Berlin, Md., On the Potomac
Oct. 28, 1862
Dear Father:-
Your letter of the 22nd was received this morning.
As you see by the heading of this, we are finally on the move again. We started from Sharpsburg on Sunday about 11:00 A. M. and marched until 10:00 at night through a continuous cold rain. Then built fires and stayed until morning when we again started and traveled until we reached our present destination.
Burnsides Corps has crossed the river here and are near Lovettsville where we expect to go to-morrow. There is a pontoon bridge thrown across the river over which the troops go. I can not tell you where we are going, perhaps through Snicker’s Gap or toward Front Royal. We have to take five days’ rations with us. It is reported that the enemy has fallen back toward Gordonsville, but this is only a rumor. It is certain that they have drawn in their pickets which were all along the river. I think the troops are moving up about Harper’s Ferry, but I am not sure.
Thomas Ross received a letter from Joe this morning from a hospital in Washington. Joe is rather unwell—is troubled with a pain in his side, etc. I guess he is just like a great many more in the army—completely broken down.
The health of the 10th is quite good.
We are all expecting some startling developments in the course of a few days or weeks at most as the stone has commenced rolling again. We certainly have sufficient force in the field now to beat the combined forces of the enemy, take Richmond, or almost anything else.
I am sorry that politics run so high in many places of Pennsylvania. It has a decidedly bad effect at the present time—don’t you think so?
I thought I would drop you a line this evening as we may not have mail facilities for some days. Hoping that you will all write, I will close for the present. Yours affectionately. J. D. Chadwick
Next posting: November 7, 1062
Jonathan E.Helmreich
College Historian
Allegheny College
Meadville, PA 16335