Homer Curtiss, 2nd C.H.A., June 19, 1864

Homer Curtiss, 2nd C.H.A., June 19, 1864

United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865

United States. Army. Connecticut Artillery Regiment, 2nd (1863-1865)

Soldiers--United States--Death

Cold Harbor, Battle of, Va., 1864

Homer Curtis writes to his mother and sister of returning to his regiment after the Battle of Cold Harbor, hardships, being under fire, and the awareness of death that the soldiers carry.

1864-06-19

6-99

Trenches near Petersburg, Va.
Sunday June 19th, 1864

Dear Ma + Lucy-
Our Div. made a grand advance on
Richmond with its heels toward it this morning.  We marched
from our camp up near Bermuda Hundred, which was within 12 miles
of the Rebel Capitol down here to within a couple of miles of
Petersburg on the East side which is 20 miles from Richmond.
Shelling and sharp shooting is prevalent all about us now
and we shall probably have an engagement before long.
Be that as it may we are lying quite still now and as
your letter of the 13th + 14th just came in I take this
opportunity of answering it very briefly having very
limited facilities for writing just now.
I left Alex. on Wed. last and by almost a Providential
dispensation reached the Regt. the next day at Charles City
on the James river in its transit from Coal Harbor to this
near base or rather field of operations the base is still 
at Bermuda. I forced the boys looking well and hearty though
dirty and rusty as regulars all of which I told you of
in a dirty patchy letter that I mailed yesterday.
Of course there is no more to tell. We are pegging away at
the defences with just reasonable success.

[page 2]
I saw John last night after I had retired. He came
in from the trains for the 2nd time since he left Alex. 
He was very very glad to see me almost cried as he shook 
my hand. He heard so much screaming with his trains
that he quite abandoned his practice some time since 
and he seemed softer kinder and better than ever to me
and you know he has always been the kindest.
I got up and chatted with him an hour and a half by
the misty moonlight there in our rural camp in the grove
of pines. Then he walked away into the dim and
I know by his “good night” that I had no truer of some
more refined friends.  I had a good visit though semi
sad, with Alf Hatch yesterday- sad when we spoke of Little(?)
pleasant when we talked of home and house friends.
I seem to get initiated pretty fast and already feel
quite a soldier probably on account of the dirt I have
accumulated on my person and clothes. I have not
yet been under fire but the balls have buzzed about
my head pretty close but not so near as they did about
Sackett whos throat was grazed by one of those blunt
pills so much used for the sanitary condition of the army.
Poor Sackett is in Hosp’l now and I have not seen 
him yet but I hope he will be out soon.

[page 3]
Naturally I hear no preaching now but our chaplain is
fully there in the field. He takes all sorts of pains 
to add to our mail facilities and is always on hand.
I hope to come up and see Mr. Bassett and hear
him preach, but I hope not in quite the plight Lucy
dreamed of seeing me in. My blouse is short enough
but no jacket thank you at least no trimmed one
on the contrary I run to quite long shirts in the meetin’
costume. I hope and trust I may be spared to 
come home to you but am with the rest exposed to
death daily perhaps not much more here than at home
but still some exposed and I mean to try and be
ready for life or death. I believe that here where a 
man carries his life in his hand as it were he thinks
more of its being taken from him and really tries to
make the sacrafice beyond the clay part of him as small 
as possible. There are some good boys here and they 
show it out more here than up in garrison life.
God seems nearer and of more value as it were more 
necessary here. I thought at first it was cowardice
or fear like one feels sometimes in a terrible storm, but
I hope it is more than that. Marching along in the 
dust we say nothing to each other each is busy with

[page 4]
Please send a few stamps
his own thoughts and his neighbor seems like
a sphynx – animate but mute. I have spoken
to some one that I was marching beside just to
see if he and I could talk. Well when going
on this in silence the wind seems naturally to
turn to the friend who is ever near and does not
require the use of the tongue and lip in conversation
and I have had many pleasant hours of this kind
of converse very pleasant in this strange out of the
way land. You don’t suspect how like showers
on dry and thirsty land your letters are. I always
thank you for every word. Make them as long +
frequent as possible for here we have nothing
else to remind us of the outside world as papers
are scarce and nothing but the daily dirty duty to do.
I will write as frequently as I can but you
will have to excuse dirt and pencil and style
considering the circumstances under which they
are produced – lying living continually in the dust
and mud you will consider all this and believe
me if less stylish, filthy as real and true as ever.
Be good bodies keep up your pluck and remember
me for good or bad as son + bro- Homer