Camp Californian Va Feb 9th 1862

Sunday P.M.
Dear sister

Our regt left here
a week ago last Friday for Edsell’s Hill
to do Picket duty for 4 days. Your letter
reached me there that night. Our Co.
went on picket Sunday it snowed that P.M.
& rained all night. My post was close
to Heintzleman’s picket & near a house where
it was discovered the day before that com-
munications had been kept up with
the rebels. At night I had to post a man
in the woods behind to watch the house
with orders to shoot the first one seen
approaching. We had no trouble however.
Tuesday our time was out & we got all
ready to start for home when orders
came for us to march the other way.
So we marched thru the woods to

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the Springfield Station on the Orange &
Alexandria R.R. The same day the 81 st
Pa & 64th N.Y. of our brigade marched
from here 3 miles beyond the Station
to protect the workmen in rebuilding
a bridge that had been burned by the
rebels. We staid [sic] Springfield two
nights camped in a splendid oak grove.
Thursday we marched up on the R.R. 6
miles farther to Burke’s Station, the other
two reg’ts going 2 miles farther ahead.
This side of Burke’s Station the R.R. track
had been torn up for some distance.
Men were at work relaying it as we
passed along. before night the
cars ran up to Burke’s for the
first time since the battle of Bull
Run. We camped here two nights
in the woods close to the R.R. Friday the
64 N.Y. had a little skirmish with some
rebel cavalry & killed one. That night
at 10 o’clock we were called out by the

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long roll. We formed a line & started with
in 5 min. of the first alarm. Gen. Howard
said he never saw a regt turn out so quick. We
marched doublequick one mile up the
road expecting to have a brush sure—
formed a line of battle in a field, soon
found that what was taken for the
rebels were some reg’ts of Gen Franklins
div, moving in on our right, so we
marched back to camp & were sound
asleep by 12 o’clock. The rebel pickets
fell back as we advanced. This move-
ment was made to open the R.R.
& extend our line of pickets. They are
within ½ mile of the rebel pickets.
I suppose a simultaneous movement
was made by all the div. Yesterday we
marched back here to camp-11 miles
all the way on the R.R. I like life in
the woods very much. We had fine
weather all the time. 5 or 6 would
club together and build a wigwam

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of poles & cedar boughs & have a roaring
fire in front. At night it was a
splendid sight to see. Perhaps 100 fires
blazing up thru the woods with the
men sitting around cooking their
rations. The other regt remains there.
Col. Cross told us to be in readiness to
march to the front again within a week.
We have got a new Capt & 1st Leiut. now.
Capt. Welch & Leint Davids did not
pass an examination. So they had to leave
2 weeks ago today. We have for Capt. now
Richard E. Cross formerly 1st Leint of Co
H and for 1st Leint Chas.U. Ballou former-
ly of Co G. Capt. Cross is a brother of Col. Cross
is a rigid disciplinarian & one of the best
drill officers in the reg’t; he has been
in the regular army & belonged to the
famous West Point corps of Sap-
pers & Miners. We like him very much
he looks after his men & sees that they
have the best of every thing. His being a
brother of the Col’s will be a great ad-
vantage to us. Capt Welch was no
soldier & just no officer at all. He was
mean & dishonest & was dispised [sic] by
the men & all the officers in the reg’t. Now
we have got a Capt that we are proud of & not
afraid to go into battle with. I drilled under
him last winter in the bayonet exercise. he is a
complete master of the bayonet & an excellent
sword man. Our 2nd Lient Butler has resigned
his commission in this Co. he can have a better
position as signal officer. Our 1st Sergeant
will be 2nd Lient. He is a smart fellow
& did all the drilling when Welch was Capt.
Consequently I shall be 3rd Sergeant instead
of 4th. This will not affect my pay or duties
only put me one step nearer a commission
which I never expect to get. Mother’s box got
here the day before we went out on
picket just in season. It came in good
shape. You better believe I had a good time

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I treated all the boys in my
squad & loaded my knapsack & haver-
sack to carry on picket. The weather
today has been delightful. The ground
is dry the birds are singing merrily. It
seems like June almost in N.H.
I think that a great move
will be made soon. I hope
there will. We thought when we
left Edsell’s Mill we thought that
we were going straight on & were
much disappointed when we started
to march back. The glorious victories at
Roanoke & in Tenn stir up our enthusiasm
& we want the name of at least one battle-
feild[sic] enscribed on our banner. When
we move we shall take no tents
with us & the least possible amount
of baggage. Only 4 wagons will be al-
lowed to a reg’t so if we are driven
back there will be no long trains
of baggage wagons in the way as at

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the battle of Bull Run last summer
& then we can move from place to place
with great celerity. We have been
furnished with large runner blankets
two of which will make a nice tight
little tent for two when it rains that can
be put up or taken down in 5 min. & car-
ried in our knapsack. When the
grand army of the Potomac does
move it will be the final crusher
of the rebellion. I suppose the people
in N.H. just now are thinking more
of the election than of the fate of their
country. If I was at home I could
vote but I think I can serve my country
better here than by voting. My health is
very good so is the health of this regt.
Soldiers life agrees with me.
I don’t know what I shall go into
the regular army after the war is over.
I would if I could get into the
sappers & miners with my present
position. Sergeants in that can get
$34.00 per month. While at Edsell
Hill Capt. Cross showed us how to
make gabious[?] bundles[?] sap rollers
& other things pertaining to sappers &
miners. Write soon we get our mail
every day no matter where we are.
Monday 3 o’clock A.M. our orderly came into our
tent 2 hours ago & told the cook who sleeps in
my tent to get up & cook 3 days rations for
we had got to march out 6 o’clock this morn.
It is said that we are going down to Occoquan
Creek. I don’t know how it is. Every one is
busy packing up. I can’t stop to write
more. Write soon. I shall get your letter
let me be anywhere. I will write again
as soon as possible. Love to all
Good bye
George S. Gove