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https://micivilwar.com/authors/byrns-william/
Regiment: 1st Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: George B. McClellan
Kalanama Heights
3 miles west of Washington
Dear Florence Sept 24
th 1861
After a long tiresome ride, we
reached W. on Saturday. I immediately
moved into camp at this place.
I am familiar with this region as
It is near a fame of ours on
Meridian Hill the countryseat of
school boy
[ ? ]gitude. We have a
beautiful camp bordered by young
cedar trees such as I have only seen
grow in the District. But the great-
est wonder of the vicinity is the
great number of troops collected
near here. We have to go about a
mile + one half to drill + I believe we
pass 20,000 men, + this is not a
fraction of the number encamped in
the neighborhood oh Washington. I find
matters here much different than
when here before. Under Gen Mc
lellan matters have
[ ? ] an air
of regularity. The troops are better
diciplined, + every thing seems to
move for a defivate purpose.
Our new Col. has joined the Regiment
+ we like him much. He has the
reputation of being a strict diciplin
arian which suits the field officers
to a man. While going through with
a dress parade on Saturday evening
several from a Reg. near by came
to witness it. One of
[ ? ]
of his mate Why they could not have
such a parade. “Why” said he “those
are
old regulars”. We have a
great many visitors from Washington
they have not forgotton us.
I have not been out of camp
Yet but will try + go over the
Potomac tomorrow + see my
friend Charly Parsons. He is in the
outposts, so near that they can hear
the enemy pickets talk at night.
They do not anticipate an attack.
We are here organizing + fully
Perfecting a grand army that when
It does move we need fear no more
Bull Run affairs. I do not believe
An advance will be made before
the loss of hunt month, although
I can give no reason for so think-
ing except thu the army will be much
better prepared to move then
[ ? ]
sooner + I believe McLellen does
know when + how to act.
I recd. a letter from my Bro today
He expressed great surprise at learning
of my trip westwood. Sarah
can met
me at the train in Galen + insisted
on my staying over the Sabbath. Have I
done so would have thrown out of
connection with my regiment + I
could have done as Capt Abbott +
some of the other officers did.
[ ? ]
worried myself to death overtaking
them. I must close by giving you an
account of Joshua. As we near about
leaving Elmid I was met by him. He
is rather short, slim, dark curling hair + eyes
+ a skin that charcoal would make
a white maok, Joshua was in love
with the soldiers life + he declared he
did not wish to cook + wait on
table in a hotel more, as he brought
good testimonials of fitness in the culinary
department I engaged him. So you
can imagine that Capt Abbott + myself
do just as little as possible. The
Capts servant is always around
Looking uncomfortable unless
you ask him to black your
shoes to brush your clothes
or get a glass of water, or brush away
the flies or do one thing or do another.
One thing is greatly to be deplored
neither of them are ready writers
or we could give them much
more employment in writing our
friends. Give my respects to
your
[ ? ] Burton Carrie
+
[ ? ] Williams.
Yours Truly
Wm Byrns
P.S. My P.O. address is Washington
Care First Mich Inftry [ ? ]
You will need to my official prefix
of Lieut
WmB
