Union News, Broome County, New York, October 10, 1861
Camp Dickinson, Near Fort Lyon, Alexandria Va. Oct. 5, 1861
Friend B.: I have just returned from Alexandria where I have been on business, and for the first time since I left Old Broome, I have sit down to eat at a table like a human being, and upon trial, I found I had not entirely lost the use of a knife and fork, although tis some time since I have practiced using them. I called at the old "Marshall House," the scene of the Ellsworth tragedy and find it is now used as quarters for a part of the Provost Marshall's Guard. The building is sadly torn to pieces inside and the staircase on which Ellsworth fell has been literally whittled to pieces. There is scarce enough left to support a man in ascending. Every visitor managed to get his chip as a relic before leaving. We have now a new road made to the camp from the valley below as the old one will have to be filled up as it goes through the grounds of the fort. The new road is built to the west of a little water course in the rear of our camp and it shortens the distance to Alexandria three-fourths of a mile and is not as steep as the old one. Our camps on the west and south are protected by the pit and in case of an attack by a superior force our telegraphic facilities could report the fact at the Headquarters of the commander-in-chief. [portion unreadable]
The first news that greeted my ear yesterday upon my return from the city was that one of our men was shot and [..?..]. I found that one of the men of Co A (from White Plains, Westchester County) by the name of Thomas Hawkins, a tailor by trade, had been accidentally shot through the head, the ball entering the forehead and just [-?-] itself in the back of the head. [--portion unreadable--]. today the most impressive funeral service which was ever my lot to hear was held over the remains. The body was placed in a first class coffin and escorted to the depot by the remaining members of the Company accompanied by the Band of the 6th Maine Regiment to be sent home to his friends. He leaves a wife and four small children to mourn the sudden call of companion and father from earth. To mourn a noble soul departed.
The property of the late Col. John A Washington has been seized by the Government. Three companies from our regiment being detained for the work of seizure. Eight or ten horses, one pair of mules, eight hundred bushels of wheat and some other grain, barrels of fish, bacon, &c, &c were among the contraband goods. I happened to be one of the company of operators.
Virginia now begins to feel (with a vengeance) the horror of this war. Thousands of acres of valuable timber have been thrown down and destroyed. Union men are having their houses burned down over them, and on the other side many forsaken dwellings belong to secish have been torn to pieces. Desolation marks the path of both armies, and those citizens who are so unlucky as to be between the line of pickets of the two armies, their condition is truly lamentable. They can purchase nothing either way for love or money, and many of the poorer, who depended on the sale of wood and fruits in their season, have had nothing to eat but vegetables for months, and not even salt to season them. Negroes are coming into camp every day to get something to eat. Inside of the rebel lines provisions are plenty, but the prices out of reach of many that are needy. Peaches are worth at Alexandria six dollars a bushel, outside the lines I have bought them for six shillings. Enough for the present. I remain as ever, a Blockhead.
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