Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
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It is nearly mail time but I will try & write you a few lines as I promised. I suppose you have received my letter of yesterday.
Friday & Saturday I was Field Officer of the day & had to go over the picket line twice each day - once each night. Nelson has written you about our night rides as he went with me both times. I had a pretty hard time and was tired enough Sunday morning. Still in the evening I took a ride with Col. Blunt down to Wolf Run Shoals by moonlight. We were gone only about three hours. When we came back we found that the boys had cleaned out the sutler. They tore his tent down, drank his beer & eat his nuts and fruits. Stearns, the sutler, was not here & has not got here yet.
I have not much news to write.
The raid made by the rebels upon the R. R. last Saturday & the destruction of the train you have probably seen in the papers.
The Vermont Cavalry boys took their piece of artillery from them & on Sunday passed up thro' our camp with it.
Some of our Regt, went out to pick up the ruins but saw nothing of interest. I did not go as I was on the picket line.
Maj. Kingsley is out on Picket today & my turn comes again on Saturday. We have to be out two days in eight or one fourth of the time. I rode about thirty miles each day and I tell you I was pretty sore & lame. The line is worse than that at Wolf Run.
I see by the papers that Col. Andross & Adj't John Stearns are in Washington. If they do not come out on the train today I shall go in to see them.
An orderly has just come in to say that Col. Blunt has gone to Alexandria and will not be back till five o'clock, so I shall not go into the city today. He has probably gone in to see Stearns. I hope Col. Andross & Stearns will come out here. The mail carrier has come.
Love to all.Ros.