Bristol Station Va.
February 17, 1864
Dear Father,
Yours and Bingham’s letter was received on Sunday. It found me well. Jess Pryer arrived here a few days since and brought a shirt and two pairs of stockings from Mother. Many thanks to her for them. I have not worn a single pair of Government stockings since I have been in the service. I brought three or four pairs of home-made ones with me and being somewhat careful of them, and keeping them well darned they have lasted very well—besides Ma sent me two or three pairs once before. The shirt is very acceptable indeed—the only trouble will be in getting it properly washed and “done up”. Jesse had many items of interest to tell me—a visit with him was better than a half dozen letters from home—i.e. you know I could ask him from all the little things that you would not think of writing.
A sad occurrence happened last Sunday resulting in the death of Majr. Larrimer of the 5th P. R. C. and two or three enlisted men. They were fired upon by guerillas from an ambuscade by the roadside. Harvey Clover was with the party—he killed one of the guerillas and made a narrow escape himself. The affair happened near Brentsville—a little town about two miles distant. A strong force went out to find the guerillas afterwards but with no success. It is absolutely unsafe to go out of sight of the camp. These land pirates are taking prisoners and murdering our men every few days. They seem to be getting worse too. The Veterans are beginning to return from their homes and the cars are filled every morning with men going to their regiments. The boys of the 4th Cavalry are expecting to go every day—they may have started already. The weather has been very fine and pleasant for a week or two and the roads were quite dusty until last night when a little snow fell. I have taken my meals out of doors every day this winter—we eat under a tent fly, which protects us from the rain. Our living is quite plain, yet it is healthy—while I have comfortable quarters.
Since I have been in the service I have always managed to have something to read or study and when I take retrospect of which I have perused I find that it amounts to a considerable. Here is what I have read since I came to Camp Pierpont. Military works, about 500 pages, [Walter] Scott’s Ivenhoe [Ivanhoe], about 300 pages, Bishop [William] Warburton on the union of Church and State 400 pages, Ruins of Empires, 200 pages. The letters of Pliny the younger 300 pages. Classical works 500 pages. Of Poems, 300. Periodicals such as, The Atlantic and Continental Monthlies, Ballon’s Monthly and The Phrenologocal Journal 600 pages. Of Fowler’s publications 300 pages. Phonography [1] 250 pages, and Law 800 pages, having just finished reading the 1st Vol. of Blackstone’s Comtys.—making in all about 4750 pages, and not taking into account the amount of writing and work I have done, I flatter myself that my time has not all been squandered. What think you[?]
One of my fellow clerks is an excellent violinist, I have a splendid flute, and having plenty of good music we drive away dull care by the “concord of sweet sounds”.
I have told you all that might be of interest to you and will close for the time.
I have the honor to be
Your Son
J. D. C.
Next posting: February 26, 2014
Jonathan E. Helmreich
College Historian
Allegheny College
Meadville, PA 16335
[1] Shorthand writing based on sound elements.