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This transcription has not been verified by Special Collections Research Center Staff.  Please also consult images of the document.

1
Camp Old Colony Washington D.C.
July 18
Henry
This is the foruth day
that I have been here and I am
going to give you a little memorandia
of each day.  I am on general duty today
am on the second relief it is now
about 1/2 past 3 P.M. and our squa
d will have to relieve the first in 1 1/2
hour.  It is a nice day and I feel
first rate.  I am seated at the foot
of a large White Oak tree my kna
psack resting upon the roots upon
which I am writing.  The same root
also furnishes me with a good seet
it being raised some 2 1/2 ft above
the ground.  I think the dianater of this
tree must be near four ft.  I wish I
could continue to describe to you
this beautiful place but time is
short and I want to begin with
the first day here.  Monday.  It was


[Pg2]

2
rather a busy day as we had the ground
to clear and tents to pitch but I managed
to get a little leisure in the afternoon
which I improved to good advantage.
I had just taken my Pencil and
Paper to write you a few lines
when some one proposed that we
should go over to George Toun. A
streem of water about 40 ft wide on
the west side of our camp ground
forms the Boundary between us and
George Toun.  We have to go down a steep
but short hill before we come to
the streem then follow a well beaten
path for a short distance until we
came to a road then turn to the
left and cross the Bridge and we
are in George Toun.  George Toun
Hights are but a short distance
from the Bridge form this plass
we had a pretty god view of the
city of Washington.  I only went
through a few steets of the toun


[Pg3]

3
as I could stop there but a short
time they are not very pretty but
quite thickly settled.  I saw about
as many Blacks as Whites.  The little
darkie children are very pretty.
Mostly free Pigs Big and Little
run in the streets.   I counted
10 with one old sow.  I didnot
have to go far to see the Pot
omac River.  I went within ¼
of a mile of it.  It is a very
prety streem.  Now I must say
a few words of Tuesday.  Went
down to the streem before Break
fast and had a good Bathe
was on Police duty that day
helped remove the Tents again to
a more convinient place didnot
rest well the night before sliped
out of bed 3 or four times but
not a very serious fall as we
sleep quite near the ground
We Pitched them at first on
the side of a hill.  We do not


[Pg4]

4
have our sacks now as we did at
Taunton nothing but the bare
ground make your Bed with
such as you have so I find
my Rubber Blanket very convin
ient I spread it upon the
ground first, then ½ my Woo
len Blanket under me and the
other over.  my Over coat I use
for a pillow, rather a hard
Bed but I dont know but I
rest as well as I ever did.
Wednesday went off of the
ground before Brakfast
about ¼ of a mile for a Regim
ental drill took Brakfast about
7 then went out for a target
shoot shot twice a piece.  I
hit it Both times distance 75
yds.  Went to Bathe in the
afternoon.  Picked a few ripe
Black Burries.  Of today Thurs
day I have but little to say
except I am on guard duty
I have to keep myself near the


[Pg5]

5
Generel House all the time
when I am off duty I do not
object to it as you will see
from what I have already writen
that I am very pleasantly locat
ed.  I have to stand 4 watches
out of the 24 each 2 Hours
2 on and 4 off as there are
3 reliefs this keeps one on all
the time.  Each consists of about
33 men.  My duty commenced
today at 11 A.M. so I was
relieved at 1 and now as
it is nearly 5 I will take
my leave of you until
another convinient time
for I shall soon hear the
call.  Well now it is Saturd
day and I have taken a longer
leave of you than I intended
but duty pleasure and conv
inience are the only reasons
So I will go back to where I


[Pg6]

I[crossed out] 6. left off.  My duty Thursday
night was not [a?][crossed out] very pleasant
one as it rained some but
I got through with it without
it[crossed out] taking and cold and had
rested well since so I feel
quite well now.  Whilst I
was on guard from 5 to 7
the President, Old Abe, visited
our camp.  I couldnot see
him.  I was very much disap
ointed.  Franks post was
near mine he had just a
look at him.  Andrew Hink
ley was taken prisnor whilst
sleeping on his post between
11 and 1 A.M.  He is a member
of our company a South Abiny
Boy.  His post was not far
from mine.  He wouldnot
have slept if he had not sat
down.  I dont know what his
sentence will be.  I hope not
very severe.  I would rather


[Pg7]

Taunton guly 11
7 a Bull would pierce
my Hart than to be found
sleeping on my post.  I would
not make mention of this
for the present.  Friday
morning after the new
guard was mounted, we
the old guard went out
to to[crossed out] discharge our guns th
target was placed at the
distance of 25 yds.  Of the
100 [guardes?] that shot I was
the last and but 8 shots
beter than mine and some
of those but very little.
After that a few of us with
Lient M went to Bathe.  Charles
Sumner made us a visit
in the afternoon was here
at dres parade.  Today
The[crossed out] Saturday a short drill
before Brakfast after


[Pg8]

Brakfast went out to
shoot Blank cartages by company
after that went out with
capt H to Bathe picked
quite a lot of Blackberries.
Had a first rate Dinner
fired Stake and Bakers
Bread.  We have not fared
so well here as we did at
Taunton the men are geting
cross and there are signs
of better things.  My health
continues very good.  I do
not see a great difference
in the weather here from th
weather at home.  I have ma
ny things in mind that I want
to write but I must close now.
You must ask questions if you
want information.  Luke is Well
is seated Beside me writing.
Tell Edwin that I have not forgot
him will write to him soon
(To be continued)  Rufus


