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Regiment: 6th Michigan Cavalry
Battles Mentioned: Fredericksburg, Virginia
Historical Figures:
Washington City Dec 28th /62
Dear Emily
Two weeks ago to day we
arrived in this place and we have moved
twice. We encamped the second time last
Thursday. We have got a good location were
we are. Our last camp was in a low place
and very mudy. We have moved about a half
a mile from our last encampment. We have
been very buisy diging trenches around our
tents to keep them dry when it rains. We are
haveing some very nice dry wheather for
the past week. We have just broke ranks
after falling in line for inspection. that
is we have to carry all our traps that we
have drawn from the Government and
what we have lost is charge to us.
That is something that I think might be
disspenced with on Sunday it seems as though
they put of a great many things for Sunday that
that might be done some other day.
Some of our men are working to day and
I think a great disgrace to our army. I suppose
that we shall winter here, and how much
longer I cannot tell. I wrote home 2
weeks ago to morrow and I am looking for
an answer every day. I wrote to Aunt the day
after I wrote to you. We are about 2 ½ miles from
the Capitial but we cannot not see it from
camp. Our camp is on a hill quite a prominent
place we have got a splendid place to drill.
We have drawn our sabres they are very nice
ones. I have drilled once with the sabers it is
a very nice exercise it is very hard on the
wrist. We have not drawn our months pay
the talk is that we shall have the first
of the month I hope we may. there is a good
many of our boys sick we have had the hardest
kind of cold, and no wonder for ever since
we have been here we have nothing to lay on
but a blanket and our empty ticks after we moved
up here my eye caught sight of a straw stak so
I took my tick and went over. the stack was
was surrounded with men after straw
they thought that they could get it for nothing
it belonged to a widow woman she was there
to keep them from taking it I ask her
what she would ask me for enough to fill
my bed she said 15 cents and I was glad
to get it that way there was 3 of our boys
in our tent got there beds fill so that I
lay quite comfortable for the first night it
was the best bed that I had since left
G. R. my health is very good at present and I
feel to thank God for it. I was on guard
half the night last night and it makes me
feels rather dull to day. we have lost five
Horses since we have been here the distemper
has got amongst our Horses. My horse has
escape so far they had a hard time of it
for the first week we could not get feed
enough to keep them quite they are doing
better now. they have to send a long way
to get Hay it costs $40 pr ton it takes
a good many teams to supply us in hay
and corn, wood and etc..
I have seen the teams strung along for
over a mile. there is any amount of Horses
and mules the city is a perfect jam with
Govement teams and Cavalry Horses.
We went down to the Potomac to get
our horses shod and we had to go through
the City the place is much larger than I
thought it was the streets are wide and
they need to be or it would be impossible
to pass we pass the President Mansion
it is a splendid building and the ground
is very tastefully laid out in front I should
like to go over the ground and through the
house the Government has a large shop there
on purpose to shoe Horses I counted 50 forges
they have shod as high as 1100 in one day
that is setting shoes pretty fast they was
not long in shoeing our horses. the exp
=ences of the Government in and around this
City is enough to sink a nation I suppose
you will have heard of the defeat we encounter
ed at Fredericburg I suppose it was the
worst kind of place to march men to fight were
they are fortified on the right and left and center
I have seen men right from there and
was awful to hear them discribe the sene
If that is the way they are going to do we shall
never conquer there was some companyes that lost
every officer and in fact nearly all the privates.
I tell you that you know nothing
about war only to look around here every thing
destroyed fences all burnt up and they
have use there improvements to camp
on you can hardly see a place were there
has not been tents or is now there is any amount
of barracks around here and hospitals for
the sick and wounded there is lots of soldiers
around here able bodied men to all apearance
that are doing nothing so that there is
no lack of men if I had known what I
know now I would have never enlisted
and the boys all feel about the same
way, and I dont blame them. I tell
you that as long as we have no better
officers we shall never do any thing
all they care about is a position so
that they can feather nests all the
soldiers that I have seen say that
they are getting tired of the war and
I dont blame if that is the way
they head them up to be slauthered.
I hope that I shall get a letter before you
receive this and I hope that you have
got mine all right, for I know that
you will be anxious to hear from me
I have not done my washing yet
I wish that I could throw my clothes in your
reach so you could wash them for me
but that is useless talk I want you should
write as often as you can for it will be
like a visit home to get a letter and
you may rest assured that I shall as
often as I can to some of the family
it is very little time that I have had
yet and we have not drilled any with
our horses Dear E I must draw this scrawl
to a close for I have wrote has much as I
must put in one wrapper, hoping that
the peaceful pursuit which you are
folloing may prove prospers to you
all you may be thankfull that you
are so far away from this strife and tumult
and may Gods blessing follows in all our
ways and may the time soon come that
peace shall again reign over our land my
love to all. give my best respects to all enquiring
friends Your Brother
William G. Whitworth
[On Envelope:]
Miss Emily Whitworth
Laphamville
Kent Co
Mich
