Click here for this soldier’s biography:
https://micivilwar.com/authors/burge-caroden-s/
Regiment: 2nd Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Camp of Mich. 2
nd Near Yorktown, Va
April 14th 1862
Dear Sister:
I rec’d yours the
day after reaching this place
Perhaps I did not do right
in waiting for you to ancwer
mine before I wrote to you
again, since you have
so many cares. But it is
passed. I have not time
to write much of a letter
this time for me are going
on picket to night & it is
now quite late in the after-
noon. For the past month
we have been kept on the
move most of the time.
On the 18
th of March we
started down the Potomac
bidding good-bye to the Capitol
in sights of which we
have been ever since the
first of last August. As
we passed Fort Washington,
about 10 miles below Washing
ton, a salute was fired.
About a mile below this
we passed Mont Vernon the
home of Washington. It is the
most beautiful place on the
Potomac. A few houses later
& we were passing the rebel
batteries (not rebel – batteries now)
which were such a error to
our people for many months.
At Aquia Creek the rebels
had not all left yet, four were
burning the bridges &c. prepar-
atory to leaving. At dusk we
anchored for the night just
where Matthias Pt. We went
to bed early. About 1 A.M.
we were awakened by the
mother of the boat & upon
getting up we found the boat
had started. Leaving that we
were just passing Matthias Pt.
& that we expected to be fired
on I went up on deck. The
moon was shining brightly on
the sparkling waters, & by its
light Matthias Pt. as it pro-
jected far out into the stream
looked dark & ominous. At the
nearest it seemed to be about
fifty rods away. But we passed
by unmolested. When we had
passed one of our gunboats threw
a shot towards the point but
it was not answered. So we
all put back to our bunks.
About sunrise crowds of us
were on deck trying to catch
a glimpse at the salt waters
of the Chesapeake. We came
into this bay about 7 A.M.
And now I am on salt
waters. A bucket is dropped over
& a little of the brine is caught
that we may taste it. About 2
P.M. we came in sight of Fort
Monroe. Away to the left we could
look out upon the broad Atlantic.
To the right are the massive
stone walls of Fortrees Monroe, with
the barbetts guns on the top looking
out over to waters, & lower down
you can see the places where to
casemated guns are run out in
time of action. But there are so
many interesting objects here that
I must wait till another time before
I attempt to speak of them.
We can not have regular
meetings now because we are moving much
Your brother
Caroden
Mr. E. A. Lewis
Liberty
Mich
I put both letters
in one envelope to
save stamps.
C. S. B.
Please write as often as you can
