Manley Stacey Civil War Letters

Camp Douglas
Chicago Illinois
Co D 111 Regt NYSV
7 PM

Dear Father

I do not know whether I can fill a sheet full of news, but I will try.

For the past few days, we have heard a Dozen different rumors. First that we were to be paid off next that we were going home & now the news in Camp is, that all the Harpers Ferry paroled Prisoners, are Exchanged.

This I hardly believe, though hope it is so. The evenings papers say, that we are Exchanged & ordered to report at Washington If it is so, Good Bye, to going home.

I hope we will be sent with Banks, to Texas. That would suit me, tip top. Everything here now is, well, I cant tell you how We are hoping every day, for something to turn up.

We had a Battillion Drill. Two Cos from our Regt & two from the 15, 126, 125 & two from the 89th N Y.

The General told the Capt that our Comp did the best of any on the Ground. After this we are not to have a Guard around the Ground, we can go & come when we please, provided we are here to Drill & Roll Calls. I shall like this a little better.

I wish you could send me, my Watch by Williams next week, as, it is not settled yet that we go home, & I need it every day. I think if we do not go home, I will send for those things, I spoke about in the Trunk. But be sure you do not let everybody know it.

Our German School is played out, until this, is settled, what is to be done with us.

Wednesday 3 PM. I could not find news enough to fill out this letter, this morning, but since then we have heard enough this AM. I went up to get the Papers, when the Ajutant [sic] told me, there was no papers, that we were all ordered to Washington. He said, that Tyler told him, there would not be a New York man on the Ground to night. It is a settled thing that we are going to leave here, they say we are ordered to Washington, by the way of Cleveland Ohio, if we were going to W, why would we go that way. It would be cheaper to go the way we came a great deal, I think now we are going to NY.

It has been all confusion, in Camp to day, Some think we are Exchanged & feel downhearted, & others think we are to be quartered there & still some others think we are going home. Lieut Moor, says he shall go home, when we leave here & will take the Trunk home.

I shall send, home a Blanket My Rubber Coat, my vest a little box, with some little things in it. All of the Regt draws a Rubber Blanket, so I will not need the coat. The moment we leave here, I shall Telegraph home, if possible 7 PM It is rumored that we are under, sealed orders, to be opened at Cleveland. To night the boys are singing we are going home [ ] no more. They are feeling tip top all glad to get out of this place. But still there [lingers] a little uncertainty as to whether we are Exchanged or not.

Thur morn 6,30. No more news, except they all expect to go home to day. if we do not I shall go to Mrs. Stones & stay to night

Love to all.

Do not write again till you hear from me

Manley