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

Ft. Jerico, Suffolk Nine A.M. Sunday (24th) Dear All, I mean to write a good long letter to day so I slug in now. & first I will relate how the day has been passed thus far. Before rising from my luxurious couch I hired a new boy "Bill" by name, think I shall like him. Got up at 6 A.M. had a good wash & change, at 7 A.M. had a thorough inspection of the company after which I went up to camp for breakfast and when I returned I brought the Chaplain with me & we have since had a service under our bowers. After the service the chaplain gave out quite a pile of papers & several books & while I write some of the boys I can see are reading them. Capt Moore came down with us to attend the service - he did not march out with the Regt because the day before he had blistered his foot quite badly. The latest news from the Regt is to yesterday morning. They were then on the march from the Deserted House to Windsor five miles beyond. They had had no fighting - nothing but picket duty & the like. Sam Foss had had one nice job - he was detailed with his Co. to escort a baggage wagon train from Deserted House to the city & back - going one day & returning the next, making a march of ten miles the first day & if he follows on to Windsor, fifteen the second. The weather is oppressively warm and march- ing must be anything but pleasant, I can- not keep comfortably cool lying off in my hammock in the shade. I pity the soldiers who are on the move now. I should think Genl Grant's army would suffer excessively. what a bold push he has made & thus far perfectly suc- cessful but I cannot but tremble until
the - end - is accomplished for he must be either gloriously victorious or totally defeated. If Vicksburg falls this time won't all & every body unite in shouting "bully for Grant." I think the plan, - marching into the enemy's country without keeping open his communications with the river - the most boldly conceived one of the war. He must have the most perfect confidence in himself, his officers & men, - he certainly has his army in a position where they will fight if ever - its fight or die, no "skedaddlers" there. Yours of 19th recd. I wish mother would take some of my money & buy some letter paper & paper to wrap newspapers up in - I dont like the old scraps she uses a bit. I never like to open a letter on that account when any one is round - lately I almost always carry my letters to my tent before I open them or if I open them when any one is round I am very careful to pull out only Ellen's or Geo's & put the rest into my pocket until I
get to the tent. I am sorry to be so particular but I care a great deal more about these things here than if I was at home. Recd inclosed in your last three of my photo's. When shall you send the photo of Mary Hillard. I was very much surprised to hear of Mrs. Bull's marriage. So we are to have Mr & Mrs Dyer for neighbors are we. When are they to be official? I am real pleased to know that Geo. is taking hold of his studies so grandly. What is required to enter at New Haven? I have hardly smoked at all for the past week. I don't mean to say that I have def- inately left off but mean to not smoke from morning to night as I am very apt to do. Think I shall like the green check shirt very much & I should think the blue would be pretty. The bright colors look very pretty on young little fellows like Forrest Spafford & Sam Foss but for myself big & old as I am I like something a little more sober. Hope Ellen will accept Mrs Bimi's invitation & make them a visit. If Ellen goes to Springfield I wish to be remembered &c to them all of course. Do always, on all occasions & in all circumstances, remem ber me make my regards & give my love to every body. I am quite desirous to know how Mr. - Dr. - Dick is to "go into the fighting department" of the gallant 18th. will he receive a commission or be assigned to a company as a non-commissioned officer or private? If he does not get a commission we shall be very likely to think that for some reason or other he did not give satisfaction as Hospt. steward & was therefor reduced to the "fighting department". I think that's a grand joke the fighting department of the 18th - where has that department been of late? - we've heard nothing from it. Hope the bundle will arrive safely & in due time. The only exercise I have here is striking right & left from morning until night killing the flies & mosquitoes. We have a kind of fly here that lites & poisons its victims in a manner that's most unpleasant. The whole atmosphere seems to be full of insect life of one kind or another. I have as many as a dozen or twenty bunches on my body the effect of bites of wood ticks. I have not seen a tick round the fort but they were the plague of our life while we were down the river - their bite is not painful generally but remains sometimes several months & itches some. Its any thing but pleasant to feel them crawling over you or securing themselves into your flesh. We can all appreciate the full force of the words - sticking like a tick - its almost impossible to pull them off or rather out of a person. 6 P.M. TO day has been one of the most oppressive that I ever experienced I am so glad the end is near. Between the heat & the flies I have been in perfect misery & almost crazy. This evening the temperatures will be a little more comfortable but the mosquitoes & sand flies will com- mence their feasting. We have at least three kinds of fly. The common fly we dont mind tho' they are as thick as in the heat of summer in a butcher's shop at North, then another fly, about the size of a common fly which has a pernicious bite, this is the fly that troubles us in the day time & third is the sand fly, very small & keeps the mosquitoes company at night Here endeth the first dictation in flies & also my letter, and a queer one it must be for a Sunday letter. My ideas have nearly all flyed away & the remainder are fast leaving me by the same means. our mail closes at dusk Love to all, Your affct son & bro Chas.