Roswell Farnham to [Mary Farnham]
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Your kind letter of last Sunday June 21st., was duly rec'd tonight day after we reached Union Mills. We left the Shoals at seven o'clk this morning & reached the Mills before ten. We waited there until after three for the 13th. to come up & then the whole brigade took up the line of march for Centreville. We passed thro' that place & are now in camp about a mile & a half north of it. It commenced raining before we got to camp & has rained ever since. We have got comfortable & had supper. The Chaplain tents with me. We shall get along well together I hope.
We are to move again in the morning at seven o'clk towards Edward's Ferry - We are to stop at Guilford Station on the Loudon & Hampshire R. R. about 27 miles from Washington or rather Alexa. We shall not be far from where Zeke is. I will see him if I can.
Our Brigade is now detached from the Defence of Washington & are to report to Genl. Reynolds of the 1st. Army Corps. We have left nothing behind us on the picket line tho' I understand that our place is to be supplied by troops to be sent there.
For a while at least there was nothing to prevent the Rebels coming into our rear as we marched from the Shoals.
What we should have done if they had made a strong dash with cavalry into our rear is more than I can say.
Our time is still going on & these moves cannot stop time's passing. The 4th. of July will soon come & I shall soon be at home.
I have no time to write more tonight, & you must be content with this. Yours
in haste
Roswell>
Love to Laura.
Firday Morning. The 6th. Army Corps is passing us in camp. We cannot move till they get past. It will take an hour or two & they have been passing for three hours.
Our Regt. is to be in the rear of the brigade today. The rebs are said to have crossed the Shoals immediately after we left. One of our waggons had to be destroyed. Fairfax Station is also said to have been burned.
I shall mail this when I get a chance perhaps not till we get again to the R. R. There is a good deal of moving. I cant tell what it means. The old brigade men think they are going to Maryland.
I am sitting under a tree, horses saddled waggons loaded - all ready. It is raining considerable. "Burnie" is sick again. I dont know how long he will stand it. He will have to go along or be shot.
P. S. The 10th. has moved to Harper's Ferry -
Camp of 12th. Vt. V. M.Between Edward's Ferry &Poolesville, Md.June 27th. 1863.- Sat -My Dear:
You see by the date of this that we have moved considerable since I commenced
this letter - We have been marching all the time for the past three days. We
did not get into camp yesterday till after eight o'clk & started
this morning at five. Of course we had to get up some earlier to get breakfast
& get ready. We camped last night at Hernden Station on the Loudon &
Hampshire R. R. It rained all day yesterday more or less. - & has rained
today tho' tonight it does not rain, but still cloudy. After leaving camp this
morning we passed Guilford Station where we were to have joined the First Corps
last night, but they had left & we pushed on & crossed at Edward's Ferry
on a pontoon bridge. We are now on the road towards Frederick City, & thence
perhaps to Hagarstown. We passed the 6th. Corps just this side of the Ferry.
Our men are marching bravely but they have a hard time. Overcoats, blankets &c. cover our route, tho' not as bad as the old troops I think. We can march better than they. My dinner consisted of hard tack & a piece of ham broiled on a stick, - Burnie is a great deal better than he was & I think will get along finely now. My health is tip top. We some expect a fight in this vicinity. If our brigade goes in they will not disgrace the state. They intend to keep us up to the end of our time in the field. So we shall not reach Brattleboro before the 6th. or 7th. of July. Love to all. Good courage.
Yours affectionately.,Ros.