Corporal Titus Moss Letters - Cheshire Historical Society

Corporal Titus Moss Letters, September 1862 – March 1863 Page 8
Letter Number 2 written by Titus Moss on 2 Sept. 1862
Washington
Sunday Morning
Dear J
I have just sent a few lines but I don’t bleave you can read them. I
have not washed my hands but once since I left New Haven and
am in no condition to touch paper. I am keeping guard while
Samuel 5 is gone to wash, and then I am to take my turn. The reason
why I left that letter in such shape was because I was it to go when
the rest went. We left Baltimore Saturday morning but lay by for
the regular trains so much we did not get to W until three O clock
P.M. We were marched out and formed into line and keep 2. until
we were liered. We were then marched into a large building for
dinner which consisted of bread of good quality pork not half
cooked coffee in slop pails if not slop pails they were not fit for the
use they were put to. After dinner we were marched back again
formed in line and keep a good spell, then took to the cars to get
our guns and sacks tent pins, and got started for our cana__. Just at
dark our company formed the guard for the baggage train got on
the ground at eight P.M. where we lay in our blankets on the
ground in as dirty a place as the center of our roads in a dusty time.
I sleep sound until morning. I do not suppose I have had more then
two hours sleep since we left N. Haven until last night.
3. We may leave this ground before night. At any rate the Capt.
said he thought we should. We know where we are going just as
much as a horse does when he is harnessed. A long train of wagons
have just come on the ground. Sept. 18 Dear J. here is the proof of
what I wrote the other day the order came to pack knap- sacks
forthwith such a scra_eling I never saw before, every thing was
ready in quick time, the order to forward march given and off we
went about forty rods when we were halted and ordered to pitch
tents. Stayed until Tuesday when we were keep on our feet the
most of the time until nearly
4. five Oclock. Three companies on the right of our regiment were
ordered to march we head off followed by N.H. regiment we
passed the capitol direct through the city accrost long bridge the
N.H. regiment and a Rhode Island regiment passed us at the
bridge. We reached Arlington hights seven or eight Oclock. We
fetched up into a large tract of wood that had been cut to give
5 Samuel is Samuel Moss, Titus’s youngest brother, who enlisted at the same
time.
The Cheshire Historical Society
Cheshire, Connecticut 06410
http://www.cheshirehistory.org
April 2005