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

Annapolis Dec. 26, 1861 I have each day been intending to write you a good long letter but can't get at it & to night I feel too mad to write any way The QM after supper brought me a Hartford courant of the 24 inst. which has a real mean article about Col. Harland it says coin. H. is absent from the Regt a great part of the time that the Regt is lacking in discipline &c says they know this was just cause for complaint while we were in Hartford but hoped it was different away & speaks of our appearance as compared with the 10th all this the courant learns from a gentleman who has lately been at Annapolis & seen both Regts. I hardly know what to think of it. There is great plausibility to the whole for you remember Harland had just recovered from the measles when he went to Hartford & did not dare to go immediately into camp. I know he was always on the ground a large part of every day, & would have moved down if he had supposed we should have remained as long as we did, you know we were expecting to move every day for nearly two weeks. since we have been here Harland has been detailed as President of a court martial which obliged him to be a Head Quarters from 9 or 10 AM to 3 PM for 10 days I think at least, he is also Acting Brigd & is obliged to attend to those duties & these duties often call him from the Camp. I dont think he ever leaves the ground for an hour except on business & to crown all I believe we have the as well drilled, best disciplined & worst equiped Regt in the Division. The citizens of Annapolis think so well of us that things were very desirous that we should be ordered to remain here this winter. This Regt has been duty as Provost Guard in the City of Annapolis nearly two thirds the time since we came because they liked Capt. ward & his 100 men so much that they were not willing to let him go. They were detailed twice, & after being released the first time were ordered back in about a week because the Guard from a Mass Regt were drunk and under so little control they could not trust them The citizens raised nearly $100 to give our Guard a Christmas dinner but were relieved shortly before so it was given up. I think we have had less men arrested than either of the other Regts encamped here. Harland is a strict disciplinarian so much so that he is not a favorite with a large portion of the enlisted men. I believe this is necessarily the case with a good colonel, they have to excercise all the real authority & they must bear all the "curses" whether deserved or not. The Lt. Col. and major if they are any kind of men are always the favorites as they are very rarely - if the col is of the right stuff - called to discipline the men. It is so with the 8th - the major (now Lt. Col.) is the favorite but they all want Harland at their head if anything is to be done. I have heard it expressed a hundred times in different ways that they want Harland with them when they go into action for they say any one can take them into a fight but comparitively few can bring them out & they believe Harland can. I know all have the most entire confidence in him & very much respect him. Even in drilling, the Battalion several of the captains have told me that if the men see Harland out on the field & think he is to command, then men are out in full strength, every one ready & no holding back. The Capts. say they have often noticed this, but what do you care for all this, not much I know. Major Terry is now Lt. Col. & Capt. Appelman of mystic, major. Two Capts and one Lieut. have within a day or two resigned & their places will be filled by more efficient men. They were men that Harland, I know, has wished out of the way for a long time & he has been a happy man on account of it. Gov. Buckingham was here yesterday & gave Harland power to fill all vacancies as he liked, he would hardly have given this authority to an inefficient man. These resignations will make a great change for the better in the Regt & we shall be a Regt that Connt will be proud to acknowledge. I think I shall have had a captaincy if I had wished. Harland asked me which I prefered. If I was better posted in tactics, I should like to be a Captain I know I could control the men but I have really learned very little about drill. I have studied reports entirely. Ellen writes she has heard my name mentioned as major says she should like that title. That is very nice to talk about but will not be realized. I should not be in the least afraid to accept a Majority in a new Regt but in a well drilled Regt like this it would be very different. It would not do for a major to go out & drill our Regt in some of the simpler maneuvers & day by day add a new movement as one would do with a green Regt such a major would lose all caste here immediately & would not have the respect of the men that is too much old Mr. Cunningham (as the boys called him) style except that he did not get even those right. If sheldon does not come I think I may get a colored man here who has been with me of the resigned Capts. he is a barber by trade & a real good hand, dont know that I can get him but shall try. I wish Geo. would send me in next letter a pair of rubber straps to fasten my pants down when I am riding as on some occasions as reviews I cant wear my high riding boots. My old straps have worn out, they cost ten cents I think. Thompson or Channansky will have them. I like the coat you sent very much & except that plaguing watch pocket in the breast, it is just what I wanted, shall use it as my best coat. Dr. Lathrop brought me shoulder straps in Washington, but they were not the kind I wanted but will wear well. I dont like two of George's tenants. I am afraid Davison will not pay and Joseph K Brewer was turned out once because he did not add to the respectibility of the building though he paid promptly, what rooms have they & what do they pay? do the other tenants pay promptly? I think Geo. will have his hands full to attend to it but if he does every thing at the time he will save half. That is one of the great differences in men & is a great fault of mine I know. There is a strong impression here that we are going on the Potomac or York rivers to operate there. I suppose you would like that. There are a large number of New York reporters here who are going with the expedition so you will be posted. If you can send me some map of the southern States by mail I would like it. I have not seen one since I left home & I have lost the sense of every thing. I commenced this letter last night & had written but little when I left it to see our new Lt. col. & this is all the writing I have done this AM. My orderly is writing though. I have been busy making details of men to work at Head Quarters &c. I must stop now. Lt. Col. Terry & I are now going to join our tents when he gets his new one. we shall have three rooms. made by our two tents with our flies between, a bedroom for Lt. Col & I one for servants & a grand reception room where we can sit & write &c. This is grand. I shall like it much. Love from Son & bro Chas.