Coit, Charles M. (1838-1878) to his family

Pleasant Valley. Sunday A.M. Recd yours of the 13th - sent by mail - last night. I think you have the advantage of us in the mails for they leave us every day but we only receive twice a week, so letters to us often lie over a day or two at Washington. Monday Octo. 20. P.M. I expect within a day or two to visit washing- ton as the Regt needs the knapsacks dress coats that are stored there & the major, I think, will send me down to oversee the business & very likely it will detain me in the city several days. I shall try to get my pay while I am there & send you some for all you have sent me. I think it will be safe to send the bundle of shirts to me now. but dons send any thing of much value. Direct to Capt CMC Co B 8th Ct Harper's Ferry, Va & To be left in express office until called for - or something of that kind. The Ferry is about four miles from here & I can walk down & get it or get a team perhaps to get it. I do not want the overcoat at present as I have a real, light blue, soldiers coat. We are all wearing the same. Do not think again of my being major of the regt so long as there is a Capt. in the Regt who is my senior I am sure I sha'nt. The 11th Conn is almost entirely disorganized by the appointment of the junior Capt. as major. All but three of the line officers have tendered their resignations & I fear the trouble will prove serious. This is an aggravated case for the senior Capt, in the absence of all the field officers, since the battle has been commanding the regt & has done well & found favor with all & their Capt. Converse who is made major is junior of all & was only made a Capt. since the battle. I do not think even as their case stand that they are justified in resigning while we are engaged in such a war as this but I think col. Kingsbury encouraged & fostered just this spirit which I think may be right in the Regular Army but not among us volunteers. Col. K was a splendid & most valuable man & officer but I do think he was wrong in that particular which he carried to such an extreme as to say to the whole Regt, that if any of them were insulted by another to knock such a one down & he (Col K) would defend him in it. I think it would be a queer rule to carry out here - it would make fights rather more frequent than I would like. Well - I see how it has worked in the 11th & I would not have anything of the kind in the 8th for the world. We have always been noted as a particularly harmonious set of officers & I hope it may always be so. I wish you would send me your photographs. I get out my picture of the young man in the Insurance office once in a while & it always carries me right home. I am getting rather sick of this life as we live it at present. The officers of four Cos. now quarter in my tent & it is disagreeable enough. I wish I could get a furlough until the 1st of march or else that they would send us to Fort Trumbull for the winter to recruit - that would not be very bad. I think there was a wooden pill box of Mecurial ointment in my trunk, please, if you find it, send it & some gum camphor in the bundle. I entirely forgot to thank Miss Greene for the Atlantic & continental monthly she sent me a long time since, I was very sorry. My coat looks worse than others because it has turned to a dirty grey & different shades at that. Hope to change it in a day or two. Am a good mind you should send the dress coat. Dont know what to say but would like it. My "fighting minister" was most dreadfully scared the 17th ult but did his duty very well tho' part of the time I doubt whether he knew his head from his heels. All the incidents he relates he received second hand I am very certain they are not related exactly correctly tho' true in the main. I cant but be rather provoked when I read & hear his accounts - he always makes Lt. Eaton such a courageous & superior officer. I dont like the white flannel shirts as well as the dark. Dont want more than three of a kind. My transportation is quite limited. After getting this far I was interrupted & I will relate how. I was writing up about the top of the page when the Dress Parade call sounded as I did not feel particularly like parading & wanted to finish this letter - I went to my orderly ordered him to take command & then I returned to my letter again & the black lines were fast increasing when the Adjt poked his head into the door, saluted & informed me that the companies were all formed & that I was senior officer on the ground I told him up & down that I would not take command & that he must go to the majors tent & wait for him a few moments & if neither the Major or Capt. Upham were in sight, he must dismiss the Cos. As I thought more of it I thought perhaps it would appear more foolish to refuse than to go out & take command, so I met the Adjt. as he was returning & instructed him to form the Regt. & I would be on hand. I then ran into my tent buckled on my sword & went out without even blacking my shoes. Got through nicely but I was rather provoked that they should leave me so unprepared for if I had known of their absence I would have ordered the drummer not to beat the call & then it would have been all right but it was quite unpleasant the Cos, having all been formed & marched out. All the four officers who rank me were absent this P.M. It's rather funny happening just as I had been writing about the majority. Nothing new but every thing almost looks like remaining for the present. We are expecting 5 additional tents & I expect to get one to occupy in company with one other officer, rather an im- provement upon the present arrangement. I am very well indeed. Remember me to ever body, particularly uncle & Aunt I want to get home for a while dreadfully. Love - Chas Tuesday morning Octo. 21 I go to Washington this noon in charge of a squad of men for Regt baggage. May have to remain several days. The $30. reaches me in the knick of time. Greatly obliged.