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Regiment: 1st U.S. Volunteers Sharpshooters
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Weehawken, N.J. Sept. 4th, 1861
Dear Mary,
“On to Washington” is our order. Tonight at 6 o’clock it will deprive
me of your letters. If you have received mine, and wrote, which of course
you have. I have not had a moments spare time since Sunday. Was on
guard a part of Sunday and night and Monday night all night, Tuesday all
day and Tuesday night – On account of a good many being sick. Powder
house, guard house and tents to guard which kept us nearly all busy.
Colonel Berdan’s regiment is a humbug and Col. Berdan if not a
myth is not any better. We are all willing and anxious to go ahead and
that one thing is all that has kept us together and had not this order come
to march, this company would not have held together twelve hours longer.
About one half the company have paid for their own victuals ever since we
have been here, because what the Dutch cooked they could not eat. I have
usually bought about one meal a day and finally yesterday now, I with
several others swore we would
never eat another meal in their house.
The consequences was, the Captain wanted us to pay for what we wanted
to eat and run the risk of Governments refunding it. I got mad and went
without my supper, and should have left this morning if we had not got
these orders and to my certain knowledge there were at least a quarter of
the company in the same fix. Now if we go, all right, if not, you may expect
to hear from me in some other regiment. The war is bound to end this
winter. We all feel first rate and everyone I think will do his duty.
If you don’t hear from me within a day or two after the receipt of
this, you may write me at Washington D.C. Mich. Co., Berdan’s Sharp
Shooters. Would write more if I had time. Give my love to all and much to
yourself,
Gardner B. Clark
