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<p>Hd Qs 3d Brigade Hardins Division<br />Fort Baker June 16th 1865<br />Dear Lucy<br />Yours of the 13th inst is just received, here<br />in a new and strange land, and I hasten to acknowledge it, in<br />a few lines of explanation of this our last move, with remarks on<br />its probable effect for our immediate discharge from the service of<br />the U. States. The first we heard of the change of our Regt. from<br />Suf. to Actg. service, was yesterday morning, when an order was received<br />from Brig. Hodges, which was as follows - in effect at least - if not in<br />words. The following named Regts will repost without delay to<br />Maj. Genl W.S. Hancock Comd'g Middle Military Division, for<br />garrison dut, x x x x x<br />2d Conn. Vol. Heavy Artillery<br />Co. H reported promptly, and at daylight this morning, we left our<br />camp on Halls Hill near Balls Cross-roads, bade the dear old 2d Brigade<br />1st Division + 6th Corps and marched down past Fort Corcoran over the<br />Acquaduct bridge through Georgetown and Penn. Av. over Navy Yard<br />bridge up here say a couple of miles from the E. Branch over which<br />the N. Yard bridge is thrown to Fort Baker where are the Hodges of<br />the 3d Brigade Hardins Divn. Col. H. relieved M of Worcester of the 3d<br />Mass. Arty and his regt the 3d. Arrangements were soon made<br />by which Col. H. became Brigdr Comdr. Mr. Vaill AAAG. Huxley<br />AAGW. Curtis A Prol. Office and we were counting on a glorious <br />finale to our military career, when orders came down from Divn<br />Hdqrs, directing the old staff officers to remain until officially relieved,<br />which knocked us considerably, and we are now in a state of con-<br />fusion equalled only by our dont careativeness - for we are going</p>
<p>[page 2] <br />home so soon it does not seem to matter except in a bit of pride<br />grateful or ungratified as the case may be. We therefore wait<br />definite orders, and just at this time rather expect an order to<br />move out, and go to some other post. No one seems to care much<br />for though we are beautifully situated, the most so we men<br />have been, we have become so accustomed to moving that it<br />has no terrors for us, and we go wherever ordered without careing<br />for authority or utility. I do like field life better than garrison <br />duty - always did - even in the good old fighting days gone by,<br />how much more in these halcyon days of peace.<br />I cannot way definitively at all, what effect this move will<br />have for our discharges, but I have very little faith to believe that<br />it will facilitate them at all. You speak of my "artful<br />talk" in my 1st note, but it is by no means certain that we do<br />not remain here or hereabout with the expiration of our term of<br />service, in Sept. Though I hope we shall be back next week - <br />back to Conn, of course I mean. Dont worry about it any way<br />it will be but a few weeks at the longest, when, God willing, all<br />of us will return to our houses, our friends and to civilization.<br />Dont let Aggie go away until we return. For I have engaged<br />her for the lake picnic if I mistake not? (N.B. Couldnt you<br />include her in that limited list of eligibles?) I do not think there<br />will be anything very grand after all, in our return to Conn, for<br />there will be but a handful of us, to return, not more than 300 <br />men at most 40 of which will be Conn officers, but we shall <br />return with great gladness, even if our welcome is not a warm<br />one. For we are all heartily sick of this life, and long for the<br />fresh air and freedom of the hills of our England.</p>
<p>[page 3]<br />8 o'c eve'g same day -<br />Things are a bit settled before we retire to rest<br />this evening. Col. Hubbard is to comd the Brigade retaining the old<br />staff with the exception of Ord. Officer, who is relieved, and I occupy<br />his desk, so you see I am just temporarily on Brig. Staff. I hope and<br />trust for the first, last + only time, for it is not a place for one of<br />my temperament and abilities to aspire to. Dont think I am now<br />feeling anything more than usually smart. For indeed I am not very<br />well pleased with my new place. You see I had just got all my returns<br />for Regt property in a very good way, and hoped to get a certificate<br />of non indebtedness from the Ord Office within a week, but now I am<br />stuck again, in for more of that pleasant prospect usually designated<br />Ord. + Ord. Stores and with no end of returns - fret and worritt - but<br />no matter it cannot be for quite 2 months, and I will try to endure <br />unto the end of this term.<br />I am quite pleased with the pictures, especially the one you selected<br />as the best, there can be no doubt as to its superiority, but some who<br />have seen all like the others better. I think I shall have to get<br />more of that particular picture for general distribution, as it is<br />probably the last military photograph I shall ever have. Without any<br />conceit at all dont you think this picture rather an improvement on<br />that one I had take in Balt. in 1862 and sent to Seth?</p>
