Manley Stacey Civil War Letters

Camp Hayes
March 7th 1863
7AM

Dear Charles

Well Sonnie I have got to go on Picket again this morning, & it rains as usual. I did not want to wait till Monday, before I wrote, so thought I would write a Short note this AM.

We are still in the Land of the Living. On Picket Post no 13, 3 Division

9PM. Well Charlie, I found out I had not news enough, to write a Respectable Letter, so concluded, to wait. As usual when we go on Picket, it commenced raining, & even now, I can hear the gentle Patter on the Roof. (Post Byron). I am again on the 3 Section, the same post where I was on Sunday Last. Tonight it is darker than Pitch, & just one of the nights for a Rebel Raid, or if they want some Guns, to take us Prisoners. But let them come, we are ready.

Charlie, I must beg your Pardon, for not sending you more money, when we was last paid off, but realy [sic] Charlie you must excuse me holding such a Position as I do in the Army you will see, I must necessarily, have a great many expenses. There is some talk of Paying us off, up to the 1st of March. Lieut Green told me today, that we should be paid off, in a few days, & up to the 1st of March. If we are then I shall have $52,00 coming that looks large for a Soldier Boy. when that happens Charles, then I can do better. but before that happens, I want a few more letters from you. why can’t you sit down & write me a long Letter. Now if you never see your Honored Brother 4th Corporal of Co D, you will be sorry you have not written oftener.

Charlie you must excuse this letter, I have got a Big Dutchman Ritter from Lyons (perhaps you know him,) is singing Dutch Songs, so you can imagine how well I can write. Every thing is quiet along the Lines so far tonight.

This morning, after we had been posted, about half an hour, a Big thick set Negro Woman, came to our Post, I will relate her Story. She told the Lieut, that a man had come to her house, & had Beaten, her & Showed us the scars, & Bruises. She wanted the Lieut to go over to her house & order him out. she said it was only, Half a mile just over this (yese) here hill. So the Lieut took 4 men & myself, & we started towards her house. When we got on a hill a little way from our Post, we could see the house full 2 miles from our Post, outside our Lines. Then she said just please [st..] over Lieut it to only 2 miles from here. Here the Lieut hesitated he thought & so did I, that it was a decoy, to get us outside the Lines, but for all that we determined to see what was up, so off we trudged through the mud 6 inches deep.

when we got to the House we asked the Man what was up, then he commenced, his Story was, he was working outside the House, & the Woman (which proved to be his mother in Law) ordered him to do some thing & he refused (telling us he never had been ordered about by a Woman, since he left his Mother & he never would be) so they had some words, & she (his words) jabbed a pair or Shears into him, then he struck her, & I supposed they had a Free Fight, 10cts a Side. Now for the Daughter’s Story. She said one was her Mother, & one her Husband, so she would not [Lie] on either side. she said both was to blame. she had a Girl about 3 years old & the old woman had one 5 years old, the Daughter said, this yere Child (pointing to the oldest) keeps striking this yere Child, (pointing to her Child) & then this yere Child, strikes this yere child, & I wont have this yere Child strike this yere child.

So you see it was a good note on us going 2 miles outside the Lines, to settle a Family Quarrel. We could not settle this. While we were there the old woman wanted us to wait until she throwed his things out. I told the man, if they had another Fight I would hang him to a Tree. The best of all, the woman, said the man was no relation to her, he married her Daughter. So endeth the Dashing Raid by Lieut Green, & his brave followers.

I am going to try & get a pass to go out on the Battle Field, in a few days, then I shall have some trophies. Enclosed I send in this a piece of a Secesh Sergts Pants, same as worn by all.

8 March 1 PM. Charlie, we got relieved this morning at 10 AM, & trudged to Camp, through the mud. I hope you will now take care of the Horse, if you have got one to suit you keep her in good condition, till my return.

give my love to Rosa & tell her I will send her & Maggie a Cross next Letter

Love to all

Manley