Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-09-16
Letter from the seth Regiment.


WEDNESDAY. Sept 10th, 1862.
DEAR AS you perceive by this
heading, we are in camp at Leesboro', Md,
twelve miles from Washington, on the road
leading to some place or other but what |
cannot guess unless it be Harper's Ferry.
Let me give you sketch of our movements
since we left. We reached Battery wharf
In Boston, about p. M, and after stand
ing about three and a half hours, we on the
left, were at last safely and closely slowed
on board the propeller Merrimac. We sailed
the next morning, and after splendid trip
of eighty hours, arrived at Alexandria, Va,
the dirtest and meanest specimen of town
| ever saw. We had on board with us the
10th Maine regiment, Ga fine looking body
OF men, and as they were on board
first, they took the lower deck, and we the
upper. We had but one drawback to our
comfort and pleasure, and that was, two
many men on board. After lying at Alex
andria twenty-five hours, we were trans
terred to small steamers and brought to
Washington, arriving Sunday noon. We en-
camped near the arsenal, one mile south Of
the capitol building, where we remained until
yesterday morning, when we broke up at
5 l-2 o'clock A. NJ, and moved to this place,
arriving at about 5 1-2 p. Nj. 1t was hot
day, although cloudy part of the time, and
we suffered great deal from heat and dust
and the weight Of our knapsacks. We march
ed about fifteen miles in all, and when we got
here were all nearly, and many quite, ex-
hausted. One man was sun struck. The
ground is very dry, and the roads are like
beds Of ashes. Very often we were almost
suffocated by the clouds of dust. The road
is filled with infantry, cavalry, artillery, and
immense transportation trains, moving to and
hot, 1o md nj,
seems to be no lull and no distinction be-
tween day and night, except that made by
light and darkness. One cannot realize till
they see it the amount of business which the
war department is doing. 1 never saw so
many steamers in all my life together as l
saw on the Potomac, and all as busy as beesN
BY the way, we are going to reduce our
baggage as | told you | should. We can't
stand it to carry it, and yet we don't know
what to let go first. Every thing we have
seems to be necessary. Many soldiers have
thrown away new blankets, drawers, shirts,
stockings, &C., &c. We are talking of tax
ing what each man can best spare, boxing
them up and sending them home till we
must have them. Many of the old soldiers
carry no knapsack, nothing but a blanket
and shirt. | presume there is battle going
on not far from here. We have heard much
cannonading this forenoon, and there has
been a great rush of cavalry up the road.
We hear continually rumors of battles, vic
tories and defeats, but can believe nothing
till we get northern papers. We are en-
camped on hill which was last a cornfeld,
but has been all cut up by cavalry and
artillery. You can imagine perhaps, how
nice and clean we can keep. Besides, water
is scarce with us, and all around here except
near the large streams. We hear that we are
to Join Burnside, but do not know how true it
is. A man from the 2lst Massachusetts has
just been here, and he says he is confident
that Burnside has $4,000 men. He is located
some ten or fifteen miles above here. We
get much praise for our good appearance
here. The old soldiers say, as we pass them,
"That's bully regiment" One officer yes
terday, whom we passed on the road, said to
me, II have seen a hundred thousand men
pass here, but have seen no regiment as
good as this" | was greatly surprised at the
dilapidated appearance Of everything in Wash
ington. / did not expect to see much magni-
ficence aside from the public works, but was
astonished to see everything look so squalid
and woe-begone. Washington, as a city, is a
disgrace to the nation. d.