Letter from the 114th Regimement - February 1863

Letter from the New York 114th Regiment

Chenango American, March 12, 1863

Brasher City, St. Mary's Parish, La.
Tuesday, Feb. 10, 1863

Dear American:  Since writing you at Quarantine there has been nothing of importance occurring that would interest your readers until within a week.  Our regiment, since the 5th day of November, has been separated so far that we had almost forgotten the features of our comrades--the companies that were on the Arago, A, B, and C, only uniting with the regiment yesterday morning.  The regiment has been ordered to this place that they may drill together and become familiar with battalion movements and I should think it was high time, for we have not had a fortnight's drill (as a regiment) since we enlisted.

There has been some resignations since the 114th arrived here. Quartermaster Thompson resigned soon after arriving, and also Captain Colwell of Co F.  A few accidents have occurred which are or may become serious matters to those that are suffering. Alf. Johnson, of Co. E, had a ball pass through his right hand, the wound of which will lay him up, perhaps for months.  He was hunting, and getting tired he stopped upon a log--standing up and leaning on his gun with his right hand over the muzzle.  Of a sudden the stock slipped and the hammer, striking on the log, smashed the cap, sending the charge through the hollow of his hand.  One of Co G's men met with a similar accident.  Another man, I do not remember the name or Co., shot a pistol ball through his right hand, and the doctor, when he dressed the wound, innocently asked him if "He wasn't afraid of hurting himself when he fired?"  The answer was--"You don't s'pose I did it on purpose do you?"

We have been looking, with a good deal of anxiety, for our boys that were left at the hospitals in Baltimore and Fortress Monroe, who were said to have been shipwrecked in the late heavy storms that have been prevailing in the north and on the eastern coast, but last night the glad news came that they had been landed in safety at Quarantine, a few miles below New Orleans. When they join us our regiment will be as strong in numbers as any in Gen. Bank's department, and with a little battalion drill, so that we can move without confusion on the field, we will be as effective as any.

The 114th is now actually in a rebel country, surrounded with spies and traitors, and not exempt from attack by the enemy at any moment.  Across the river the enemy's pickets are daily seen, and occasionally a shot is fired by them and the compliment returned by us, which civilities are very disagreeable to them, as our guns seem to carry more to the point than theirs. A few days since a company of rebel cavalry came down the river and commenced firing on the contrabands who were laboring on the fort building here, who paid no attention to them.  Soon, however, it was discovered that the rebel cavalry were acting as cover to a couple of six pound field pieces, when a gun boat stationed some three miles below, and which they had not seen, sent a shell in their midst, scattering them at the first fire. Since the late naval battle here, in which Commodore Buchanan lost his life, and the rebels their much vaunted steamer Cotton, they have had a mortal fear of gunboats, and well they may, for if there is anything in war that is sassy-looking and that acts ugly, it is a well armed and well manned iron clad.

I have lately seen and read articles in the Chenango Union, purported to have been written by soldiers in the Federal army, that ought to damn the man that wrote them as a traitor to his country and the principles of freedom, or curse him as a coward and a poltroon; and any editor or publisher of a paper who will spread such language before his readers in these war times, or any other, is a fit consort with Jeff Davis and his great predecessor, Benedict Arnold.  If a soldier has become so utterly demoralized that he can see nothing but treachery and cowardice and incompetency in those in command, he should either be promoted to a position where he can correct such fautls, or be placed before a file of men whose duty it is to execute mutineers. There is not, I believe, a purer man in politics and executive power, than Abraham Lincoln, and the commanding General of the Army of the Potomac is the best that that army has ever had; and it is believed in army circles here, that had his Generals carried out the plans and manner of attack he had arranged for next day, Fredericksburg and Richmond would have been ours.

When home sick soldiers assume to censure the manner of carrying on the war, and home papers publish articles in which there is no truth or reason for the purpose of crippling the loyal support of the government by those who are left at home, it should be the duty of loyal officers, both civil and military to suppress them.

Sunday, Feb. 15--I have delayed this letter because a rumor some days ago said that an expedition in which the 114th would participate was soon to come off and I thought I would give you the result of it; but as yet no adventure has occurred. There has been, however, several reconnoitering parties sent out, all of which resulted satisfactorily to our colonel, who, by the way, is commander of this post, and has quite a number of troops under him, consisting of the 75th Regt. N.Y.S.V., 160th N.Y.S.V. and 114th N.Y.S.V.  Yesterday, Co B and G, with two companies from the 75th, were ordered aboard the gunboats Diana and White Cloud, for the purpose of breaking up the erection of a fort the rebels were said to be building on the river Tesche. Accordingly, the Diana, White Cloud and Costells, the latter the Commodore's ship, set sail, and after a pleasant ride of about 40 miles, we found the site of the imaginary fort, but there was no rebels.  A few shells were thrown into the woods, but no answer was given.  As army correspondents say, the object of our reconnaissance being gained, namely--the selection of a point to land infantry in some future movement, and that no fort existed, we returned to camp.

Hoping that these few lines may find favor with you and your readers, and promising that you shall hear from me oftener in the future, I am Respectfully yours,   A.