Roswell Farnham to Mary [Farnham]
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Your letter of the 14th. mailed the 15th. came to hand last night. That is a little quicker than I have rec'd a letter for somet time. It contained Henry's photograph. He looks first rate & I hope is doing well. If he should be drafted, which I dont believe will happen, he cannot hope for any chance with Genl. Stannard. He wants older men, & besides there are men enough of more experience. I hope he will not be drafted, but I have no doubt he will stand it like a man.
The Sixth Army Corps moved yesterday up to the Court House. They encamped right where the Chantilly & Centreville roads come together. I went up to see them again yesterday & took dinner with Mrs. Whaley. She & family were well. They are as quiet & comfortable as ever. Alice was not there, but was up to her grandmothers near Chantilly.
I saw all the boys in the old Brigade
that I could find I saw Lieut.
Fabyan, Geo. Flanders, Daniel Skinner, (that lived at Mr. Howards) Byron Wilson,
Orin Lufkins, George Peters, George Woodbury, Mr. Tuttle, a Sawyer boy from West
Fairlee. They were all well & tough. Geo. Flanders looked fat & hearty.
I saw Henry Robie too, I think it was Henry. When I was at the Shoals the other
day I saw William Green who used to go to school to us at Franklin.
I did not see Capt. Tubbs. He was gone down to the Station, nor Lieut. Geo. Wood. He was with the Ambulance Corps & I enquired there for him, but could not find him. Old John Shumway I saw at the Shoals. Mr. Strickland or Col. Andross will know all these boys. There may be some others I saw but I dont now recollect them. The boys look tough & hardy. They are having a hard time moving so rapidly this hot weather.
I rode home in company with Genl. Stannard & got wet through. It rained hard for the first time for six weeks.
This morning I have been up to Centreville. The 3d. Corps is there now, & the 11th. is up towards Leehigh
Our cavalry have met the rebel cavalry
in various directions this
morning some twenty miles or more from Centreville. I saw one Captain who told
me that their Regt. numbered 335 men when they left Centreville & they had
but 27 on their return. His horse was shot in two places, his pistol was knocked
to pieces by a shot, & he had a shot in his side & one in his leg. It
was a Rhode Island Regt. Our Vt. Cavalry met the rebs at Warrenton. They are in
force there - tho' no infantry.
There will be some fighting somewhere before many days, tho' nobody can tell where. I dont think you need feel alarmed for us, for it wont reach here before our time is out.
My health still continues good. I ride about fifteen miles every day so that I keep up good digestion.
You can let Henry have what money he needs & take that note as security if you wish.
I shall write today to Mr. Perry at the Brattleboro House to engage rooms for you & Laura & perhaps I may be there at one or two meals!!!!!!
There is some talk of our going to
Wolf Run Shoals in a few Days to
stay a week or so, or till our time is out.
I am getting to be very impatient for our time to be out. I would like to stay either a long term or else go home pretty quick.
We are having very hot weather now.
There are two ladies in camp now that belong to the battery. Capt. Sterling ordered them away from the battery & they could get no place to stay at the Station & so came up here. They have occupied the Chaplains tent three nights. They are very pretty, modest ladies from Bridgport Conn. & dont want to go home and leave their husbands. I admire their pluck. I think they both love their husbands.
Their names are Mrs. Sherman and Mrs. Halley. They mess with us & add a great deal to the refinement of our society.
Write often. The mail is ready. Tho' perhaps it will not be worth the while for you to write me after receiving this. Still you may answer this and let that be the last.
I will write every day.
Yours affectionatelyRos.
P. S. Love to Laura.