Homer Curtiss, 2nd C.H.A., March 22, 1865
Title
Homer Curtiss, 2nd C.H.A., March 22, 1865
Subject
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
United States. Army. Connecticut Artillery Regiment, 2nd (1863-1865)
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--Military life
Description
Homer Curtiss writes to his mother of his inability to get a furlough and the entertainments in camp.
Date
1865-03-22
Identifier
6-140
Text
Curtis18650322
Head Quarters 2n Conn. Artillery
March 22n 1865
My Dear Friends
Nothing of great moment has transpired
since the completion of No. 30 yesterday afternoon but as I have a few minutes
of leisure perhaps I cannot improve it to better advantage than in advising
you of my good health and continued well being which if not very
exciting intelligence is pleasant and soothing answering a good purpose
where there is nothing of greater importance to communicate.
Our friend Zelates returned to the Regt. some days
since. I have met him once only. That is only just to pass him in camp
He called with that nice can of butter and chatted with me of home and
some friends and scenes for a short half hour and presented me the lacteal
extract in the name of Frank – that bully brother of mine. I returned
thanks to the giver for the gift and the bearer for his care and kindness
in its transit from the native to the normal state.
Tate gave quite a glowing description of his trip and visit
He spoke so frankly of your girl there Miss Lyman that I hardly had
the face to rally him on his own success and when I did he evaded it
so gracefully that I did not press the matter at all. He seemed
to me so different from his cousins of our place that I sometimes doubt
if he more than a cousin in name for surely he is no cousin in nature.
(page 2)
I am feeling a trifle disappointed this morning only just a small trifle.
Col. Ordered me to send in an application for a leave of absence to visit
Washington, D.C. 3 or 4 days since. I sent it in and was rather
expecting it would be approved in a day or two more when last evening
an order came down from Army Hd.Qrs which looks leaves of absence
and furloughs quite over. I expected to have proceeded to Washington
and arranged the business there and then visited home for a week
or so and I had anticipated much quiet pleasure from the brief
visit but it is now indefinitely postponed. Perhaps it better as it is
I do not care very much but I should like to have stepped in on
you unawares some evening at tea time and as I had rather
come to the conclusion that I might if I did not get collided on
the Camden + Amboy Rail Road. I am as I have mentioned once
before a little disappointed.
There are but few amusements here for whiling
away the long hours but one the theatre. I must briefly describe
the building in which the play is produced is the beautiful church
of the Engineer Corps which I think I have briefly noticed before as
a gothico-rustic structure neatly furnished and fluted with the slim pine
saplings that are so very abundant about yer and capable of roofing
some hundreds of people a thousand perhaps and seating one hundred
of them. To this church I wended my way with my friend Munger
a few evenings since and on its stage saw a variety of live comedy
and minstrel performance which were creditable enough here though
(page 3)
they would hardly pass in New York or Washington. I noticed some
of the little expedients for making the room look theatrical as for
instance the large sheet suspended from the centre of the roof and
draped with evergreens for a chandelier (how should that be spelled?)
with adamantine candles for gas there the use of bright tin plates
for reflectors and foot light screens and numerous other ingenious
contrivances, scenic effects almost, which added much to the beauty
of the hall and reflected much credit upon the designers if but little
light in the audience. The performance consisted of
songs – dances- walk arounds and a very broad farce a travesty
on “Camille” that elicited much laugh if little admiration
At the performance on St. Patrick’s Eve , Sec. Stanton, Gen. Warren
and other notorieties assisted as the metropolitans say with their
presence. They had a gala day down in the 2n Corps a horse and
foot race and a general Irish time and it was on their return
from that celebration that these worthies called on what I
have seen called in the Herald “the operatic troupe of the 6th Corps”
which sounds large for a small thing and is not particularly
voracious in as much as it has no more connection with the 6th Corps
than it has with the Coldstream Guard. But that is of no consequence.
The only unexceptionable thing I might rather say pretty thing I
heard or saw besides the church was a song- patriotic of course
sung by a quartette with guitar and violin accompaniment.
We have also some very pretty music from our own and neighboring bands-
(page 4)
Lt Soule has written Lucy a letter which gone from here by the
same mail that takes this. I hope it will be much more
interesting that this, sure. You must remember (I need not say)
that Mr. Pierre writes like a man with a rope around his neck
figuratively speaking as he is engaged to Miss Sarah Sullivan
of Wellsville so you will only need a hint to be circumspectangular
I have been playing backgammon with Mr. Vaill
and throwing dice to get a the rule of chance which as
near as I can demonstrate it is the average of the odds-
There is really a loss or loss that govern chance. I must think
often throwing dice 100 times to get at it. Did you ever think
of it? The average throw is 7, highest 12, lowest 2, +12 =14÷
2=7 the average. 10 throws will seldom or never go up to 80
or fall below 60 and so on 100-1000 or any other number.
I am going over Little Dorrit again find it better
than before, even – and Charles OMalley is magnifical
By the way I read that word in my daily chapter this
morning. Can you guess by that wherabout I am
The post man waits. I bid you adieu
Au revoir
Yours respectfully
C.S. Curtis
1st Lieut + A.O.O.
