Click here for this soldier’s biography:
https://micivilwar.com/authors/clark-gardner-b/
Regiment: 1st U.S. Volunteers Sharpshooters
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures: George B. McClellan
Camp Porter Va. March 30th 1862
My Own Loved Mary.
With three coats on I
have been shivering all day. it is wet muddy,
and disagreeable, yet it is due you that I should
send a few cheering words of our prospects
Thursday our troops made a reconnoi-
sance two miles beyond Big Bethel, the few
Rebel at that place leaving in “hot haste” as
our forces came up. they had but a handful
there, say two or three hundred not with stand-
ing the papers have it there were fifteen hun-
dred, there that were there know best.
A part
of our Reg. were in the advance, the rest left on
Picket. it happened to be my luck to be detailed
the night before for picket so I lost the fun
the report is now that Yorktown is burnt
and evacuated by the Rebels. I hardly
think it is true for it would expose
[ ? ]
to a flank movement. thus rendering
it capture much easier. For three days
we have had nothing to eat but Pilot bread
and coffee. the bread is good enough but
there has been no way
[ ? ] to soften
them, and that only way we can break
them is to set our heel severely down
upon them. They are usually masked 110
B. C. (Before Christ) and the day I was
on Picket I found one five years older a
pretty tough cus – tomer . I laid it care-
fully by and perhaps will send to you
by mail some of these days.
I have had no
letter from you since leaving Washington
I begin to feel lonesome.
We are daily expect-
ing to hear a fight with the Merrimac.
we
are are within good hearing distance
being some twenty miles from Norfolk.
If possible I shall write you twice
a week as usual but hope my next
will be written some what nearer Rich-
mend.
The inhabitants living here all fled
at the approach of our troops, leaving
their “Chattels” but taking all their provisions
We have at least one hundred and
fifty thousand troops here, with more coming
McClellan is reported to be here. and very
likely before you get this, you will hear of
us a long way from this.
I cannot
write an interesting letter my fingers
and nose are so cold. and conclude
the least said the better.
With much love always
Your own Gardner
