Sixteenth Regiment, Letter, November 24, 1862, UVM

"Our boys have just commenced cutting timber for winter quarters, though they have not done a large business at it, as six full companies and small details from some of the other companies have been out on picket for the last two days, coming in yesterday afternoon.

"The ground on which we are now camped once formed part of a regular Virginia plantation and Old Sesesh's mansion where he still resides is not more than 100 rods from where I now sit. Before the war broke out he had over 200 acres of land that would have brought him $300 per acre, with plenty of slaves, but now his nigs have skedaddled and his land, by the tramping of thousands of soldiers has been trodden down until now in a dry state it is almost as hard as the "talcose" rock of my native hills. And Mr. Sesesh is today a "short fed" man although last spring he had accorded to him the privilege of gathering up for fuel the timber which the Union troops had cut on his own land, and had used during the winter about their winter quarters.

"They sell butter about our camps at from 28 to 40¢ per pound and call it goods though as I have not purchased, I cannot say as to that. Cheese, 20¢, brown bread 30¢ for about such a loaf as you would bake in a two quart dish; good fair handsome onions 1¢ each, milk, 10¢ per quart, oysters 15 to 20¢ per pint, etc.

"What are the good people of Plymouth generally about these times? Don't mourn that McClellan has been superseded, do they? By the way, we had a rumor in camp this morning that we had been put under Fremont's command, though I would never vouch for a camp story. We are now in Casey's division, Heintzelman's corps, but the report is that our colonel is trying to get out of it, fearing that he will not see much active service so long as he remains in Casey's division. I believe all the Plymouth boys are comfortably well except Abner Archer, and he is almost always out of fix some way. More next time,"~ Hezron G. Day, pvt., Company C, Sixteenth Regiment, Letter of November 16, 1862  

"The weather here tonight is cold and rough. The wind is in the north east and before morning rain is expected. I have only one tent - most of the field officers in this brigade except those in these regiments - have two tents opening into each other. We are entitled to two each in quarters, but find it difficult to get them. My little stove is today on the front side of the tents the funnel running out of the door as the direction of the wind forbids its “drawing” on the other. Yesterday morning about 4 o’clock I returned from the “Rounds” as Field Officer of the Day, and built up a fire. It burned briskly for a while so I went to bed, but in an hour I awoke nearly suffocated all the smoke coming into the tent. I got up and drowned the fire in a hurry and then turned my stove about as above.

"We have commenced drawing timbers - logs and poles - to build our winter huts as per orders from division headquarters. It looks as if we were to stay here all winter, but I hope looks are deceitful. Gen. Stoughton arrives Tuesday and assumes command of our brigade. Capt. John S. Tyler of Co. C 2nd Vermont is to be on his staff as Assistant Adjutant General, and John Wheeler as Aide - de - Camp.

"Col. Veazey remarked that if Stoughton is encamped here all winter will the little lone wanderer on his shoulder the bells, flirts and - in Washington would find constant employment. The “gallant” Brigadier has a great reputation in the army as a woman’s man. He is probably the handsomest brigadier in the army or at least would be called so by the girls.

"Today after inspection, which commenced at 9 and lasted until one, the field officers dined by invitation with Commissary Sergeant Charles Simonds. We had roast beef, sweet potatoes onions, boiled rice, maple syrup, butter, cheese, coffee, ale, and bread, salt pepper, and Worcester sauce. There is no danger of starvation. In our mess our board has not been quite $3.50 per week, we have four servants who eat with us and whose rations go into the mess and our mess chest and other purchases for fixtures, mess chest, cooking stoves, etc, will amount to about 12 cents each. We live well enough although butter is 40 to 42 cent per lbs, milk 10 cent a quart. We can buy sweet potatoes for $2.50 per barrel." ~ Lt. Col. Charles Cummings, Sixteenth Regiment, Letter No. 5. November 16, 1862. VHS.

"Camp Vermont

"Sunday, November 16th [1862]

"My dear sister [Ellen Sophia Rice],

"I received your letter on Tuesday and I should have written before but the next day this company and five others of the 16th had to go 4 miles out on picket ¹ and did not get back until last night, but we did not have half so hard a time as I expected to have. But I had a better time than the rest for Tom Sexton ² and I were stationed at a house to keep the pickets from stealing the chickens and all we had to do was to sit in the door yard and crack walnuts. The house belonged [to] a man by the name of Mason ³ but he — being a Rebel — went to richmond and left his house and his property, and then a regiment of New York soldiers went in to the house and broke all the windows out and smashed things up generally. There is a family of “poor whites” living there now. The family consists of a man and his wife, and six white-haired children and about a dozen dogs.

We expect to stay here all winter. They have commenced to draw the logs to make the barracks. They are to be large enough to hold a whole company. We are living in the letter “A” tents — five in a tent. We have cedar boughs spread in the bottom of the tent and are quite comfortable. I have not been sick a single day yet but have had a slight cold. Am getting over it now.

You spoke of sending a box. I think if it was directed to:

Frank F. Rice, Co. E, 16th Reg., Care of A. C. Mason, Vermont Vols., Washington D. C.

I think I should get it.

We have just come in from divine service. The regiment was drawn up in a hollow square and listened to a sermon from chaplain who is a pretty good preacher.

We had rather a hard time that cold spell but it is warm as summer now.

We live better now than we did for awhile. For about a week we had nothing but salt beef and hard bread.

We are encamped in a very pleasant place now within twelve miles of Washington and about two miles from Alexandria. Tell Min that I find that cap she made me very useful. I should not know what to do without it.

Mr. [Bartlett E.] White and [Joel B.] Clark are well and full of fun as ever and all of the boys are well as can be expected although a good many have got colds. Tell mother that she [has] no need to worry much about me for I am getting along first rate and enjoying myself pretty well. I don’t have any harder time than I expected to have though we have some pretty rough times.

You must excuse the writing for I have nothing but my knapsack to write on. When you write again, please send me some postage stamps for it is hard to get clean ones here. I want you to send me one of your pictures and tell Jule that I want one of hers. Give my love to Florence, Arthur, Aunt Hannah, and all the folks. Write often and tell me all about the things in Springfield. I can not write any more so goodbye.

Your affectionate brother, — Frank" ~ Frank Fletcher, Co. E, 16th Vermont