Coit, Charles M. (1838-1878) to his family
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03603.261 Author/Creator: Coit, Charles M. (1838-1878) Place Written: Deep Creek, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 15 March 1864 Pagination: 4 p. Order a Copy
Writes of the lull in activity for officers in the camp. He is reading a book titled "Hard Cash." Describes a problem with the Ordinance Officer over vouchers.
Camp of 8th Conn Deep Creek, Va. Tuesday evening
Dear All, We moved camp Sunday and now have a delightful location on the banks of the creek, the stream bending at this point & forming two sides of the Camp. The ground is dry & healthy I think a light sandy loam - extremely - productive of dust even this early in the season what it will amount to as the season advances, I hardly dare imagine. Tomorrow I intend to com- mence work on my own quarters & make them comfortable. At present I have my tent standing & thats about all. All the men of my Co. have been on picket, guarding the Co. streets or fitting up their own tents so I have not liked to disturb them but shall tomorrow commence in good earnest & with the boards I have raise the sides of the tent, build up a back room which I can roof with the tent fly & then floor the whole as far as the boards will go besides building bedstead, washstand, &c. I think the offs will have much more time to themselves here than at the old camp particularly. Captains for so many of the men are on picket that we can hardly have much drilling & only the Lieuts. go on picket The Capts. when on duty as offs of Day will visit the pickets. I wish you would send me one or two books by mail of standard reading, poetry or prose, one officer has Fergeuson - that's about all the reading matter I know of except the paper covered style though I believe the chaplain has some. I finished "Hard cash" to day, commenced it yesterday noon, read until 2 o'clock this morning before I could put it down. I have been exceedingly interested in it. Al Goddard gets along pretty well & I guess will make a pretty good off. he is willing to work for it any how. He is off. of the Guard to day for the first time
Speaking of reading several of us are talking of clubbing together & taking several of the magazines. I am strongly in favor of it. I am sure I dont know what I want in the way of reading. To day I recd a communication from the 2d Auditor of the Treasury at Washington stating that my ordinance Returns for 1st & 2d quarters of 1863 had been examined & were correct. Ha! Ha! You remember that while in New Haven I recd letters from the ordinance officer stating that I had not sent proper vouchers with these very same returns & that they had been refered to the 2d auditor for settlement with the recommendation that I should be charged with certain stores to the amount of $200. or more. I have never replied to those letters & now this comes telling me that they are O.K. Bully for the 2d Auditor. I believe this exhausts my stock of camp news. I am quite amused at the idea of our last sea voyage being spoken of as a rough one. No one ought to hope for a smoother passage in winter time than that one. It is not singular that with all the friends the Gibbs have in New Haven that they should have asked Geo. to be bearer. They were certainly very attentive to have the Carraige for you. Mar 16 evening was interrupted last night & dont intend to write farther to night its altogether too cold & I have no stove. Have been at work with six men all day fixing my quarters - am not quite through yet but shall finish tomorrow & then set up a stove & be all right. Best love Affct son & bro Chas
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