Nine Months to Gettysburg by Howard Coffin

Author:Howard Coffin
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Countryman Press
Published: 2011-07-14T16:00:00+00:00

Private Jackson sketched soldiers demolishing a Virginia house, probably for firewood.

SCOTTS BLUFF NATIONAL MONUMENT

Ralph Sturtevant recalled that a private in the 13th, John Brough from Morristown, was fond of visiting local homes. “John was a great hand to visit the houses near by our camp,” remembered Sturtevant, “to see the people, but never made only a single visit to a house that did not contain some fair and blushing damsel, and his diary kept by him gives names and ages of fair maidens near by every camp we had. His musical talents were a passport into the cabins and mansions in the neighborhood of our several camps. John played the fiddle and the colored boys and girls the banjo and bones and some . . . who were occasionally invited by John to go with him remember still the stamp of feet and clap of hands and animated dance; all were delighted. It was fun to see the colored boys and girls as their bodies from head to foot kept time to the music.”

Wheelock Veazey wrote to Julia on May Day, “Have you been maying today? The country is getting to look beautiful here. The hills are looking green, fruit trees are in bloom & spring though late is upon us in all its beauty. How soon nature obliterates the traces of war.”

Charles Cummings reported: “We have a musical choir in the regiment that does much to cheer us . . . To add to the enchantment of this climate and location not more than 20 rods to the rear of my tent a dozen whip-o-wills make music all night long. As I write I hear these distinctly, although the drums are beating tattoo. If this country could be settled by good New England people it would be almost a paradise . . . Tomorrow morning we have a couple of fine fresh Potomac shad for breakfast. We have had them several times within two weeks.”

Sergeant Palmer wrote, “The warm sun is shining on the fresh, green earth . . . the little birds are singing their sweet matins; and one can scarce believe that war, mad furious and desolating war, is in the land.”

Private Hatch wrote to his Lucina, “I don’t know what the matter with my under shirts it is growing yellow. I guess they want boiling . . . It was a cool night and I wanted to cuddle up so I thought to get my hand on your skinny bosom but come to find out it was Sant Whitney and I backed out very quick. It was mean, want it?”

Cummings added, “A conondrum has been circulating in camp, ‘Why is the 2nd Brigade like an unborn babe?’ which is answered, ‘Because it is in for nine months unless sooner discharged.’ ”

Though life was comparatively easy in the Vermont camps, General Hooker was setting the Army of the Potomac in motion along the Rappahannock, beginning the fighting in the east in the third summer of the war.

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