Manley Stacey Civil War Letters
June 27, 1863 – Edward’s Ferry, Md
Edwards Ferry Md
3d Brigade, & Division
2nd Army Corps, Co D 111th Regt
June 27th 1863
Dear Father
I suppose you will be anxious to hear, from me by this time, so I embrace the first opportunity, of writing a letter.
We left Centerville, at 3 PM for Gum Spring, the order, for our moving to Thorofare Gap, having been Countermanded. After a pretty good march, of 9 miles, most of it through the Rain, we arr about 6 PM. We then pitched our Shelter Tents & prepared for the night. By this time it had settled into a steady Drizzling Rain. I had just got settled down, for a good sleep, being pretty tired, when the Orderly came, around, saying Stacey, Detailed for Picket tonight, report with 5 men. You can imagine how pleasant this was, to a man tired out, Raining hard, at 10 oclock, at night. About 11 PM, we left Camp, & after a great deal marching, was posted, at midnight.
This was one of the, most interesting, nights I have ever spent, sitting under a Tree, in a thick woods, wet through, & through. We marched to Camp, the next morning about 7 AM & found the Regt had struck Tents & were about to move. I just got had time to make my Cup of Tea, when we had to fall in. We marched, about a mile, & halted to let the Artillery & Baggage Trains, pass us, We left then at 11 AM. for Edwards Ferry. Distance 12 miles. This was the roughest days march I ever had, my Feet, got Blistered, so I could hardly step, & if it had not been for the kindness, of the Chap. & Dr Vosburg, I could not have got through. They both helped me along, on Horseback.
We Pitched our Tents, at Goose Creek, about 6 PM, & Bunked in for the night. At 10 PM, we were ordered to strike Tents, & get ready to move immediately. It was reported that, a Rebel, force was in our Rear, & were coming up, so we were ordered to cross the River. After a long & tedious march through the Thickest mud I have ever seen, & over the Pontoon Bridge, we arrived at the Ferry, from there we marched about 3 miles, arriving about 3,30 AM, Here we Camped, & I can tell you it took us but a short time to lay out Blankets & get to sleep.
This morning at 9 AM we were ordered to fall in, for Inspection, to see that the Guns, were, in Fighting Condition, then we fell in again, for a march, We marched about a mile, upon a hill, we are at present laying. I think we shall lay here until Monday, unless something turns up. We can not tell however. From here we go to Frederick City, from there no one knows, where ever the Fight is. Yesterday they told us all along the Line, that Lee had crossed over the Road, with a large Force & is now on this side the River. A Capt told me this morning that, our Corps & the 6th were Hookers Reserve & would be kept, in the Rear of the Army. Hooker now is in the Front, of Lee & we are in his Rear, there is also a Rebel Force, in the Rear of us.
The next letter, I shall write, about the Fight most likely, for I think we shall soon have one & a desperate one at that. I suppose you have heard [ ] this of our Troops leaving Centerville & Burning up the Church, with the Property turned over to be stored. You will not hear from me as often as formerly though I shall write as often as possible & shall be more anxious to hear from home than ever before. I shall keep you posted in Regard to our movements. Marching is now the Order of the Day, & we are on it.
Our Corps Badge is now, a Clover Leaf, I shall send home a Pattern & get Mother to make me one, our Color Blue, Red, for the first Division. White 2nd, Blue 3d.
We are now but a very short distance from Balls Bluff, so we can see it plain. The Gurillas are following, up our Army, & picking up the straglers & paroling them. If we stay here, today, I think we shall get some Mail. I think I shall write my letters, like a Diary, a little every day, then send it when I can.
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