2nd Conn Arty
Madame Curtis
Warren, Conn.
Head Quarters 2n Conn. Artillery
March 22n 1865
My Dear Friends
Nothing of great moment has transpired
since the completion of No. 30 yesterday afternoon but as I have a few minutes
of leisure perhaps I cannot improve it to better advantage than in advising
you of my good health and continued well being which if not very
exciting intelligence is pleasant and soothing answering a good purpose
where there is nothing of greater importance to communicate.
Our friend Zelates returned to the Regt. some days
since. I have met him once only. That is only just to pass him in camp
He called with that nice can of butter and chatted with me of home and
some friends and scenes for a short half hour and presented me the lacteal
extract in the name of Frank – that bully brother of mine. I returned
thanks to the giver for the gift and the bearer for his care and kindness
in its transit from the native to the normal state.
Tate gave quite a glowing description of his trip and visit
He spoke so frankly of your girl there Miss Lyman that I hardly had
the face to rally him on his own success and when I did he evaded it
so gracefully that I did not press the matter at all. He seemed
to me so different from his cousins of our place that I sometimes doubt
if he more than a cousin in name for surely he is no cousin in nature.
(page 2)
I am feeling a trifle disappointed this morning only just a small trifle.
Col. Ordered me to send in an application for a leave of absence to visit
Washington, D.C. 3 or 4 days since. I sent it in and was rather
expecting it would be approved in a day or two more when last evening
an order came down from Army Hd.Qrs which looks leaves of absence
and furloughs quite over. I expected to have proceeded to Washington
and arranged the business there and then visited home for a week
or so and I had anticipated much quiet pleasure from the brief
visit but it is now indefinitely postponed. Perhaps it better as it is
I do not care very much but I should like to have stepped in on
you unawares some evening at tea time and as I had rather
come to the conclusion that I might if I did not get collided on
the Camden + Amboy Rail Road. I am as I have mentioned once
before a little disappointed.
There are but few amusements here for whiling
away the long hours but one the theatre. I must briefly describe
the building in which the play is produced is the beautiful church
of the Engineer Corps which I think I have briefly noticed before as
a gothico-rustic structure neatly furnished and fluted with the slim pine
saplings that are so very abundant about yer and capable of roofing
some hundreds of people a thousand perhaps and seating one hundred
of them. To this church I wended my way with my friend Munger
a few evenings since and on its stage saw a variety of live comedy
and minstrel performance which were creditable enough here though
(page 3)
they would hardly pass in New York or Washington. I noticed some
of the little expedients for making the room look theatrical as for
instance the large sheet suspended from the centre of the roof and
draped with evergreens for a chandelier (how should that be spelled?)
with adamantine candles for gas there the use of bright tin plates
for reflectors and foot light screens and numerous other ingenious
contrivances, scenic effects almost, which added much to the beauty
of the hall and reflected much credit upon the designers if but little
light in the audience. The performance consisted of
songs – dances- walk arounds and a very broad farce a travesty
on “Camille” that elicited much laugh if little admiration
At the performance on St. Patrick’s Eve , Sec. Stanton, Gen. Warren
and other notorieties assisted as the metropolitans say with their
presence. They had a gala day down in the 2n Corps a horse and
foot race and a general Irish time and it was on their return
from that celebration that these worthies called on what I
have seen called in the Herald “the operatic troupe of the 6th Corps”
which sounds large for a small thing and is not particularly
voracious in as much as it has no more connection with the 6th Corps
than it has with the Coldstream Guard. But that is of no consequence.
The only unexceptionable thing I might rather say pretty thing I
heard or saw besides the church was a song- patriotic of course
sung by a quartette with guitar and violin accompaniment.
We have also some very pretty music from our own and neighboring bands-
(page 4)
Lt Soule has written Lucy a letter which gone from here by the
same mail that takes this. I hope it will be much more
interesting that this, sure. You must remember (I need not say)
that Mr. Pierre writes like a man with a rope around his neck
figuratively speaking as he is engaged to Miss Sarah Sullivan
of Wellsville so you will only need a hint to be circumspectangular
I have been playing backgammon with Mr. Vaill
and throwing dice to get a the rule of chance which as
near as I can demonstrate it is the average of the odds-
There is really a loss or loss that govern chance. I must think
often throwing dice 100 times to get at it. Did you ever think
of it? The average throw is 7, highest 12, lowest 2, +12 =14÷
2=7 the average. 10 throws will seldom or never go up to 80
or fall below 60 and so on 100-1000 or any other number.
I am going over Little Dorrit again find it better
than before, even – and Charles OMalley is magnifical
By the way I read that word in my daily chapter this
morning. Can you guess by that wherabout I am
The post man waits. I bid you adieu
Au revoir
Yours respectfully
C.S. Curtis
1st Lieut + A.O.O.
2nd Conn Arty
Madame Curtis
Warren, Conn.
Original Format
ALS
Files
Citation
“Homer Curtiss, 2nd C.H.A., March 22, 1865,” Linda Lear Center Digital Collections and Exhibitions, accessed May 1, 2024, https://lc-digital.conncoll.edu/items/show/1733.