Manley Stacey Civil War Letters
July 16 & 17, 1863 – near Maryland Heights
Camp near Maryland Hights
1 mile from Harpers Ferry
July 16th 8,45 AM
Dear Father
I suppose you will be very anxious to hear from me by this time, but I have positively had no time to write before. I think the last I wrote you, was when we were in Line of Battle near [Hagers] town (Hagerstown). I am in no mood to write this morning, I have been too provoked. The [performance’s] of the past few weeks, has completely upset me.
I was in hopes, the Battle at Gettysburg & what would soon follow, would finish the Rebel army of the Potomac. Talk about the Army being in fine spirits, it is a Lie, They are all discouraged. I am played out. If there is an Honorable way of getting rid of Marching & Fighting I shall do it. If I had thought, this was the way it was going to end, I never would have marched as far as I did. There we were with double his Force, had him Surrounded & had 500 pieces of Artillery. All we waited for was the Order to Advance. But no, that would not do. At 3 AM, the morning that Lee crossed the last of his Force over, we were called up, & stacked our Guns, they were afraid we would be attacked. Then we had been laying 4 Days, the Enemy crossing all the time. They kept up a Strong Skirmish Line, to deceive us. The Fortifications that they had thrown up, amounted to nothing at all.
We left the Line of Battle at 11 AM, yesterday morning on the 14th, and marched nearly to Falling Waters, where we Camped for the night & drew Rations. Yesterday morning at 6, we started again, for the Ferry by the way of Sharpsburg. It was awful warm, I saw men Drop out, that were Sun Struck. We halted last night, about a mile from the Ferry, on the Ma side, & this morning marched opposite the Ferry, though did not cross the Pontoons. The place looks natural. We have now Halted, a little off, the Frederick Road, about a mile from the Ferry. Most likely we shall remain all day, then where no one knows. I heard we were to cross at Point of Rocks, but of course can not tell. I am Just about played out on Marching now, & shall soon stop.
I should not be surprised, if we yet turn up at Centreville. I do not know what Mead intends to do, or what he can do now, I have lost about 15 lbs since We left Centerville, & am about half starved, for a good meal, Hard Tack & Coffee, is hard feed, to march on.
I am in hopes, we shall get our Mail today & the Clothes we want. I want you to write just as often as possible, & I will do the same. Do not think I have no time to read Papers, for (I) do & very glad to get them.
Give my love to all
Manley
July 17th 7 AM
As good luck would have it, we do not march today. It is raining hard & is of course very pleasant, in Cotton Tents. Yesterday we drew, 3 Days Rations & the Clothing. This morning I am going with Green to help make out our Muster Rolls, at a House near here, I shall get my Dinner by it, which is a great deal now Days. I am in hopes we shall soon get our pay again. I shall not promise how much I shall send home, When a man is marching around the country the way we are, he cant live on half Govt Rations.
Hoping ro hear from you soon
Manley
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