Manley Stacey Civil War Letters

111th Regt. 3 Brigade Caseys Division, 22 Army Corps
Reserved Army Corps, Defences of Washington
Camp Hayes
March 24th, 63
6 AM

Dear Father

I received your letter of the 19th, yesterday, & I will answer this morning.

today we are to have a little change. Brig Genl Hayes is going to make this his Head Quarters. The 126th NY, & the rest of the Regt’s, in the Brigade, are going to move here. Lieut Green says Genl Casey talks of coming here, & making this his Head Quarters. We all hope this will be so, we then shall have a little easier time, not quite so much Picketing to do, though we may have our lines extended.

Last night about 8 PM, the news came, that the Telegraph Wire had been cut, between here & Union Mills, immediately we got the order to sleep with Clothes & Boots on, & be prepared for the Long Roll. It is reported that Stuart is in Loudon County, with 5000 Rebs Cavalry, some Infantry, & 50 Pieces of Artillery. Loudon County is but a very short distance from here, not more than 30 miles. Harpers Ferry is not more than 25 miles. It is reported that Communication is cut off, between here & Washington. We may have another Harpers Ferry scrape here.

Tomorrow is Picket again, well I do not object to it, when the weather is pleasant. Yesterday is was quite Pleasant, today it looks like Rain. One day it is pleasant & the next it storms.

You asked me if the Boys, shared their things, of course they did, every thing is common, we eat together, there is no such Division in this Squad. I shall be glad to get the Water Proof Blacking, as we can get none here that is good.

I shall keep you Posted in regard to [us], you need not write off, that Letter for [.insley] now.

Love to all

Manley

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Camp Hayes
March 24th
8 PM

Charles Henry Augustus

I thought I could do no better, than write a short note to you, so will commence to night.

As usual it is raining hard to night, Of course it must rain hard, when we go on Picket, or just before. Tomorrow as good luck would have it, is my turn to go on Picket.

Today the 126th NY, came from Union Mills, also the 1st Pa Reserves, with the Keystone Battery. Now we shall have a little easier time, in regard to Picketing, but we shall have most likely more Drilling, than ever. I am getting heartily sick of that, especially, Battallion Drills the Boys all hate these. We need these however, for when we are in Battery, we shall want to know how to manuver [sic].

Granger says in less than 10 Days, we shall be moving towards Warrenton, I can see this. W H [Carr], has got his Discharge, Cooley is all right, I saw [Dilo] [Bellas] to day, he is Orderly Sergt in Co I, a26th. He is looking well and hearty.

March 25th, 5,45 AM. It has rained hard all night, & is raining now. I hope you have Settled down peacably, & have given up coming.  dont let Capt Holmes, get you under him, be just as free from him, as you now are.

This morning my Havelock will come in good, I tell you they are Bully things in wet weather here. Things look little like our being paid off, just now, we hear nothing more about it. I am beginning to dread the coming warm weather, Drilling is hard then.

I must close

Love to all

Manley