Posted inUS Civil War

November 4, 1861 – Correspondence from the 2nd NH

Camp of 2d N. H. Reg., Hill Top,
St. Charles County, Md., Oct. 28.

Since my last letter, the 2d Regiment have made considerable change in the locality of its camp. We are now encamped about 45 miles below Washington, near the Potomac, opposite the formidable line of rebel batteries extending from Mathias Point, several miles up the river. The division here is under the command of Gen. Hooker, now acting Major Gen., and comprises Sickles’ brigade and Hooker’s Brigade, (now under command of Col. Cowdin, of the Mass. 1st,) with a formidable force of cavalry and artillery. Our regiment occupies the left of the line. We have with us Doubledays’ battery of heavy guns, with the greater portion of the defenders of Fort Sumter. Our march here was a very interesting one, to us, and we will give your readers an account of it.

Posted inUS Civil War

November 2, 1861 – Startling News from Southern Kansas

Major Russell, of Osage, ten miles below Humboldt, arrived here on Monday night. He gives the most distressing accounts of affairs on our South-eastern border. He and his family have been driven from their home by rebels. A party of Secessionists, said to number 437, are now in Allen and Woodson counties, overrunning those counties and threatening to sweep thro’ the whole Neosho Valley. Major Russell fears that our next news will be that Iola and Leroy have followed the fate of luckless Humboldt. Citizens are leaving that portion of the State in the greatest haste, leaving all their furniture and goods behind. Scouts from Leroy report a force of 1,200 Missourians within thirty miles of Humboldt with the avowed purpose of making a raid upon Kansas.

Posted inLocal Histories US Civil War

November 1, 1861 – Our Volunteers in Virginia

The Camden Volunteers, Capt. Kennedy.—The health of this Company has greatly improved. Lieut. Niles, who has been home since the last of August, having left the company on account of sickness, returned on Monday last, with a full supply of clothing, blankets, &c., for the men.

Capt. Cantey’s Company, we are glad to learn, is much improved in health; and are happy to say have not been forgotten by their friends, the ladies—of the Camden Association. Yet, so far as we are aware, there has been no uniforms sent them from here—owing to the difficulty in getting goods suitable to make up, as the Confederate army has engaged all the mills in Virginia and North Carolina. We hope they can and will be supplied there.

Posted inLocal Histories US Civil War

October 31, 1861 – Gifts from Litchfield

Sergeant Smith of the 4th Regiment, took back with him on Monday to his company a vast amount of comforts and luxuries for “the boys.” He had Hams, Cheeses, Tubs of fresh butter, Crackers, Shirts, Stockings, pipe and cigars, amounting in all to three large dry goods boxes and one barrel full! Something over seventy pairs of good, thick, warm wollen stockings were sent. Notable mothers, sisters and grandmothers, habituated to such labors, have plied their needles during the past fortnight more industriously than ever, and dainty fingers which never before manipulated anything harsher than Berlin wool, have bravely toiled over the heavy blue yarn, anxious to contribute something to the comfort of their brothers in the distant camp.