Bird's Point, October 18, 1861
We yesterday drew our overcoats, and splendid ones they are.
The cloth is light blue and they reach nearly to our feet. They have capes on
them that come over a fellow's head nicely nights. The weather is about like
you have I expect, but I know we will be very comfortable with the clothing we
have in any weather. I wouldn't have the war end before next spring for
anything, for I want to try a winter out doors. Every one of the Canton boys is
in excellent health and all very well satisfied. The boys are receiving letters
almost every day that read “we have heard that so and so is sick,” and this
morning John Wallace got one that said that Sam Nutt and three others were shot
while on guard. You may know that such reports are always lies unless you see
it with the names in the papers long before a letter would reach you from here.
John Wallace is just one of the best boys in the camp. It would do you good to
see how contentedly the boys all take things. There is more life and fun in our
tent every night than we ever had at home. Sam and Fred Norcott make more noise
and sport in an evening than all Canton can furnish in a week. We love and
respect all our officers but one, and he is the best officer we have, but a
little too much regular army about him. Our captain is what the girls would
call a “dear old fellow,” though he does have his own way every time. It seems
to be the right way always so we think the world of him. They are just burying
some poor fellow. We have had several deaths in the regiment lately. They do
not play the prettiest dead marches here. I have been detached from the company
for a week acting as sheriff of a court martial. Colonel Marsh, Colonel Logan,
Colonel Tuttle of the Iowa 2d, and a couple of captains form the court. I have
four men a day to guard the prisoners and two orderlies to send errands for me,
so I play big injun strongly. The prisoner murdered a comrade while we were
down at Norfolk. Smote him on the head with a club. He is from Company B of our
regiment. That company, besides this case, had a man shot dead the other day by
one of their own company. An accident. This morning they had a man stabbed, and
day before yesterday they confined one of their men for trying to kill two
others. For all this they are really a good company of men. We had a review
Tuesday this week of 6 regiments, 2 batteries and 400 or 500 cavalry. Very
fine. I suppose you saw an account of the Pekin company of our regiment killing
four or five Rebels that made an attack on them while they were guarding a
bridge. Ten of them stood their ground against a large party, and held the
ground too. We buried two secesh and they carried off four. We lost none. The
best fight yet was ten miles below here the other day between 26 of our men and
160 Rebels. You've seen it in the papers. Sam Nutt and John Wallace stood guard
two nights before at the place where the first fight was. Oh heavens, I hope I
can date my next from somewhere else.
SOURCE: Charles Wright Wills, Army Life of an
Illinois Soldier, p. 37-8
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