Soldier's Letter, Civil War, November 1862

 Oxford Times, November 12, 1862

Letter from the 10th N.Y. Cavalry

Near Alexandria, Nov. 3d, 1862

Mr. Editor:  By request of Captain Loomis, I will occupy a few moments in writing to inform you that we are all pretty well, except bad colds and of our whereabouts.  We left Baltimore about ten o'clock, Saturday, A.M. for Washington, where we remained until ten o'clock, A.M. Sunday, when we packed up and marched about two miles to a wharf on the Potomac, where we got aboard the steamer Hugh Jenkins, and landed at Alexandria about three o'clock, P.M.  Thence we marched a westerly course, through the city by the Hotel where Ellsworth was shot. We have got a very good place for camping. It is under the hills west of the city, near Fort Ellsworth.  I went this morning some three miles west over the hill, but could see nothing but forts, tents and a section of country laid waste of almost everything in the shape of fences and trees.  I passed through a field that had been fenced some time, of about thirty acres, that had been set out some time with apple and peach trees, just large enough to bare some, and I don't think there was fifty trees left that is good for anything, but are broken down, and the fields left just as they were when the war commenced, half plowed, and left just as they were planted.  Most of the troops here seem to be on the move to their regiments, except about five thousand paroled prisoners and nearly the same stragglers. There is fighting going on in about thirty miles or less, at Bull Run or near there.  A great many troops have marched that way from here. We heard heavy firing here yesterday north, and today south.  We expect to stop here for the present. We would like to see or hear from our Oxford friends, but we are bound to be free or die before we return. The boys begin to stick by the Captain like soldiers, and we are prospering very well.  You must excuse me from writing anymore this time.   W.D.C.

P.S.  I just learned by the way of Capt. Loomis that the fighting is at Thorofare Gap, under the command of General Siegel.