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Mr Reed
May 13 / 62
Sister Mati I thought I would write a few lines to you to let you know where I am. We have left Camp Reliance. We left there Sattrday night a bout 10 clock in the evning took the cars & a bout 9 o clock we reached Catlin Station. We are a bout half a mild from the station & 10 or 15 miles west of Manasas Junction. We are in a Rebel contry. 6 weeks ago the Rebels was here But there is none here unless spies or scouts. Ther was one man brought in to night by our pickits they ar suspisious of. They have got him
in Irons now. & will keep him in Irons a while. We are 5 or 6 miles from Bull Run. I dont now how long we shall stay here. We are wating [illegible] I think in a month or two we shall move for home if our Armey suckseeds as well as it has for the last three weeks. I dont know as our pay will ever come. I am allmost tired of wating. Direct your to Washington. I shall get them if I am ... when in this region.
Write will you Add
Please hand this to
Mary Fay
Camp Reliance 1862
Catlin Station May 22nd
Molley
Your letter of the 14 reached here the 20th. It found me all right except on police duty & I had to carry it in my pocket an hour or two before I could get time to reed it. I have just come of[f] from guard this morning. I had a good time. I guarded one of the springs. Ther was no one come near in the night except an old horse but he had the counter sign & I let him pas. We have to stand guard once in a bout two days. Some times not in a week or two. I have escaped for two weeks but not nary after. A good many of the Boys are excused from duty on the acount of the Phisicks. But I havent been sick at all since I came here.
Friday 23d
While I was trying to write yesterday [Thomas] Steadman came and wanted me to go with the Boys & Shoot some horses that belonged to the Cavelry. We shot 20 of them. They had the Glanders & was lame &c. The Boys that went with me was J[ohn B.] Larkin E[noch] Tubs R[euben] harington J[ohn B.] Way Bagus [?] & Myself. We had a quite a Skirmish. The quarter Master can have salt hos for us for a long time. We live first rate now. We have Fresh Beef & pork Salt Beef & ham Coffy & Crackers Rice & Beens. There is great prospects of pay. The pay Master is here. I think we shall have it to day or to morrow. If we do get any I shall have BP [Byron P. Russell] send it home for me what I dont keep for my own use.
Sant [Sanford Field] & Uncle James [Fay] are at the other Camp Reliance. This is Reliance to en sted of Stanton. Thy are Both in the hospital if not discharged. I havent heared from them since last Sunday But I heared they was discharging some of the Sick. Byron [Russell] has been there most all the time. I havent seen him to speek to him but once since we came here. I suppose we go out on picket guard in a few days. We shall stay out 4 days. Company I is out now. I dont know how long we shall stay here. Gen. [James] Shields past here the other day going towards Fridricksburg. Gen Duree [Abram Duryee] tryed to get him to take his brigade with him. But he did not want us. I dont know what they will do with us. Some think we shall be discharged. But I dont think so.
I think in the corse of 2 or 3 months we shall be at home. We have gust been and sined the pay roll. We shall have our pay to morrow up to the first of May. Mine amounts to 51.56. I shall see BP [Russell] & have him send it for me. The weather is warm and pleasant. We have a shour of rain once in a while which is vary Refreshing. I hope when you get my Money you will write oftener. I shal any way. I havent had a letter from Whig street except one from Lucretia [Field, Adrian’s cousin] & I have written to all of them. We cant get our male as often as we could at the other camp. The male came this afternoon But not a scrip for me. I dont car[e] if Shas & Joe dont want to write. They needent & if you see them you may tell them they need not feel so bad because I am so much better of[f] than they are.
Adrian
[Undated, but written 23 May 1862]
Dear Mammy
It has got to be night & I am in my tent writing to you, to let you know how I am geting a long. I certinly never was so healthy in my life as I am now & I hope to remain so. A good many of the Boys are complaining. Most all of them have had the Phisicks as they call them.
We was called to sine the pay roll this afternoon so I think we shall get our money to morrow. I shall send mine home as soon as I can on B. P. [Russell]. I expect he will be here Sunday. He is a[t] the other Camp now. We have excelent old drills. Was called out at 8 o clock in the
in the morning and drill an hour & then brake ranks & fall in agan at 10 ½ & drill untill noon then fall in a gan at 3 & dril untill 5 then is brigade drill. 4 Regiments of intfantry & 2 of cavalry & 2 Batries of a flying artillery.
such paper
That is fun. You would like to see us if you want to see a sham fight. We drilled this fore noon on Skirmish drill. That is lively times for us. Ralley by fors) Ralley (Ralley by Section, Ralley by platoon Ralley by Company, Ralley on the Reservs (P... we would like to Ralley on.
Corpral John [Reed] is well But Skirmish drill is to quick for him. Wall it is nearly roll call and I will hault. Write often as you can. Tell Pa to write to a feller & tell me how you all get along.
Good night
from Add
Tuesday May 27th / 62
Dear Father
While I have time & opertunity I will try & tell you where I am & what I have been a bout. We left Catlin Station. The Regt left there Saturday about 1 o clock & 15 of our company was detailed to load the Bagidg onto the cars. I was one of them. We did not leave Catlon Station untill sonday morning. We went to bristle [Bristoe] station a bout 4 miles from Manasas. Then we found the pay Master & got our pay & we staid there that night & our Co was called out on picket guard. The next morning we was called in & had orders to March to Manasas. We fooled a round untill night & then the news came that we was surounded by Rbell cavalry & the sooner we Scadadled the better. So we formed in line for to march to Manasas when we saw a large forse of cavelry coming over the hill about a quarter of a mile a way. Then we was orderd to front & fix Bayonet. Then we stood firm as rocks with our hear standing straight up expecting evry minit they would charge upon us. But as fortune would have it they filed to the left & was soon out of sight. It was our cavelry Biloning to Gen Shields divasion (so we was all hunks). We marched to Manasas. Got there a bout 10 o clock & lay down on the ground & slept untill Morning. Then we Marched to Sentervill about 8 miles to wards Washington. Our quarters now are in Secesh Baracks where they was last winter. We have just got here & I am tired as a dog.
I dont know what to do. BP [Russell] wants to borrow my money & give his note for a short time. But I had rather send it home if you will take car of it for me. He wants me to pay him 10 dollars. He says he is shure of 15 or 20 dollars for you. I guess I had better pay him 10 dollars & send the rest home. What do you think a bout it. I dont want to lend him 30 dollars & wate no one knows how long for it agan. I wish you would write directly & let me know what you think about it. I am well as I can be. Hant been sick a minet. Tougher than Peet McIntire.
Adrian
8 miles from Manasas is where we are now
Adrian Fay Civil War Letters – Transcribed by Phil Palen
Pages in PINK are transcriptions of Xerox copies of letters sent to Phil Palen by the late Hollis Harvey Reed of Philadelphia, great-granddaughter of Adrian Fay through his daughter, Hollis Fay Fellows.
Pages in GREEN are transcriptions of originals owned by Phil Palen donated to St. Bonaventure University.
Pages in BLACK are transcriptions of originals owned by Patrick Gallagher donated to St. Bonaventure University.
Phil Palen added periods and initial capitals in these transcriptions, but did not change spellings.