Coit, Charles M. (1838-1878) to his family

Annapolis, Md. Dec 4 '61 I am a good mind not to write a word tonight, dont feel a bit like it. Have been rather enjoying myself to day although I have had some work to do, but the Pay master has been here to day & I have my pocket full of money & I feel so comfortable & lazy as possible & I must say it was pleasant to ride around as A. Adjt. Genl & have the other Adjts bring their Reports to me. I shall learn a great deal about an Adjt's business if I act as Asst. Adjt. Genl. only a few days, at least I expect to, for these Adjts reporting to me every morning I can ask many questions that I should not like to otherwise & they have questions that I must answer or refer to col. H. so I shall find much how they do their business & know their troubles & so be able to avoid like ones. I find I am like some other military gentleman I am acquainted with - like to act in an important post whether I know I can perform the duties or not. Gen]. Foster advises col. Harland to keep actual command of the 8th, although acting a Brigadier, turning over the details of the command to Lt. Col. Cunningham. I rather hoped that an acting Adjt would be appointed in my place while I act as AAtG so that I might have more time for studying Regulations &c, but I dont think there will be unless I find that I cannot attend to both, which I do not expect as I shall have help in my writing & here let me evict an impression you seem to have recd that I am working so hard - it is true that some days I do work from early to late with hardly any intermission except Guard Mounting & Dress Parade but generally I find I have spent a good portion of the day with Coln or major for it is a very interesting period with this Regt & each ride down to city is often over than under an hour & I rarely begrudge the time for I like to ride as well as ever. The "Governor" is getting quite used to the town. I often now leave him without hitching while I go into stores. he is not quite as sprightly & willing to go as I wish he was, it is very difficult in Hartford & Jamaica but he has much changed since then does not hold his head as high & is very lean though he eats almost all the day more than any horse in regt but he has been under the weather & had rather inferior care I fear, for I can hardly expect a man who never cleans himself to take any care of himself to do more for a horse. Stanton is terribly untidy in his exterior. I sometimes think I cannot bear it another day & I should have dismissed and performed my own work long ago I think if I had not been so much interested in other things. I do hope if you find a man it will be a tidy one. I dont care particularly for a man who can cook (this I believe I mentioned it in a letter about Daly) as one that is clean & knows something about things generally, it is not as easy a matter to keep ones self clean here as at home & some who would be quite passable there would be otherwise here. I am sorry it is making you so much trouble & I should think from your letter rec'd to day that you had intrusted the town in it especially C.C.J. he is very kind. Johnson is enquiring here & has written to a man on Phila who he thinks may come, who 7 says is all right & I should think much of his opinion, he knows what is necessary. I began this AM to write about the coat I dont know how far I had got when I left off so suddenly. Your letter to day refers to a previous one describing same coat with cloth of different shades. I have not received the letters. I conclude you have bought the coat you say nothing about cost. wish I had known about the Government clothing before as I could have bought cheaper of Gov. & then perhaps could have had a nice one made when I needed. I am very well off though I must go & see the col & Major a few moments before retiring. I do want to see you all dreadfully wish the old war was over & I could go home. A new moon to night & I think we shall see another before we leave this place. Give so much love to all Chas (upside down, top first page) Please telegraph as soon as you engage a man & I will if I find one here. Have heard nothing from Beckwith's box. How am I 3d cousin to Lillie Coit Collins of Hartford. IS it not c w Coit up town.