Letter from Ann, dated 1861-10-06

I have had a letter from Timothy he is all [calm?] on the war question, and I should judge would remain so. How do Charly, [Louis?] Harrison Isaac and all the rest of the boys get along? I do not care if thee writes with a pencil or a pen only write long enough and that would be [?] sheets fully everything is interesting. I did not [suppose?] you reached Washington until Wednesday. Is Charley Cook, How does Charly [Pike?] carry [sail?]. Has he been steady. I think you must have had a hard and [?] ride, I thot of you all the time. Have you got your uniform of course you have ere this, [so?] thee not going to have some photographs taken. I am anxious to get one. Be sure and put on [underline]West[/underline] to the letters. So write very often. I should like to write once a week, but if thee cannot do that, be sure and find time for once a fortnight. I feel so "[?]" about thee. Farewell my dear God keep thee in his precious care, and bring thee safely home to us as good and noble as thee is now. I love and think more of thee than ever if that were possible do not delay writing often. Mrs. Carter goes to school and is in excellent spirits, her husband is sargeant, I believe.

Farewell. The girls whom thee saw wish to be remembered to thee; [?] will God be with thee. With the love of thy sister Ann. I would write to Henry but there is not time but will sometime.

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[Glenwood?] 10, 6, 1861

My Dear brother:

At last I got thy letter. I do not know what delayed it so unless because it was directed to Brattleboro, the West being omitted. I did not receive it till last night, and was glad enough then. I hope thee will write immediately to me again as I am very anxious to hear all about thee. It is so sad and strange to think thee may not get this for reason of wounds severe or deadly. It all is strange, about this war. I think each night thee may be shot, at the time lying on the battlefield wounded or dead, and when I sleep I see thee sometimes caring for the wounded sometimes in the hands of the enemy. Last night I thought you had been in battle but all were safe excepting Charley Persons. I can still see his mangled and bleeding body, when I [wake?] in the morning. I wonder how the day will close with you. It is very hard for us at home to endure the suspense, the doubt, the uncertainty, and the anxiety, yet we know it is little compared to the hard life and dangers you have to encounter. I should like so much to see thee to-day. My thoughts are of thee continually. I am present in spirit if not in body. What we have read in papers about the camps of the Potomac is now a reality to thee. It I could feel anymore interested in the war then

I have, I should now. I read the dailies with the closest attention I trust they will let Freemont alone. I am as much his admirer and champion as I was five years ago. He is in the right place for him and I wish they would let him alone. Has thee yet seen McClellan? I had hoped to hear thee was with the Surgeon by this time. I am afraid Henry has persuaded thee not to go there. I think it is wrong if he has, we all should feel so much better about thee. I think thee could do more good there and I suppose the most good is what thee wishes to do. I suppose however it would be quite as dangerous a position yet my Quaker principles would approve the caring for life more than the taking of it, don't laugh about my Quaker principles. I hope I have one or two, though fear it is some doubted about their being genuine. I was at the village when you passed through. I saw thee but did not catch thy eye. There were about fifty of our girls there. I met them and went in the coach with them we stood on a platform built out on one of the houses. The coaches were just in front of it. I did not see any of the other boys as I was looking for thee. I think it was too bad you had to march so long. We did not go to the depot as you did not start for so long a time. I never felt so badly as I did that night but once and that was when father died and thee was with me then. I was about wore out with excitement and fatigue. They put me to bed and Miss Smith and [Doris?] Crampton took excellent care of me.

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I am pretty well now, though have had a severe cold ever since [?] [life?]. I have scarcely got started again in my studies but hope to do a good deal this week. You are in the same Brigade with the 2nd and 3rd are you not? I wish thee was in Mr. Blanchard's Company. He would do anything it was possible to do for thee. He has always been very kind to me. [I?] [like?] Capt. [?] very much as far as I am concerned, but I do not think he has been remarkably good to thee. Though it is natural for him to feel a little [scaly?] towards thee [yet?] a great [?] when [?] over another usually trusts the other better than ever. I do not think thee is remarkably respectful to him or any of the officers. I wish thee would be, it would be a great deal better for thee to be, even if I perfectly [hated?] one in a superior position I should endeavor to be respectful to them. It is better for every one to feign contentment then they will not know [but?] that it is real and one did not wish things different. Mr. C. is very good to me, they all are. I should enjoy myself very much were it not for the war and the anxiety I have for thee. Things are going on all straight. Tell Henry Miss Crampton thanks him for his present of fruit, she don't know whether to preserve it with [care?] or with sugar. I should like to see some of his reports for the Burlington papers, it is not taken in school. I have the Freeman every week. Who writes for that in your Regiment?

Our Fat Contributor in the Home Guard

The moment the Flag was threatened, large bodies of men were called upon to rally in its defence. Being a large-bodied man, I rallied, and enrolled myself with the Home Guards. The drill is very severe on me this hot weather, although I am constantly allowed an attendand with a fan and a pitcher of ice water.

I am constantly reminded that one of the first requirements of a soldier is to throw out his chest and draw in his stomach. Having been burned out several times while occupying rooms in an attic, I have had considerable practice in throwing out my chest, but by what system of practice could I ever hope to draw in my stomach? I can't 'dress up' -- it's no use trying. If my vest buttons are in line I am far in the rear, and if I toe the mark, a fearful bulge indicates my position. (There is no room for argument in regard to my sentiments - everybody can see at a glance just where I stand.) One evening we had a new drill sergeant who was near-sighted. Running his eye down the line, he exclaimed sharply:

"What is that man doing in the ranks with a bass drum?"

