Click here for this soldier’s biography:
https://micivilwar.com/authors/burge-caroden-s/
Regiment: 2nd Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: Ambrose Burnside, George B. McClellan, Samuel P. Heintzelman
Camp of Mich. 2
nd Near Yorktown, Va
Apr. 14th 1862
Dear Mother:
Here we are
before Yorktown & have
been lying here since the
5
th What I supposed to be only
to change position proved to
be a general advance. We
wise two days in marching
here (a distance of 24 miles).
We came through Big Bethal
We reached this place about
5 P.M of the 5
th There was
considerable firing done
by the artillery on this
day & we expected that
the fight would be general on Monday
But we lie here still &
heavy siege guns & mortors are being
brought up all the time.
McClellan is here with
us. I have seen him several
times. Though we can not
understand why he waits
so long here & are somewhat
impatient for the battle to
come off, we have the fullest
confidence in him & believe
that we shall sometime
see that he had good rea-
sons for waiting. We are
inclined to think that he
is waiting here in order
to draw the forces of the
rebels from some other point
here & thus give some of his
other forces, on the Potomac or
with Burnside, an opportunity
to make important move-
ments in their rear.
The news of our victories
at Island No. 10 & Pittsburg
Landing has just reached
us. They are very impor-
tant victories. We can hardly
get any news here. We seem
to shut out from the world
almost. It is only now & then
a stay paper that we can
see. We get our mail about
once a week. The most
that we fear now is that
the rebels are getting up
some more Merimacs &
that our Government is not
getting enough Monitors to
meet them. Such
disaster
a thing would prolong the
war very much. If we
meet with no more defeats
I do not think the war can
continue very long. While
Providence is favoring us
so much I hope our
government will not stop
work & rely wholly upon
upon him. I only complain
of Congress for being so slow;
especially in making appropri-
ations for the building of iron
clad gunboats. While our Navy
is doing so much for us I think
they (Senators & Congressmen) ought
to be awake to its interests.
We (our reg.) have been a picket once
since we came here & are to go
again to-nights. I had a good
sight at the rebel earthworks when
we were on picket before. They are
strongly entrenched. But I do not
think there is the least doubt
about out whipping them. We have
hundreds of pieces of artillery &
any quantity of soldiers here. How
many I do not know but there
must be (from what I can learn)
over one hundred thousand. –
I have only three postage stamps
left, & no chance to get more!
One of the three goes on this letter.
I wrote a letter to you just before
I left Fort Monroe which I hope
you have got Remember to keep
writing & direct as before & they will
be forwarded. We belong to Hamilton’s
Division, Heintzleman’s Corps.
I wrote to Aunt Ann two or three
months ago & have heared nothing from them
yet.
Your Son Caroden.
