William Reynolds, 12th C.V.I., July 21, 1862
Title
William Reynolds, 12th C.V.I., July 21, 1862
Subject
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865
United States. Army. Connecticut Infantry Regiment, 12th (1861-1865)
United States--History--Civil War, 1861-1865--African Americans
Racism
Description
William Reynolds writes from New Orleans to his friend James McCracken in Ledyard, Conn. He describes the camp, news and rumors, and preparing for battle and complains about local African Americans and his abolitionist general.
Date
1862-07-21
Text
Camp Parapet
Carrollton Louisiana
Monday P.M.
July 21st, 1862c
Dear Friend:
Your letter of the 4th
was received a few days ago by your
friend, and its contents afforded me
such pleasure. I have received from
you and father forty postage stamps,
which was a very precious gift to
me and I don’t know what I should
have done without them; for I have got
no silver or gold money which is neces
sary in order to get them out here.
I was very sorry to learn that
Calvin was seriously ill; as it is a very
bad time for farmers to be sick at this
very busy season of the year; but I hope
before this letter reaches you, he will re-
gain his health, and be able to be about
[Page 2]
his daily business, which I suppose is
mowing. If he was out here he would
get rid of that job as there is none of
it to be done in this part.
I am very happy to report myself well or
nearly so at this time which I suppose
will be very consoling to my mother who
is always borrowing trouble
about that which will be of no good
to her. Am occupying the same old
place as you will see by the heading of
the letter but are under marching or-
ders, and was in hopes when the order
was first issued that we should
leave in a short time, but now
it looks as though we should be
here for some time to come.
The New Orleans papers of Sunday
stated that the rebel Ram Arkansaw
had come out of the Yazoo river on
the morning of the 15th and whittled
our fleet at Vicksburg all to pieces
and then run in under cover of
[Page 3]
the rebel guns. The news seemed to
have foundation and was generally cred
ited here at camp. Consequently our
Pickets received instruction to fire
an alarm if they saw a light coming
down the River. A light appeared
and the alarm given, and we were
turned out in line of battle, just
for nothing at all, as we have been
for a great many times since we
have been in camp. We have been
fooled so much in that line that it
has become an old story and I think
by and by we shall not be so particular
about turning out to a man, as we have
been. The papers of to-day say there
is no truth in the report.
I am sorry to say James that we
have an old grey headed louse of
an abolitionist for a Gen. Brig Gen Phelps
and consequently our camp is full of
“n*****s”. Besides those in camp, he
has allowed them to take the land of
[Page 4]
loyal citizens just inside of our Picket &
there are now from six to eight hundred
I should think there supported by the
government. O it is a cursed thing
and I think the Gen will have to resign.
All our officers are down on him & Gen
Butler is death on his love for n*****s.
Our Major has written to the Secretary
of War and I think when he makes his re-
turns the n*****s will have to leave and I
hope Phelps with them. I don’t know what
the old Devil is going to do, for I see he
is organizing a Reg. of n*****s and they
travel about in companies every day
I understand they are going to be drilled
with arms and I don’t know but they will
be put into the Regiments that are not
full. The soldiers are all death on them
and on the General; so I think there
will be some fun here in a few days
I wouldn’t blame the Louisianans
for rising upon this Brigade or any other
which takes their n*****s after this style.
The last account from Richmond were fa-
vorable to McClellan I should think and
I am very anxious to hear of its fall.
Write soon to your friend Wm. H Reynolds
Ja. McCracken P.M. Com. K 12th Reg. C.I.
New Orleans La.
I shall write to your wife and will endeavor to close in good shape
Carrollton Louisiana
Monday P.M.
July 21st, 1862c
Dear Friend:
Your letter of the 4th
was received a few days ago by your
friend, and its contents afforded me
such pleasure. I have received from
you and father forty postage stamps,
which was a very precious gift to
me and I don’t know what I should
have done without them; for I have got
no silver or gold money which is neces
sary in order to get them out here.
I was very sorry to learn that
Calvin was seriously ill; as it is a very
bad time for farmers to be sick at this
very busy season of the year; but I hope
before this letter reaches you, he will re-
gain his health, and be able to be about
[Page 2]
his daily business, which I suppose is
mowing. If he was out here he would
get rid of that job as there is none of
it to be done in this part.
I am very happy to report myself well or
nearly so at this time which I suppose
will be very consoling to my mother who
is always borrowing trouble
about that which will be of no good
to her. Am occupying the same old
place as you will see by the heading of
the letter but are under marching or-
ders, and was in hopes when the order
was first issued that we should
leave in a short time, but now
it looks as though we should be
here for some time to come.
The New Orleans papers of Sunday
stated that the rebel Ram Arkansaw
had come out of the Yazoo river on
the morning of the 15th and whittled
our fleet at Vicksburg all to pieces
and then run in under cover of
[Page 3]
the rebel guns. The news seemed to
have foundation and was generally cred
ited here at camp. Consequently our
Pickets received instruction to fire
an alarm if they saw a light coming
down the River. A light appeared
and the alarm given, and we were
turned out in line of battle, just
for nothing at all, as we have been
for a great many times since we
have been in camp. We have been
fooled so much in that line that it
has become an old story and I think
by and by we shall not be so particular
about turning out to a man, as we have
been. The papers of to-day say there
is no truth in the report.
I am sorry to say James that we
have an old grey headed louse of
an abolitionist for a Gen. Brig Gen Phelps
and consequently our camp is full of
“n*****s”. Besides those in camp, he
has allowed them to take the land of
[Page 4]
loyal citizens just inside of our Picket &
there are now from six to eight hundred
I should think there supported by the
government. O it is a cursed thing
and I think the Gen will have to resign.
All our officers are down on him & Gen
Butler is death on his love for n*****s.
Our Major has written to the Secretary
of War and I think when he makes his re-
turns the n*****s will have to leave and I
hope Phelps with them. I don’t know what
the old Devil is going to do, for I see he
is organizing a Reg. of n*****s and they
travel about in companies every day
I understand they are going to be drilled
with arms and I don’t know but they will
be put into the Regiments that are not
full. The soldiers are all death on them
and on the General; so I think there
will be some fun here in a few days
I wouldn’t blame the Louisianans
for rising upon this Brigade or any other
which takes their n*****s after this style.
The last account from Richmond were fa-
vorable to McClellan I should think and
I am very anxious to hear of its fall.
Write soon to your friend Wm. H Reynolds
Ja. McCracken P.M. Com. K 12th Reg. C.I.
New Orleans La.
I shall write to your wife and will endeavor to close in good shape
Files
Collection
Citation
“William Reynolds, 12th C.V.I., July 21, 1862,” Linda Lear Center Digital Collections and Exhibitions, accessed November 21, 2024, https://lc-digital.conncoll.edu/items/show/4.