Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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I recd your letter last night which was dated at Grandville and it seems you had
not then recd my letter giving an account of the Battle at Big Bethel. I am in
hopes you will not borrow any trouble on my account but look on the bright side
of things and then things will probably turn out more in accordance with your
mind. When I last wrote you I had a little hopes of going home in two or three
weeks but now the impression is we shall stay our time out which will not be
very long. Nothing of interest has taken place Since I last wrote you so as far
as giving you any news is concerned it will be but little Everything about the
Camp is quiet and but little apprehension of a fight is felt for the present at
any rate. for the last few days we have tended
strictly to drilling
and our regt Stands pretty high as far as that is Concerned but to day we were
ordered to labor down on the river shore and make a breast work to prevent
Cavalry from Entering on the Sand beach to the inside of our entrenchment but as
I am obliged to always be at quarters unless on drill I get out of hard labor
and Standing on guard Although I have done considerable work on the Breast work
in front of our Camp but from my own Choice and not from obligation. As I have
no news to write I will give you an account of what we do Evry day when not on
labor. 1st The Reville is beat at four oc A.M. and in five minuets Evry man has
to be in line between our tents and then the roll is called, and if any are
absent they are reported to Capt by 1st Sergt 2nd Beat for Breakfast at 5 ½ oc
3rd Beat for 1st Sergts to report their Sick
in Hospital and
quarters with all new cases to the Surgeon at 6 oc. 4. Call for Company drill
which lasts from 6 ½ to 8 oc. 5th Call for Guard Mounting at 810 oc This is also
my duty to Select from the Company sometimes 5 men & a Corporal and
Sometimes more and about once a week a Sargeant is called for, so you see by
taking 6 men from Each Company and from Evry regt in all for our guard it takes
about 300 men who are Stationed all around our Camp at about ½ mile distance and
but abt 10 Rods apart and it is death to be found Sleeping on their post. and by
this we can not be attacted without getting a notice of it in time to be ready.
6th Call at 9 oc for Battallion drill which lasts 1 ½ hours We are then
dismissed until 6 oc P.M. on account of the afternoons being so warm We then
have a battallion drill of 1 hour and immediately after a dress parade of ½
hour. previous to battallion drills
and dress parade I have to Call
the Roll and report at the Sergts Call at dress parade to the Colonel and in
case any are absent without leave I have to take them to him the next morn at 8
½ oc and as a punishment they are generally put to work or put on guard or in
guard house according to their Excuse for being absent. (Our Call for dinner is
at 11 ½ oc and Supper at 5 oc) After dress parade we are dismissed until Tatoo
is beat at 9 oc Eve and I then Call the roll again and dismiss them to go their
beds. in ten minutes the taps are beat and Evry light has to be Extinguished and
all noise cease about the Camp. This is something near our programme but many
other little things such as Cleaning up and [police] have to be
done daily. At present we are living pretty well we have recd a lot of dried
apples and Maple Sugar from New York and those with our Cheese make when added
to our other Eatables quite a Comfortable Supply of delicacies
Geo
Blake recd a little box from home yesterday and in it Elisha sent me a lot of
paper and Envelopes and Some 10 or 12 Stamps he also put in a lot of Sunday
School Singing books and with the Diapason G.B. got we can have quite a variety
of music. I got a letter from Lester and he sent me some Stamps also so in all I
have now abt 25 and you will not be obliged to send any more I had a letter from
Father and he writes that all are well and that our Garden looks finely and has
been hoed over once How happy will we be to get back Even under the roof of an
old rotten house which we thought almost to bad to live in but I think now I can
live there Content if only I can be with my dear family who are now so far from
me I am very glad that Carrie thinks and speaks of her Father so often for I
would not have her forget me for nothing. The little darling how I would like to
have
Her on my Knee and give her a good [ ] and that big Freddy boy how good he looks to me as I
see him in imagination [totteling] about the floor and I hope
too that he will not Entirely forget me. At present I presume you are visiting
in Poultney or at Uncle Wings and I hope you will Enjoy yourself well dont let
my absence prohibit in the least degree your having a good visit for there is
but little doubt but that I shall return to you in a few weeks You write of
Uncle Simonds ill health and Speak as though his recovery is rather doubtful I
tell you we cant Call a moment our own for death is among us and whether at home
or abroad we are every moment Exposed to it hence the necessity of always being
ready and I hope that I may be a better man than I have been heretofore and set
a better Example before my children and Wife, but hoping will not accomplish the
End I have got to go at work and reform and I think I have in some respects, and
shall try and continue.
Kiss the Children and write to your aff –V.G. Barney