Manley Stacey Civil War Letters

Please post these letters for me, I am out of stamps

Camp Douglas
Chicago Ill
Nov 26th
8 PM

Dear Father

We are still in Camp here, but expect to leave here tomorrow afternoon. On Sunday night at Dress Parade the Order for our moving from here, was contramanded, until further orders.

The 126th left here yesterday at 2 PM. It is very singular that our Regt is always been & always will be behind, all the rest. We are now the only New York Regt here. We are to have Pass [cars] & are to be divided into Squads of 48 men to a car & are not allowed to leave the Cars on the Road.

We have now settled down to the belief that we are Exchanged & that we are to get our Arms at Washington & will then go into the Field. I should have liked, to have come home, before we were Exchanged, but of course we can not now.

I think the boys will not go into the Field with as good Courage as they did before, but they have good reason, for not [feeling] better, they have been so misused, I sincerely hope we will join [Banks] & go to Texas, then we should have a splendid chance to see the country. And I do not think we should have as long marches, as we would if we went to Virginia.

We have had perfect liberty for the past few days to go and come when we choose. I have seen a great deal of the City for the past few days. most likely we shall spend our Thanksgiving on the Road, with Salt Bacon and Hard Tack for our Dinner. [This] will not seem like home. If we stay at Washington, I shall hope to have some things from home.

One of our Boys died in the Hospital last night Wm Pierce¹ of Sodus, He died with the Diphtheria. Tom Hooker is better, but I do not think he or A Hunt will go with us.

My Promotion has not been read yet, nor will it be until we get settled again. I think it will be 4th Seargeant, pay $11 a month.

5 PM. Just read Marching Orders for Washington, tomorrow at 3 PM. We are to go by Cleveland Harrisburg & Baltimore. when we get to Washington we are to [report] to Maj Genl Halleck, for further orders.

They are going to be very strict with us [on] the Road for fear that we shall Desert. When I Desert it will be when I can not possibly live, in the service. If we remain in Washington long I hope to see you there.

Please send me a watch & some Paper & Envelopes. I wish you would [ ] some of them as it is hard to get Ink here.

I am now perfectly contented & now we know what we are to do. Tell Mother not to worry about Me, I shall take care of myself.

I hope we shall go where, there will be Mail Communications so that I can write often. I will write to you Immediately on our arrival [   ] & as soon as we know what we are to do as I know you will be anxious to hear.  With love to all & sorry I could not have seen you

I remain Your Son
Manley

The boys are feeling tip tip about leaving here. They little know what they have got to go through

¹Pierce, William–age,18 Enlisted 29 Jul 1862 at Sodus to serve three years. died, 27 Nov 1862, at Chicago, IL. (ed’s note:  This letter corrects the offical death date as being Nov 25.)