5 September 1862

Camp Newton
September 5, 1862

Dear Father,

I have received your letters of the 29th, 31st, and 17th. I got them all about the same time—the latter one came last. I have received Mary’s & will soon answer it. We have been almost two days cleaning up our old camp & tonight is our first night. We have the “A” tent & it seems like home again but our cake is all dough for we have marching orders to move out at a moments notice with three days rations. We do not know where we are going.

We have heard from A. P. Jones by letter since he has been gone. I have lost my knapsack with everything in it—blanket, overcoat, shirts, socks, writing paper &c. but after our boys had got theirs, I “coppered” on to one. It had a good overcoat & blanket & an undershirt. Do not send the box until Parker gets here. Send me a good course towel. Tell Mary to make me another needle cushion but not so fancy one as the other was lost. One more drabble. Send me back my old portfolio & well filled with paper & envelopes & I will write you a good lot of letters. I am very much obliged to you for the stamps. I must stop for tonight as they are now beating tattoo.

September 6th—H. & myself went out a foraging yesterday. We got two haversacks full of corn, potatoes, apples & green tomatoes—anything in the shape of fruit we eat when we can get it. You need not write to Geninng. He does not live in Danby or Ithaca. What is Barber going to Syracuse to do? Has he sold out his house & [  ].

Do not believe the report that Dearborn boys have deserted until you know it to be true. Someone may have started it to do them some harm. If I were situated as E & A, I would sooner give $1000 than go a soldiering & if they can find the 6 or 7 men that you lack, they had better give them $10 or 20 to go & so avoid the draft.

You say blackberries are plenty. They are all gone here. Send me some & some jellies, crab apple, & currants if you can find them in large mouthed bottled or old cans. We are getting soft bread. Tell Mother I got the pie plant & currants—the latter were so good that we ate them as you do raisons. I give Martin some of the pie plant. One of the boys saw him yesterday but I did not. Our box is at P. C. Jones at Ithaca. You can get it. I have some letters in it. If you or E or A want to make as much money in three months as you can there in a year, get a sutler shop in one of these new regiments. As for making money, I had rather have it than a Gem. pay. If I was out of this now & had not got anything to do, I would pitch in.

Send me some green tea, a pocket looking glass as I have lost the other you sent last winter. We are on guard today. We have 16 men for duty. It does not look like moving very soon.

Later. I received your letter of the 8th last night. I intended to have written oftener but I would wait to see what was to be done & then I could not send it. I have found out that if I get a commission from George Morgan to go into a new (or any other) regiment, that I can go & that they cannot hinder me so if you can get me a commission, do so in the 2nd Regiment. I wish you to do it as soon as you can.

Parker or Judge Wells perhaps can help you if it is not too late & nothing like trying although it may be in that it is in most other regiments a kind of clique. I hope that John Barager will not get a commission because we have hundreds & thousands of such officers which ought to be drummed out of the service. As for my being capable, I came into the [service] as a stranger to all but four, & they [were] all privates. And the Captain had a good many of his old chums. In fact, they were most of them old acquaintances of his. And [yet] I have been promoted & stand a good show to get up higher. But it is a slow process & then I have seen 16 months service & been under fire & I think that I ought to do as well as a man that has never been out of the state.

We had a severe storm last night. We are to move at a moment’s notice. Write soon. Respects to all, — Chas. E. Bradley

P. S. Prisoners keep coming in at half past two.