Civil War Letter - NY 8th Regiment - May 1861

 Oxford Times,  June 12, 1861

8th Regiment, Arlington Heights, Va., May 28 [1861]

Since writing to you last from the Relay House, we have been on the advance.  We marched into Washington on the 18th and were quartered at a place outside of the City, called Katoraince Heights.  The first night, as usual, we laid down on the grass, with nothing to shelter us but the broad sky. But as we were tired, and got broke into it, we did not mind that.  Myself and a few others picked out a soft place on the side of a hill, and made ourselves as comfortable as possible under the circumstances. Yet it was a cold night, and our blankets very thin, and was some time before we slept. The stars were shining brightly through the trees, and the little creek at our feet was running silently on accomplishing its destiny like ourselves, while our thoughts were to the loved ones far away, till blessed and welcome sleep came, and drilled all into oblivion. We were all awake, and astir early the next morning.  Putting things to rights, pitching tents, &c.  We named the camp Mansfield Camp, in  honor of the General we were then under. We soon transformed the place into a busy Canvas Town, with streets, and avenues.  It is a delightful spot, the place where the celebrated Admiral Decatur was buried.  His tomb still stands here, and also the house he left on the eventful morning, to fight that duel, which cost him his life.  His Country has raised a very beautiful monument to his memory at Annapolis, which I think I described in a former letter. We had just arranged things comfortable at our camp, had floored over our tents, built a store house, and otherwise fixed up, when order came to strike tents and take the road to "old Virginia."  Our marching day, as usual, was Sunday, the third time since we left home. We started for fresh points on that day. The war unfortunately knowns no Sabbath, so packing up our worldly goods to carry in our knapsacks, we prepared to start on Sunday morning.  We were up and ready at half past 3 A.M., got our knapsack overcoat, blanket, twenty-four rations, and the same of ball, cartridges, and a musket weighing 14 pounds on our shoulder, fell into line (without any hot coffee, as cooking utensils were packed the previous night) and prepared for Review.  It is these necessary ceremonies, which tire men out, as they have to wait and loiter around generally an hour or two before starting. We took up the line of march, through Washington, across the long Bridge (one mile long) and around the base of the heights to this place--a long weary march it was.  Through some mistake, we were taken considerably beyond the place, for although only about four miles in direct line across, yet around the way we came which must have been nine miles.  We arrived here at 12 o'clock noon on Sunday. The day was very hot, and we had been under arms since half past 3 that morning, with no refreshment except a cup of water and a hard biscuit, so you must conclude that we were thoroughly exhausted. We are now encamped on General Lee's private Grounds, it consists of some thousands of acres, situated on, and around Arlington Heights.  We marched up and took possession. The family had left some days previous, and the only persons remaining were an overseer and some 20 slaves. The dark portion, judging from their smiling faces, inwardly bade us welcome.  He has, some 300 slaves, and took them with him. The house is an old style of building, very comfortable and massive. At the front is a beautiful lane, stretching down to a shrubbery of Cedar and other evergreen trees; it is some five hundred feet above the broad Potomac, and commands a magnificent view of the river and the Capitol.  I do not know what style of Architecture you would call this, but looks to me like a Roman Temple, it has a large Portico, and some dozen Pillars six feet in diameter, which gives it a noble appearance.  It belonged to Washington's wife, and contains the room in which he was married, also, the chair he sat on, and table he wrote at.  His portrait hangs there, and if it could speak, it would no doubt, encourage us in the noble cause we have sworn to defend, and for which he consecrated the large portion of his life, the perpetuity of freedom. The Tomb, of white marble, of Mr. and Mrs. Carter, is here, they were the Grandchildren of Mrs. Washington, and the present wife of General Lee, is their daughter.  So you see we are on interesting ground. We are encamped in a grove of oak trees, in the rear of the mansion, which shelters us from the sun. This is our Headquarters, and where artillery was said to be placed, to shell Washington, but we found nothing of the kind, so far.  We are still the advance Guard in this direction, and are with General McDowell's U.S.A. Body Guard, who has his quarter with us. We keep a sharp look out here every night. At dark, 30 infantry, a squad of Texas Rangers and two pieces of flying Artillery are sent out from here to act as scouts and picket guard.  It is reported there are 400 rebels encamped some six miles from here, so you need not be surprised to hear of a brush at any time.  General Lee has ten thousand men at Richmond, and says he will recapture this place if it costs him ten thousand men.  Let him try.  I think it will cost him more men, as we can concentrate thirty thousand men at this point in two or three hours. That useful invention, the Telegraph, advances with us, wires are stretched from Washington to here, so that we can communicate instantly with the War Department. 

Previous to leaving the Capitol, we were sworn into the U.S. Service for three months from the 25th of April last.  The Regiment was formed in three sides of a square, with the colors at the head. The oath was pronounced aloud by a magistrate and then repeating it after him, at the same  time raising the right hand, while the left supported our musket.  Those that refused to take the oath, were then told to step forward.  And out of that 1000 men, there were but three, and that after one month's hard campaigning.  They were recruits, and probably got disheartened. They were marched around and in front of the entire square, with three men with fixed bayonets pointed at them.  The rear brought up by the Drummers beating the Regt's march.  I would rather go through [-?-] engagements than to go through that.  They were drummed out of the camp, disgraced men, and had it not been for [the compassion] of their late comrades, who took up a collection for them, they would have been left destitute.  In the streets of Washington General McDowell was pleased with our proficiency, and stated that he had less men refuse than any regiment he had previously sworn in.  

We have good times here, fresh meat every day.  Steak for breakfast, roast and broiled meat for dinner, and sometimes a slice of bacon for supper.  Our company went down to bathe in the river this morning, under commend of a lieut. left their jackets in their tents and marched down in their red shirts, to the tune of Dixey's land.  This is a beautiful country, and one would think too fine to produce traitors, but as the finest country breeds the most poisonous Reptiles, so I suppose that is the way with this.  The wheat here looks good, and nearly full eared, while the young birds are beginning to move around.    W.D.