Dated “Culpepper, Va Feb 9^th 1864”. Addressed to “Mother,” from her  “affectionate son Aitkin.”  6 pp., in ink, on lined paper, 7.75 x 10”. Exhibits fold-marks; ink lightly faded, while remaining entirely legible.

This lengthy letter begins with a description of action untaken by the 2^nd Corps in moving beyond Cedar Mountain to the Rapidan river in February 1864, prior to the re-organization of the Army of the Potomac for the 1864 “Overland Campaign.” The letter writer goes on to describe for his mother various camp activities. life in detail.

Partial Text:

“Dear Mother…..I received a letter from you dated Jan. 28, day before yesterday or Sunday. We had been on a reconnaissance and were just returning but were resting when the mail came in…..Saturday before daybreak we received orders to pack up and take everything to be ready to move by daylight…then we expected to bid goodbye forever to these old shanties…We were ready by ay light and soon started---for what place we know not…well we marched about 11 miles 3 miles beyond Cedar Mountain…

We came to near the Rapidan could see a regiment of “Johnnies” up on a hill as plain as could be did not look more than a mile away we stopped there formed in to line and had permission to make very small fire without any smoke and not to go out in the open field…but the boys went some of them and got some rails I among the number…we soon had a good fire and I went to frying my beef quietly---when we heard something near by go “boom” then a whirling buzzing sound as some might think was going through the jar with lightning speed---the sound gradually diminishing…becoming less and less as it left the mouth of an iron bulldog that was about 15 rods in front of us…then we hear a “pop” then all would be still (that is all in the humming buzzing) until we another “bum.”  There were of these bulldogs or one battery close by…we could seethe fire as it blazed out of the gun…for 3 or 4 rods…We sat there quietly eating and joking and laughing making remarks and were unconcerned as though it was an every day occurrence. The most I cared was that they would order infantry to move before I could eat my bee…the battery fired some forty shells…fired until dark the rebels, making no reply from that direction we quit firing. But soon we heard the sound of cannon on our left and soon later that heard heavy discharges of musketry showing that infantry was engaged…could see the flashes of their guns and hear them yell like 10,000 demons, it was our boys making a charge…they were not over a mile distant…they combined yelling and firing until about an hour dark when it gradually cleared altogether then all was quiet.

I had got my tent all nice and snug some plugs to lay on to keep us off from the ground when two companies out of regiment were to go out and guard the Valley over night our company was among the lucky so we had to strike tents sling knapsacks and go…

It is reported that the 2^nd Corps that was the one engaged captured 500…I can’t tell how true it is at present. Next morning we stared for our present encampment, such md as you never saw we had to splash through some times 2 and 3 inches deep then again half way to the top of my boot tops. Every man that had on shoes had a nice time of it I can tell you. And the beauty of the thing was we lay in an open field from 10 o’clock am until sundown when we started for this camp…10 miles in the dark no moon and you may believe there were some tired boys when we got to camp…

Our artillery at this time got stuck in the mud and we had to send to Culpeper for extra horses…The boys call it the 2nd Burnside stick--[reference to the infamous 1863 “Mud March”]—it was really a stick too I come very near loosing my boots a number of times…

You may think strange that so many of the old men that have been out here almost three years should reenlist but the booty which Uncle Sam is paying now is quite a temptation to some. I am now well—we have just come in from drilling I expect to hear the bugle for afternoon drill but want to finish my letter. Drafted men do not have any more duty to do than enlisted men. That is the privates…they get most of the promotions and in most cases they deserve them because they have served the most 3 years that’s a long enough to learn a corporals duty...

Perhaps you     would like to know what is the extent of my cooking utensils…I will tell you…I have a tin plate which I got at Plattsburg and I use it as a frying pan, split a stick and I put on the pan for a handle. Then I have a quart cup which I got tat the same place for cooking coffee but since I got that box with the teapot in I have not used the old cup much, then I have an iron spoon and case knife; then we have a can of salt in which we carry out pepper when we have any, then a bag for carrying out coffee and sugar in all of which is inside our haversack with the exception of our coffee kettle which is strung on or buckled onto the haversack…also inside is supposed to be 3 days rations of bread and meat that is the extent of our cooking….sometimes we have 8 days rations to carry…

Perhaps you would like to know what I had for dinner some well buttered toast. I would brown a piece of bread put some water in my plate set it to boiling, slap in my slice of bread, let it stay until soft out with it, slap on some butter then cause it to disappear “right smart I reckon” in a soldier like manner using a Va. Phrase…

I would like to see you all you may well believe, but that is impossible at present. My likeness was taken just after our march to the front, I was pretty well worn and jaded as the likeness will show.

We have a sutler of whom we can get almost anything by paying enormous prices. We have not drawn our pay yet I don’t expect to until next payday when we will get 4 months pay….Write soon from you affectionate son Aiken.”

Even though the “affectionate” soldier-son  letter writer  cannot be  identified, or tied to a specific 2^nd Corps regiment, this letter is a good one. One can only wonder if “Aitkin” survived the 1864 Overland Campaign in which the 2^nd Corps suffered 68% casualties. In protective sleeve. Transcript included.  [jp]

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