Letter from the NY 114th Infantry - September 1862

Letter from the New York 114th Infantry

Chenango American, October 2, 1862

On Special Duty
Baltimore, Sept. 27, 1862

Editor American:  Since writing to you on the 11th inst., there has been no material change in the Regiment, excepting the withdrawal of a detachment of ten men from each Company for special guard duty at the Depot for Hospital stores, and also of Company I as guard at the Camden st. Hospital.  Your humble servant was favored with the confidence of his officers, and together with other trusty men we are now guarding United States property in a semi-accession city, where every opportunity to aid rebellion is eagerly seized upon, and where all property belonging to Uncle Sam is readily "confiscated" unless a strict guard is kept over it.  The disloyal feeling here has been manifested in various ways since the last great battle towards prisoners captured by our arms, and in one instance resulted in a miserable death to the sympathizer.  On the 25th a boatload of prisoners arrived here on their way to Fort Delaware, and on coming to the wharf, a man, well dressed and respectable looking, stepped aboard and entered into conversation with them.  While there he was heard to make use of language encouraging the captives to revolt, or if paroled or exchanged, to again take up arms against Federal authority.  He was at once ordered from the boat, and with a malediction upon all Union men and especially upon the soldiers, he left, remarking that he could and would whip the first soldier he met.  It so happened that a strapping fellow, in the cavalry uniform, heard this, and laid hold of secesh's collar, and said, "I am your man!"  A few blows were exchanged when the Union boy, thinking to cool off the fire of rebel blood, seized Mr. --- by the collar and launched him far out into the water.  He sank as if a stone, and after two hours search his body was recovered.  At the coroner's inquest the verdict was that "deceased came to his death in some manner unknown to the jury," one of the soldiers of our Regiment testifying that when he touched water there was no person within several feet of him.  The death of this man created much ill blood among his friends, who swore vengeance, and pistols and knives were handled very carelessly, until a guard ordered them away.

The appearance of the rebel prisoners beggars all description. All the printed reports that your readers have ever read cannot convey to the mind the accuracy.  Far best picture, and one that comes nearer the truth than any I have ever seen, is given by a Surgeon who was captured at Harper's Ferry.  He had an opportunity of seeing the whole rebel army as they crossed the Potomac into Maryland.  He had heard the usual accounts of the costume, appearance and condition of the rebel army, and like most of us supposed them exaggerations.  But he now says than no description he has seen approached the truth. There never was beheld such a gang of ragged, rowdy looking men.  It was like an army of rag pickers.  There was no uniform or attempt at uniform.  Officers and men were equally dirty and dingy.  The hats were commonly old "Wide Awakes," stained by a long campaign often with the tops gone and the hair streaming out. The trousers were of all colors, and generally in tatters up to the knees. The coats, if they had nay, were dirty and ragged, and often well greased by the pieces of bacon which each man carried on his bayonet. The shirts were black with long use.  Their blankets were of all colors and materials--often bits of carpeting and old bed comforters.  Nearly one half of the men were barefooted. They carried their crackers and bullets and caps all together in their pockets.  Both Officers and men were excessively lousy, and the stench from the passing columns was almost unbearable. The whole rebel army had, in the eye of this medical gentleman and his associates, a worn out, exhausted look. The physique was inferior to that of our men, and they evidently suffered from want of food and overwork.

The above compares perfectly with the appearance of prisoners that I have seen marching through this city.  The same gentleman, in another letter, gives reasons too plain and true to be contradicted, why and how it is that the rebel armies fight so persistently and furiously.  He says:  "The bodies of the rebels, within a few hours after death, became nearly black.  Decomposition begins at the moment pulsation ceases.  In the canteen of every dead rebel, tho' his knapsack was empty, remained a quantity of whiskey. At the bottom of each canteen, a precipitate that is nothing more or less than gunpowder.  The men are stimulated to the ferocity of tigers, by whiskey in which gunpowder is dissolved.  It is served to them when forming line of battle, in sufficient quantity to craze but not intoxicate. Thus semi-demonized, they rush to the very mouth of the Union cannon, and fight like wolves raging for their prey. The hasty decomposition of their bodies is ascribed to this maddening drink, and partly to the absence of all salt in their food, except in the salted bacon that forms their only other luxury beside the whiskey."

There are many places of interest in and around Baltimore to one who takes an interest in Revolutionary memories and improvements of more modern days. The first point of interest to the patriot is the Washington monument.  Its history is too familiar to your readers for me to enter into a rehearsal of it. The only wonder to me is how a people who live constantly under the benign countenance and outstretched hand of a Washington, can cherish treason in their hearts.  As I gazed at the pure white column that rose up so gracefully before me, I felt that if my hand or heart was set against the liberties that our country's Father gave to us, it would crumble and crush me in its fall.

The Forts, the Shot Tower, the Water Works, the Hospitals, the Camps and the Arsenals, all claim the attention of the soldier who is fortunate enough to be permitted to leave camping ground for an afternoon's recreation and many a lad who had scarcely ever breathed the atmosphere outside his own town or county, is astonished at the sight of so many houses and people, and open their eyes with wonder at the creation of men's hands.

This afternoon, as I write, there are half surmised rumors in town that an expedition against Richmond has been successful,--how true they may be, or how false, you will earn by telegraph before this reaches you.  Another rumor in town is that the rebels have sent Commissioners to Washington to negotiate for a peace.  There is no reliance to be placed in the latter rumor, in my opinion. 

With the assurance that our health and the health of our Regiment is good, I am yours, &c,  A.