<p>[page 4]<br />I see you think I spend too much time in N. York but I declare to<br />you I could not help it there, nor could I now if I was similarly <br />situated. Flora is the pleasentest little girl of my acquaintance,<br />and she so fascinated me that I have no doubt but what if she had<br />asked me to stay in N. York until Sept. I should have done it, and<br />felt happy in doing it too. Queer phenomenon, is it not?<br />Tell John as soon as you see him to hurry up and return as I <br />wish him to come to Hedges, and take care of my pony, which the <br />boys nearly minced while I was home, by hard riding and no care.<br />Cly's death seems very sad, but perhaps not more so than death<br />always does when it comes so near to our own persons. I always<br />loved Cly, but never felt acquainted with him at all. He never<br />seemed like any other one of the family but like a wandering star<br />or comet in our domestic firmament. He is gone from it now<br />however, and we shall never look upon his nhghness again.<br />So you continue to build chateaux d'Espaigne as highly as ever?<br />When you build on a foundation of anything pertaining to soldiers<br />you have a very unsubstantial foundation and your superstructure<br />will almost invariably tipple over. I wish it were otherwise but am<br />sorry to know that no dependence can be placed on soldiers<br />stories. For tonight then I must stop. From what we <br />hear this evening by order and sequal I think we shall not<br />remain here very long, but I think we are pretty sure to stay<br />at least one night in the fortification which is the dream of some.</p>
<p>[page 5]<br />Sat. morn'g June 17th<br />It is morning and we are still at Fort<br />Baker, happy and careless as ever. I hope we will move out of here<br />for I dont like to be steved up in barracks when the great canopy<br />furnishes so much better cover for sleeping under I reckon<br />we will move out in a day or two sincerely hope so, and rejoin<br />our old brigade. Bother the fortifications say I<br />You do not mean to say that you really expect Ralph <br />Sissie, and the little boys out in Conn. this year do <br />you? I wish they might come but I can scarcely expect them<br />I have the same guilty feeling that I did not go out to<br />see Cly when I got my leave which you speak of in your letter.<br />but I do not see now but what I did better than I should <br />have done if I had gone to Waverly. For I should have had<br />to hurry to get around on time, and then he would have been<br />so sick that probably he would scarcely have any but his nurses<br />very much. I hope we will all see him and Louis beyond the<br />grave, when we shall meet under better auspices than here<br />each understanding the other for better than it was possible<br />to have done here. For the present then we bid him Good by<br />Co. "H" is up 5 miles from here at Fort Mohan I think you will <br />hear from Austin there Charles would hardly wish me to stay<br />in the service after all I think, if he knew how little I made by it</p>
<p>[page 6]<br />But his like or dislike can scarcely alter my decision<br />now. For I doubt if the matter of money would influence<br />me by a grain. I have no idea what I can do to make<br />my daily bread outside the army but I expect to get it in earning<br />if I do not save it. I dont think he would really owe me<br />a living, but I presume it will pay me that amount and <br />charge the same to my account.<br />New orders are out, changing the garrisons of the<br />forts this materially altering the position of the Co in line<br />as for example Co. "H" is moved from 5 miles left of here to the right of<br />us some half mile. Great movements these, more fuss<br />and stir than the movements of our whole corps made in the field.<br />We now garrison 11 forts stretching over a front of some 8 or 9 miles.<br />From East branch to opposite Alex. Va. the following are<br />our forts from right to left Mahan, Meigs, Dupont, Davies,<br />Baker, Wagner, Rickets, Stanton, Snyder, Carroll, Greble. "H" Co. <br />is in Wagner, near by us here at Baker Hodges of Brigade and<br />Regt. Baker garrison consists of Co. I or M comd by Capt.<br />E.W. Marsh and so we go again. Oh the orders! orders<br />by the cord or ton.<br />No more to day Good morning<br />Your brother<br />Homer S.<br />I enclose an excellent picture of Gen. Wright, also Gen Custar</p>
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Title
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Homer Curtiss, 2nd C.H.A., June 16, 1865
Date
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1865-06-16
Subject
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United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
United States. Army. Connecticut Artillery Regiment, 2nd (1863-1865)
Soldiers--Conduct of life
Demobilization
Description
An account of the resource
Homer Curtiss writes to his sister Lucy about his redeployment to Washington, D.C., his prospects for being released from service, and life at home.