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https://micivilwar.com/authors/winchell-edward-a/
Regiment: 2nd Michigan Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Camp near Fort Lyons Nov 6th 1861
Dear Uncle
I received your welcome letter in due time
and take the first opportunity that offers
to answer it in. There was a rumor last
night that fort Sumpter had been
recaptured when the whole regiment turned
out and gave three rousing cheers but the report
had no foundation and so we wasted so much
breath for nothing. There are sixteen men
from each coming go daily to work on
fort Lyons which is the bigest work this
side of the Potomac and is to mount
sixty guns there are already fourteen
mounted and are mostly siege guns
and will carry five miles and do
execution Thire is a rumor afloat
that we are a going to winter in
Alexandria if it is so why it will
get along very well one of our boys
heard the Gen. say that he had found
a building that would quarter one regiment
but I can not say wheather it is so or not.
We are a going to loose both of our Lieutenants
who have resigned on account of their health
and so we have only captain left.
We drill everyday with knapsacks I do
not mind them near so much as I
did at first. We get potatoes three times
a week and what is best of all
we have straw beds to sleep on we got
them about a week or so ago there are
double and I sleep just as comfortable
on them as I ever slept at home.
It is pretty cold here but we have built
a fire place and keep a fire most of
the time so it is quite comfortable
in the evenings we sit around the
fire and sing or tell stories untill
roll call when we go to rest.
How are all of the boys in the office ageting
along I suppose they are all there yet
do you have much to do now days or is it
dull. Uncle I heard that you
scripts was about buying out the
office I hope it is so I. Nov 7
th I had
to stop to get dinner which was a
sumtuous repast Beef and rice soup
without bread. And after that we
went on brigade drill which lasted
until five oclock and then we had
dress parade and so there was no
time for me to finish the
letter that day. I am on fatigue
this afternoon but I do not have to
work only see that the boys from
our company do not rest to much
which they are very apt to do I
know when I was a private I
did not used to hurt myself
You asked me if I could get
papers if they were sent to me
I think that I could JT
Martin gets them regular and
if it would not be to much
trouble I would like to se some
of the papers now the evenings
are so long. I just had a
boy of my squad threat me
to some cake which he
had received from Adrian
I tell you it made think
of the time when I lived
with you but then it did not
make me home sick as you
may think that thing
can not be done now a days
as much as it was. There was three
of the Michigan Third shot while
on picket they think it was the
farmers in the vicinity. Not long
there was some body two or three men
fired on a post where there was three
men and the a soon as they heard
the bullets falling around them
they run and left on of there num
ber who was wounded when they return
ed the man was gone and their guns
to which they left when they
belonged to a New York regiment.
It was a cowardly thing I was on picket the
same night and we run for our guns
as we heard the firing it was only five
or six posts from where I was posted. I dont think I should
have done as bad as that but I
do not know
Give my love to all of the folks at home Good
Bye from Ed
P.S. In your letter you asked how Doc.
Stebbins was liked by the regiment all
the boys that I heard say anything seemed
to like him very much. The officers did to they said they thought he would
make a good doc. we thought if he was a
going to stay with us
[On Envelope:]
Martin Geiger
Detroit
Michigan