He pointed at me, but I hadn't any drum - it was the surplus stomach that I couldn't draw in.

I am the butt of numberless jokes, as you may well suppose. They have got a story in the Guards that when I first heard the command, "Order arms!" I dropped my musket, and taking out my note-book began to draw an order on the Governor for what arms I wanted. They say I ordered a Winans steam gun, with a pair of Dahlgren howitzers for side arms! Base fabricators! My ambition never extended beyond a rifled cannon, and they knew it.

Although in respect to size I belong to the "heavies," my preference is for the light infantry service. My knapsack is marked light infantry. One evening the spectators seemed confused about something, and my comrades tittered by platoons whenever my back was turned. It was all a mystery to me until I laid off my knapsack. Some wretch had erased the two final letters, and I had been parading all evening labelled "LIGHT INFANT!" The above is one of the thousand annoyances to which I am subjeced, and nothing but my consuming patriotism could ever induce me to submit to it. I rallied at the call of my country, and am not to be put out by the rallying of my comrades. [unclear handwritten note]

I overheard a spectator inquire of the drillsergeant on day: [unclear handwritten note]

"Do you drill the whole of him at once?"

"No," he returned in an awful whisper. "I drill him by squads! " [handwritten note: guess I will]

I would have drilled him if I had had a bayonet. [unclear handwritten note]

Specifications have been published in regard to my uniform, and contractors advertised for. The making will be let out to the lowest responsible bidder. In case the Guards are ordered to take the field, a special commissary will be detailed to supply my rations. That reminds me of a harrowing incident. On last drill night an old farmer, who dropped in to see us drill, took me aside and said he wanted to sell me a yoke of powerful oxen.

"My ancient agriculturalist," said I, smiling at his simplicity, "I have no use for oxen."

"Perhaps not at present," quoth he, "but if you go to war you will want them."

"For what?" said I, considerably annoyed.

"Want 'em to draw your rations! "

The guards paid me a delicate compliment at the last meeting. They elected me "Child of the Regiment," with the rank of first Corpulent, with the pay of chief "Blowyer." I was about to return thanks in a neat and appropriate speech, when a reported who was present assured me it was no use - he had got the whole thing in type, speech and all, and I could read it in the evening paper. He said they kept a "neat and appropriate speech" standing in type continually. I got his views, and held my peace.

[unclear handwritten note]

The principal annoyance which the He assumes to feel, and by which it has wor itself up to fever heat, seems to come fr the doings of Gov. Andrew in his army pointments, which, it says, are made with eye to the advancement of party alon nothing else, judging from that paper, inf encing the Governor in this department his work. Now the facts, let them be tur and twisted in any conceivable shape possib will refuse to substantiate this statement. the Herald has a particular person whom wishes to see succeed Gov. Andrew, w does it not come out boldly and name hi instead of attacking the Governor on sides, with masked batteries? If the pers thought of by this paper, is a better a more competent man than the present incu bent of the Gubernatorial chair, one that whole people can rally around and suppo and have perfect confidence in, we have doubt but that he would receive good suppo As soon as the proper time comes, the peo would honestly weigh his qualities, and if thing be found wanting, would place him the head of the Executive ; for once, we v ture to say, not stopping to inquire the sou whence his name originated. Come, Herald, name your "coming man ;" del are dangerous, and there is nothing to gained by keeping longer quiet, as people have already begun to understand motives which impel you to your pres course.

We look upon the endeavors of any who attempts to harrow up political ranc in this our country's emergency, with min ed sorrow and contempt, and as one with a spark of true patriotism. If men beco opposed to each other on comparatively tr ing matters of State policy, how can th with a full degree of unanimity, work toge er on National matters? At a time like th every man should give himself up to the go of his country, never for a moment turn to the right or the left to observe any meas or personal matter that the politicians, their tools, may put forth for the purpose diverting his attention and add to their o aggrandizement. When the time comes the election of State officers, let each vo examine minutely the character and stan ing of the men who seek his suffrage, a vote according to the honest dictates of judgment, keeping ever in view the advan ment of his country's good. It is not ju because a man in his official capacity happ to displease a certain few by not granting their requests, to condemn him in every tion, but on the other hand we should member that "to err is human, to forgive vine." It is useless for those in power attempt to please everybody, so all th should be required of them is a conscientio discharge of their multifarious duties.

Before concluding we would advise Herald to remember the fate of the Tribun "On to Richmond," and take warning the by, because small people are as liable to as big.

To our Readers.-Next week we will duce the size of the Journal. The chan however, will not make the quantity of matter which our readers have heretofore ceived, much less, if any ; as our advertis patronage, like that of our brethren all o the country, has, sine the commencemen our national troubles, become "fine by grees, and beautifully less." We presu to say that there are not a dozen papers the country, at this moment, which are pa ing their running expenses. The mortal in newspaperdom during the past four mon has been awful to contemplate ; and wh many papers around us are foundering, o by one, all we propose to do is to take in s keep a good look-out ahead and go on in even tenor of our course, with the full ass ance that we shall weather the storm a come out with flying colors. We will end vor, as we have always done, to make paper acceptable to our readers, and tr that it will prove worthy of their contin support.

I am getting along pretty well though I hardly feel started in my lessons again since [?] days. I have not been very well since then but expect soon to regain very usual [?]. I am [?] but everyday.