[Pg9]

July 24

Camp Old Colony Washington D.C.
Henry
I have sat down to write
you a few lines beneath the shade of
some of the noble trees which surround
our camp ground.  I am waiting as
patiently as I can for the mail to
arrive for I have hopes of hearing from
you this morning.  I am going to
give you a little description of our
camp ground.  In the first place I will
say we are located upon a hill
which contains some where from
10 to 15 Acrs which is entirely surrounded
by a forest of large trees.  We have an
uneven plain upon the top of the
hill of from 5 to 7 Acrs which does
very well for a parade ground.
I am seeted on the west side of
the ground about 30 paces down
from the plain where we drill
50 paces more down a very steep


[Pg10]

pitch would bring me to the edge
of the streen which I mentioned in
my last.  I can see it from where I am
seted and up a steep hill which is
coverd with corn on the oposite side
I can see 2 Houses one of Brick the other
of wood.  The whole camp ground is
surrounded by a publick Road out
side of the Forrest.  I am very anxious
that you should know how it looks
here but I dont suppose that it will
be possible for me to discribe it so
that you will.  I Mailed a letter for
you last Sunday morning.  Saturday
night I was on guard again though
I was not detailed but took Pat
Reeds place as he was not well.  It
was a very pleasant night.  I was
stationed on the East Side of th
ground near the colonels quarters.
The Moon shone out so brightly
among the trees that I could not
help enjoying my seituation alt


[Pg11]

hough I was alone and no one
to speak to in the still hours from
2 till 4 but i could think of the
pleasant home that I had left
of you all as you were quietly
sleping in your beds and not
a spot did I neglect to visit. [up?][crossed out]
Now the orderly is coming with the
Mail I will to and see if he has one
for me.  Well there were many
names called before mine and
I had begun to dispare, but I
am satisfied now for I have Recd
2 very interesting letters.  I was glad
to learn that you were all well
and geting along so well with the work
I was going to say (dont work too hard)
but that will not make any difference
I know that you do.  I wish you could
have as many leisure hours as I do.  We
have more time here than we had
at Tuanton but do not know how
to improve it so well because our


[Pg12]

exurcises are not so regular.  We do
not drill but twice a day but have
more Police and Guard duty to do.
Many of our men have been sick since
we had been here so it makes it a little
hardor for the well ones, diarrhe is
the most common complaint.  I have
not seen a sick day since I have
been here in fact I have felt
better than I did while at Taun
I have been rather costive but I
am in better [conerision?] now 7
tomatoes and a piece of Bro
an bread which I Bought [t][crossed out] here
on the [ground?] set me all
right.  They are ripe and very
good cost 1 ct a piece.   We have
fine weather here cooler than
I expected.  I am glad you
have got your clothes.  I have
not Recd any Money yet but
expect a littel soon 1/2 months pay.
I want you to write as often as you
can if it is but little.  Is is now
morning of 25 and I shall not
mail this until tom[m][ crossed out]orrow
On my next sheet I shall comm
ence my memorandee with Sunday
last

[Pg13]

July 28
Camp Old Colony Washington
Dear Mother
I have taken a very
comfortable seat at the Captains
table which he has loaned me
under cover of an auing which
projects from the back of his tent.
I have as many different places
to write as you recieve letters.  I
wrote a letter of 4 pages to Ruth
this morning and finished it
just in season to go to meeting
which commenced at 1/2 past 10.
The weather is vey fine to day as
it is almost evry day.  It is now
about 2 P.M. and pretty warm
out in the sun.  this morning it was
quite cool and a good air.  I
enjoyed the meeting very much this
morning not because the sentiments
were in unison with my own so much
but because it was the place where I


[Pg14]

could go with a grateful heart
and acknouledge the many blessings
which continualy surround me.
It seemed quite home like to hear
the Bells over in George Town ringing
for the morning services.  My heath
is very good to day and I think that
I enjoy my self about as well as I
ever have in my life not that I
do not miss my home.  I cannot think
of any thing that would give me
1/2 the pleasure that it would to spend
a day with you but I feel that I am
engaged in a good cause and
being in the company of many kind
friends and nothing to weigh heavily
on my mind.  I do not know why
I should not enjoy my new life
and I think it has thus far proved
benificial to my health.  I like this
place much better than I did Taun.
I think we had a few day there
as warm as any I have seen here


[Pg15]

thoug I think when I first arrived
here that I noticed a difference
in the air that I had never before.
One thing I enjoy very much is our
good chance for washing our clothes
and Bathing.  Luke and I start
off about evry other morning along
the stream to a water fall where
there is a first rate chance.  I
meant to have said the Roll
call is at 5 o clock.  We start imm
ediately after that are not gone
more than 15 or 20 minutes for
we have company drill of 15 or
20 minutes and then Breakfast.
We make a little improvement in our
diet lately.  We take a stick and run
it through a slice of Bread and
hold it over the coles and tost
it and when we have butter with
it as has been the case a few times of
late we think we were never so well
fed before.  We had a surplus of


[Pg16]

of coffee which our orderly
swaped for the Butter.  The
worst trouble we have now is
the cooking but that I think will be
remedied soon
Mother
It is now
Monday morning I was
call to duty last eve before
I could finish my letter
and I have not time now.
So good bye you will
hear from me again
soon.  Yours Affectinly
Rufus