Harper's Ferry, Va., July 30, 1861.
Our regiment is now left here alone, the whole army having
moved across the Potomac together with all our baggage-wagons. We are quartered
in some of the least ruined government buildings; our picket guards extend some
two miles out into the country around.
There was quite an excitement here the night we first raised
the American flag on the staff at the Arsenal. There was a large fragment of
the secession flag flying at the head of it when we arrived in town, but it was
so securely fastened that it could not be taken down without a person's
climbing to the top. As the staff was one hundred and five feet high, this was
quite an undertaking. Several tried, but had to give it up. Finally, our First
Sergeant secured fresh halyards and raised the Stars and Stripes. Half the town
had gathered together in the yard, together with a great part of our regiment.
As our flag was run up, the band struck up “Yankee Doodle,” following with the “Star
Spangled Banner.” The excitement was, for this latitude, immense.
Those who have been abroad say that this town reminds them
strongly of foreign towns by its narrow, dark streets, dirty, steep alley-ways,
peculiar stone houses, etc. Our mess chests have been extremely useful to us. Wherever
we could get at our wagons, we have used them entirely to get our meals with
and to eat from, our servants managing the cooking of chickens, mutton chops,
tea, coffee, etc., very well. Our mess consists of Captain Curtis, Captain
Mudge, Bob Shaw, Tom Robeson and myself; we have very good times whenever we
can all get together, which is not very often, there being so much special
service.
SOURCE: Charles Fessenden Morse, Letters Written
During the Civil War, 1861-1865, p. 12
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