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Regiment: 4th Michigan Cavalry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Paw Paw Aug 17, 1862
My dear Davidson
Yours of 12th from
Geneva received. I am glad
to hear that you are enjoying your-
self. You had better shorten up
your visits as much as you can
conveniently and come here. We
shall leave here Wednesday or Thursday
for Detroit. We have been ready
for a week or ten days, but there
were no accommodations in the
camp ground for us. Since you
left Michigan has raised nine in-
fantry regiments and two cavalry ones.
Camp accommodations can not be
processed fast enough for all, so some
of us have to wait. Our company
is full and running over. We have
refused about 60 men and now
have 115. We could easily have raised
a battalion of 300. I am now sorry
that I did not take the Captaincy. If
officers were to be elected. I would get
it almost unanimously. The most
of the young men of this place are going
with us. Most Buck A. Iswin, Ed
Stevens and others have enlisted as
privates, we have swept the county
and every day men are begging to get in.
The President’s drafting order brought them
Charly Thompson’s infantry company
is full. Whif Tompkins is to be his
1
st Lieut. I would like you to
be here before the 1
st of Sept, as Paul-
lind will break up here then to move
to Niles, and I would like you to save
some of my things in the general wreck.
You had better stay here for a month or
six weeks before you move to Kalamazoo.
I will see you in Detroit however
and then we can talk it over.
I have been so busy that
I have not had time to write
I have bought a horse and a pair
of blue pantaloons with a yellow
stripe not to mention a brass
buttoned coat. You see I am
approaching the condition of a
“galliant” warrior. I shall
expect to see you about the
26
th or 28
th in Detroit. Good bye.
Giv my love to enquiring friends.
Yours affecly
R.B.
[On Envelope:]
Mr. J.D. Burns
Care of George E. King Esq
Rochester
N.Y.