Distant Drums
Lewis Coe Bevier wrote the following letters to his parents in 1862.
Spelling and punctuation are as they appear in the original text.
Washington Aug 31, 1862
Sunday morning
Dear Parents,
I now take the pleasure to rite you a few lines to let you
know that I am well and hope that these few lines find you the same. I rote you
a letter last Thursday the 28 of august 1862. Now I am sitting in my tent a
riting this letter and rains like fun and Charls DuBois sits a looking on. We
just got done a eating our breakfast we had bread and bitter coffee it goes
badly. When we got in new york the other day their was a cupple of ladies their
a giving out testaments. I got one and lewis dillon sits over in one corner a
reading his testament with his pipe in his mouth. The news came last night that
stone wall Jackson and all his army was taken prisoners yesterday. Our boys took
Manassess Junction. I think if that is so about stone wall Jackson this war wont
last long. Me and Charles DuBois and Lewis Dillon and Marcellous Wiggant and
Clarke Palmiteer tents together. They dident give me no shirt yet. I went to the
captains tent yesterday and told him I wanted a shirt so Jimey Hyde gave me one
os hisn. Yesterday we had green corn and pork and beans for dinner we had bread
of corse.
You must rite weather you received that last letter or not you
must rite as soon as you receive this letter. I sent 10 dollars home with Lon
Goatches you must let me know wether you got it or not.
Direct your letters to Lewis C. Bevier
Washington, D.C.
120 Regiment Co. G.
N.Y.S.V.
Give my best respect to all the folks. Edgar and Ange and all
the rest.
Camped in the Woods Sept. 5, 1862
Dear Parents,
I received yours of the first and was glad to hear that you
was all well and I and all the boys are well. Some of the boys are gone out to
cut wood. I was out yesterday. Last Wednesday the 44th went past our tents and I
seen Ira DuBois and I asked where Isaac was and he said he was in the hospital.
He was slightly wounded in the thigh you needent believe he is hurt bad because
I asked him in particular and he said he wasn’t hurt bad at all. Ira said he
was in Alexandria hospital but I shouldn’t wonder but that he was in
Washington. Silas VanWagner he is in the hospital to he is wounded but I don’t
know where. Charles Bleekes is in the hospital to he is sick I believe. Ben he
is all right I believe. About drilling we haven’t drilled atall since we been
here all we do is stand around and cut down trees and throw up entrenchmentss
right on the hill by us. Yesterday we planted 2 old bull dogs pointing right
toward the road. I guess there is 50,000 troops alaying around us. They expect
stone wall Jackson around here pretty soon. They had stone wall Jackson
surrounded once and you know that McDowell is his brother in law and he went and
let him out so they went and looked McDowell up. He had just been shot.
That is all right about the money. I will send home all I can
and if you want to use it why let it go you must. Let me know wether you got
that money of Jacob. It was one dollar for working at the Parsangs. We have
pretty good food here some days we have coffee and bread and meat and some days
we have coffee and bread and beans.
I cant think of any thing else at present you must excuse my
writing. You must rite as soon as you receive this letter
From your affectionate son
Lewis C. Bevier In Virginia
3 miles south of Alexandria September 13, 1862
Dear Parents,
I received yours of the 10th and was glad to hear that you was
all well. Last sunday and sunday night we marched about 15 miles and monday
night we had to lay out in the woods with nothing on but or blouses i mean our
thin coats we so tired as quick as we layed down we went right to sleep and then
Tuesday we marched about 3 miles further south where we are now. Our company
just got in from picket we went out last night and had to go about 2 miles from
our camp and it did rain pretty hard for alittle while. I rote about Isaac
getting wounded in my last letter it is no use trying to get to Washington to
see Issac. We are about nine miles from washington. One mile here is about 2
miles of ours up north. I had to stop and eat my breakfast and just got done.
Charles Johnston just came in with a piece of cheese and he gave us a piece it
goes bullly with bread. I eat apiece of cheese every day if I can get it because
it stops a fellow from having the diarea. Company in our regiment took a
prisoner the other night he wore white pants brown coat and a hat big enough for
an umbrella he was running like fun and they hollowed halt and he stopped and
then they hollowed advance and he did so and marched him right up to the
colonels tent and kept him their all night and then they took him away I don’t
know where. The guys is all right. I don’t now of any thing else at present
you must rite as soon an you receive this letter.
Give my best to all the folks around their tell Jimey he must
rite James Terwilliger I mean . we just received our blankets and needle book
from their. You must tell them I am much oblige to them who ever sent them.
Jimey hasent gave out the blankets yet but I got a needle book
Direct your letters to
Lewis C. Bevier
Washington DC
120 Regiment Co. G
N.Y.S.V.
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