Morey, Charles C. (ca. 1830-1865) to Sister Mamie

Bush Hill Va. Aug 2nd 1861.

Dear Sister Mamie.
Your letter was received last night about 9 o'clk perhaps you can imagine my feelings at hearing from you once more, it is with regret that I hear you do not hear from m oftener for I have writen often probably before you get this you have received one writen since you wrote yours for I sent one the other day containing the particulars of that awful battle. You earnestly request me to write often and long but we have no conveniences for so doing the only table we have is [struck: the] a [farrell] since the fight there seems to be considerable discontent but it is all caused I think by the hard march which we have not got over and the poor fare [2] we have had since for some reason we have not been able to draw our regular rations until today. Mamie you ask me to write all about our living I comply with your request reluctantly for we have seen the time when if any food and [Fathers] Swill Pail [inserted: had been] set side by side for me to choose which I would eat; should have eaten out of the pail rather than my rations but times are a little better now
Now Mamie dont you put on along face when your read this for you very well know little Gal - that never will do in old Vermont.
My little Sister how I wish I could see you and give you all a kiss but that cannot be now therefore will try and content myself with hearing from you. I hope therefore you will write often if you do not hear from me. The regiment have gone down to Fort Ellsworth to witness the execution [3] of one of the Zouaves for the crime of murder he is to be shot The fort is situated one mile west of the city of Alaxandria we have a very strong hold here it would be impossible for the rebels to get in here we have guns there that will throw shot and shell 14 miles.
Probably we never shall advance upon Bull's Run in the manner we did before Genl Scott sayes that is not the way to conquer them, it was not his plan to go there at all but he says that he is under orders, and if the cabinet & the President order him through that way to Richmond he shall endever to go, but he sayes it is his plan to go down the Mississippi [struck: and] completely blockade the Atlantic coast then advance with force enough to take their cities and let them remain in the mountains if they wish until they are starved out then they will [4] be obliged to surrender I think this a very good plan but ambitious politions [sic] will have their own way and sometimes [inserted: as in] [struck: like] that battle show themselves very foolish, I hope they will be satisfied to give over to Scott now and let him manage the remainder of the campaign. Some of this brigade took one of the cols. of the rebel army and I understand that says that the rebal loss was much greater than ours in that fight
There is a Co. of U.S. cavelry encamped a short distance from us I have just been over there they say that their pickets discovered 2 co's. of the enemys cavelry and some Infantry some 4 or 5 miles south west of here - one of our cavelry men had the end of his finger shot off by them. I have not been very well for a few days but am getting better now we have hard thunder storms here occationly
[inserted in top margin of page 3: We lost our tents and every thing else on that Sunday we now have the large circular ones now which accommodate about 16 men the most of them in our tent our] [inserted in top margin of page 2: tent are good fellows Shurban tents here, he climbed [at a] but don't think him a coward for he was obliged to do so to save his life which he did and his gun with it he is a brave soldier
Dear Father
& Mother Please write soon tell me all about what is going on at home. From Charlie.]
[inserted in top margin of page 4: I hope mother's & father's health will will improve rapidly Please write soon if you any mistakes correct them in your next
Charlie]