Coit, Charles M. (1838-1878) to his family
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Gilder Lehrman Collection #: GLC03603.174 Author/Creator: Coit, Charles M. (1838-1878) Place Written: Falmouth, Virginia Type: Autograph letter signed Date: 19 December 1862 Pagination: 2 p. Order a Copy
Writes that the Lacey Mansion is being used as a hospital and that the officers are staying in a two-room outhouse. Estimates that the battle has cost the Union side 10,000 and does not see any other result of the four days of battle.
Friday A.M. Dec. 19, 1862 Dear All, Since the evacuation of Fredericksburg we have been quartered in our old camp at the Lacy House but as the house itself is used as a Hospital we the officers are crowded in two small rooms of an outhouse, so we have as poor accomodation for writing as ever, tho' aside from the crowd we are pretty comfortable. we have been expecting each day the removal of the wounded in which case we shall probably return to our old rooms in the " - Mansion -" if it is possible to purify them sufficiently. What a sight those walls have wit- nessed since we vacated them. We remain posted here to support battery & pickets. The pickets of both armies are in their old positions on the banks of the river & every thing appa- rently is as before our crossing but how many good & true men have been within those four days killed & maimed, nearly if not quite 10,000 on our side & very heavy loss on the rebel side also. All our friends have been spared, I believe. Henry Goddard was only - scratched - so I hear from Capt. Tubbs whom I saw at the depot night before last on his way to old Norwich. Tony ward I fear was killed. Major ward was taken sick a day or two before we evacuated & crossed to this side before us, he is well again I understand. (he is up to our cramp on the hill) & intends to report for duty immediately. Beckwith is - well - again I shall certainly write when I can & often & you must not worry so when you get no letters. You know how many times during this past - long - year the mails have served us in the same way & do remember it. If I am sick you will be informed soon. Until the mail received the last day we were in the city our Regt had not had one for more then two weeks. I have not recd the Harper's Ferry yet & cannot depend upon it. I hope Shepard has started with the valise. I was intending to write a long letter to day but an order came for a Regtl inspection & that has occupied me until now - dinner time - & the mail leaves us at 2 o'clock P.M. After dinner. Major & Capt Upham have both returned to Regt. Capt. Marsh the commander of our volunteers has resigned & I suppose will be accepted as he tenders it on account of ill health. I am very sorry we shall lose him for he is a good officer & particularly brave almost insensible to fear. Col. Beach of the 16th Regt formally of the Reg. Army has just returned to the Regt from Washington & says that "our General" Burnside stands as high as ever & that Halleck is blamed for our loss here. I wish Genl Burnside had the - supreme command of this army. - I should have some faith then. One of you write " - that the country is safe because two companies of the 1st connt Arty. has joined us - so says PBS" If I was about to go to war again & desired to join a Regt where they would _never be in danger of being shot_ I would enlist in the First. I think any boy at home is in as much danger any 4th of July celebration as a man in the 1st Conn during a raging battle. Time to dry up. Best love to every body, Am very well. Chas
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