Letter from the New York 114th Regiment
Chenango American, November 13, 1862
Dear American: There seems to be an intense feeling throughout the whole North, similar to the sensation produced when a person is holding his breath, in expectation of some sudden, electric shock, which may do him much personal harm or give the most pleasurable emotion. For nearly two weeks the great army of the Potomac has been in motion, and for nearly two weeks have the public been on tiptoe, hoping to hear that a decisive battle had been fought and won by our forces, yet, save a few skirmishes there is no news that satisfies. The people seem to be dissatisfied, and the loyal of this State, as well as of many others South, are crying out for energetic and decisive action. Even the soldiers are growing impatient, and more especially those who are in quarters around Baltimore complain of inaction. they say they enlisted for the war, and came South for the purpose of fighting, and do not want to be kept as guards over a city that could be demolished by the guns of the forts that surround it. whether it was the complaints of soldiers, or other influence, the commander of the 128th N.Y.V., Col. D.C. Littlejohn, has been endeavoring to secure a place for this Brigade in the expedition fitting out for Texas, and has so far succeeded that last night on dress parade, Brigade order, no. 12 was read, ordering the commanders of 110th, 114th, 116th, 128th N.Y.V.'s and 38th Mass. V's to see that each man in their respective Regiments had an extra change of under clothing and shoes and to hold themselves in readiness for "distant service." If your imagination is good you perhaps can guess how this order was received. Every conjecture that could be thought of was made, some saying that Texas was the place of our destination, others claiming that we should stop at Charleston, and reap honor by helping to retake Fort Sumter and restore to it the flag that was insulted and torn by 10,000 cowardly miscreants, and still more asserting that we were to go up into Pennsylvania, at Hancock, to protect that State from another rebel raid. Once before our Brigade, consisting of the above named Regiments, has had orders to hold itself in readiness to march at a day's notice, and this order, like the former one, may not amount to a movement. Yet, I think, from the fact that all of the squads and companies that were detailed on guard from this and the other regiments mentioned above, have been relieved and ordered back to their camps, we shall soon be moving; and it seems to be the prevailing opinion, for since dress parade last night to the present writing, fourteen hours, there has been nearly a thousand letters directed to friends in Chenango and Madison counties, and passed thro' the regiment post office. Another indication is that the colonel has employed, at his own expense, a man to instruct us in battalion movements, and to take charge of the regiment when on general parade, which he probably would not have done were we to stay in our present camp.
The general health of our regiment is good, there being but few confined to the hospital. In Co. B, there are two men who are under the charge of the surgeon. John Nelson, of Norwich, is at Stewart's Mansion Hospital, and Daniel Hough, of Pitcher, at West's Warehouse Hospital, both sick with a fever. Last night, a death occurred in Co. I. A man named Marcell Dutton, of Otselic, complained of a very sore throat on Saturday, and went to the surgeon for medicine, telling him that he thought he had the diptheria, but the Doctor reported him fit for light duty, and last night (Sunday) his throat filled up so rapidly that no medicine could help him. Co. E, I believe, enjoys very good health.
Respectfully Yours, A.
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