Coit, Charles M. (1838-1878) to his family
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03603.330 Author/Creator: Coit, Charles M. (1838-1878) Place Written: s.l. Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 25 October 1864 Pagination: 2 p. Order a Copy
He responds to his family's criticism over declining the promotion. One of the big issues determining wether or not to be mustered out is regiment size. Coit describes his own feelings on this as well as Captain Goodrich's. Coit continues to describe his desire for a staff position and the implications this would have for him.
Hd. Qts. 2d Brigade
Octo. 25, '64
Dear Mo, sis & bro,
Yours of 17th &18th insts. to the Major received. Sorry that you will have to come back to the old title again &address me as only Captain., but if I could talk with you I think I could convince you that I was right in declining. Col. Ward came in this P.M. &asked me to write Gov. Buckingham requesting him to not to revoke the commission at present but to let it stand for the little while. I declined doing so but told him that he might if he wished. By the way, he commenced by telling me that he had heard from Col. Smith and that he (Col. S.) was doing well & as soon as he recovered would leave the service, probably in two weeks. Said he wanted me to take his place and asked if I would accept if recruits sufficient to fill the Regiment were obtained. I gave him to understand that I would when I was assured that the noble old 8th was again to be a - Regiment- & not a corporals guard squad as at present & now when you are writing uncle George please give him as my reasons for declining the promotion the smallness of the Regt & the little probability of our receiving any considerable number of recruits and I do wish that he could let the Governor so understand it perhaps it would be a straw towards the object desired - a full Regiment. This question is going to decide all other questions in the 8th. captain Goodrich is three years service expires about the 1st of next month & he intends to be mustered out but he has told Col. Ward that if he believed we should ever again be a full Regt he would accept another three years muster. Col. Ward said this P.M. if Goodrich & myself left he certainly should for he was not going to remain without either of - us-. I have lately been thinking strongly of trying for a staff position & I believe I could obtain it - many things about it I should like and some I should dislike. The 8th has been ordered to corps Head Quarters for duty there & this would naturally have relieved me as Col. Culver who is commanding the Brigade can only detail a staff from his own Brigade. I asked Col. C. how it would effect me & he replied that he could not spare me, that he intended to keep me on his Staff in one position or another as long as I remained a Capt. I am very pleasantly situated here indeed & I have thought that they are at Corps Hd. Qts. they are as safe as tho' at home. I hope they will recruit somewhat while there as they will have a much easier life and sick & wounded men will be returning from the Hospitals while few will be sent away sick - but this of course will not amount to much. What we need is a detachment of three or four hundred able-bodied recruits & now is - just the time- for them. one of the strongest arguments to my mind inducing me to accept the Lieut. Colonelcy would the title of colonel, father's old title, & I know how much it would please all my Norwich friends especially the "dear all, that's almost sufficient to pay for a three years muster.
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