Letter from Edward Henry Chase to his sister Kate
From Camp Slifer in Chambersburg, Virginia
May 3, 1861
Dear Kate,
Your letter of remonstrance was forwarded and arrived day before yesterday. The following mail brought me George’s acknowledgment of the news of my enlistment. I was too busy yesterday to write and this morning steal an hour on pretense of “on duty.” I am relieved from guard duty the most onerous of a private’s life, and am allowed sleeping quarters at the hotel so long as the colonel makes his headquarters in town. I have already written home this week as most likely you have heard. I am still well, extravagantly so and in excellent spirits as I always manage to be. In fact, I consider myself so much accommodated beyond the rest of our company privates that it would be inhuman not to be gratulatory. I am better off even than the majority of the commissioned officers, who are obliged in honor to remain and share quarters with their men. We breakfast at 7. from then to 10 attend to the Colonel’s reports orders and other writing. report at 10 in camp for drill. return at 6 for the mail and daily papers and at 9 or 10 at latest am free to go to bed which I must confess comes gratefully. The boys in camp sleep in their clothes on straw. Reveille sounds at daybreak. drill till 7. breakfast. squad drill till 9 ½. Company drill from 10 to 11 ½. Dinner and respite till 1 ½. drill till 3 ½. Squad company drill from 4 to 5 ½. Supper. Squad drill again till dark. 9 roll call and bed. For victuals bread coffee and meat. salt and (fish?). Occasionally the ladies send up a basket of provisions biscuits doughnuts and C (coffee?). This camp is intended as one for instruction and is substantially built. We have received no orders for marching and the general impression is that our three months will be spent here. No ammunition has as yet been furnished which tends to confirm the impression. However the 20 days for the (disbursement? dishusment?) of the (noters?) have not expired. After that an aggressive policy may ensue.
If so, I presume we march. In event of actual hostilities, my civic duties will be more in demand than now and the ranks will be deprived of my valuable services. The ordinary accidents will be, I presume, then the greatest danger I shall encounter. So you need not be un-necessarily alarmed. We are quartered in a delightful town, the season much advanced. A cherry tree comes up to my bedroom window and the blossoms are already gone, the fruit set. Peach & apple trees in blossom and shade trees in nearly full leaf. Today is cool and cloudy but most of the time we have been here the weather has been warm & pleasant. Sunday was rainy early in the day but the Camp was water proof and the men did not suffer. Yesterday commenced the battalion drills. It is a gay sight. A field covered with men performing their military evolutions. Last night, another regiment joined us making our number nearly 2500.
In case of marching it will be increased by (vitlers?) (laundresses) etc. much beyond that. This PM if pleasant our whole regiment parades 770 men in all. I will be a gay scene in the sunshine.
We had reliable news from Harper’s Ferry yesterday by way of Hagerstown. A Deputation of citizens came over to make peace with the General for the secession spirit of their town along back.
They say there are upwards of 1000 men in & about the Ferry but unorganized and unequipped.
Last night, I saw a letter from Williamsport in western Maryland asking for arms to equip a Union Company in their town. This spirit is strengthening daily and our march, if it comes through Maryland to Baltimore will be as well received as when coming from Harrisburg here.
This morning, a company of flying artillery left here for the encampment of York. This looks like active preparations for some destination. My own impression is we shall not be held here longer than to be uniformed. That a strong force will march from Washington to take possession of Norfolk on Monday and that we shall be ordered on to fill their place at the Capital. This I gather from the general tone of the papers. We have both NY & Phila. papers daily. Since I wrote home I have arranged with the P.M. here for the delivery of the papers and letters for our Regiment. So, please change my address to Chambersburg Camp Slifer.
Put on “8th Regiment” plain & I shall get anything without delay. The circumlocution office at Harrisburg is slow and unsafe. Yours and George’s the 21st and 23rd are the only documents I have received from home since leaving W B (Wilkes Barre). I am satisfied more have been sent. Give my love to all the folks not forgetting Mimmie. Write me as often as you can & drop me a paper occasionally.
Your Bro., Edward H Chase
For more information, please refer to these 2 websites:
( and click on infantry)
(and click on 8th regiment)
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