Manley Stacey Civil War Letters

Camp Hill
Harpers Ferry Va
Aug 29th
5,30 AM

Dear Charlie

I received a letter from home yesterday, it caused a considerable excitement the first news from home. You said that they were getting up another Company [ ] [yours] Who is to be the Captain. Yesterday afternoon I got a pass to go in swimming, and went up to see the 126 Regt, or the one from Geneva. There I saw Jessie Cooley, H [ ] Shellborn George Warfield, & several other boys. They are Camped but a little ways from here I am glad of that, it will be more pleasant. We heard yesterday that the 2d Wayne Co Regt was coming here.

Today I go on, [Picket], up the Balt & Manchester RR, between here & Charlstown. The Boys all like to go on Picket, all the duty I have is Corporal of the Picket which is to say that the boys do not get to sleep and that they do their duty. Picket duty is one hour on and Four off.

If I should tell you all the Rumors that I hear in camp, you would hear news enough, but half that is reported is not true. We have hardly got settled yet, in Camp yet. Yesterday was the first decent living that we have had, Mr Crowl bought a Teapot, & some other things, and cooked for us, he made Coffee. I tell you we are all right. He can make, good Coffee. A great deal depends on our warm drink. Give us good Coffee sea biscuit, & I can live, I can not [go] the Pork & Beef that they have here I tell you, we were [used] [rough] the first few days we were here only one ration a day, and that, bread, I could not got along if I had not went outside to get my meals. the first day I was here, I went down the village at 9 PM, & got my dinner, had nothing to eat since the night before, I relished that meal.

Our duties now is Roll call at 5 AM, Go down to wash at 5,30 Drill at 6 to 7 7,30 Breakfast, and drills when we get settled. We have divided ourselves in [ ] of 15 to a tent. In ours there is, Myself, [Elick] Williams¹, Barry F, A Hunt Billy [Waters?]² Bill Sharp³ John Fishback⁴, P Crowl⁵ Tom Hooker⁶, & several more. We are right having Crowl in our mess.

It is a splendid place here early in the morning, & evening. Nights it is awful cold. The Potomac is right in sight of our camp, or in sight of where I write. It is no peace to write in Camp so much confusion. I asked Crowl what I should say for him, he says tell them we are all in to it here, he is busy as a Bee. The Boys are all well, not one of them have been sick, though & [ ] afraid bottle of medicine, that Father got of Huff. it is just the thing for the [Diarreah].

Hoping to hear from you soon
Manley

Civil War timeline:
August 29 to 30: Pope’s Campaign: At the second battle of Bull Run, Union general John Pope was defeated by 55,000 troops under Stonewall Jackson. After Pope’s retreat to Washington, Lincoln relieved him of his command.