Camp Hicks
                                                                                                                                                     December 7, 1861

    Dear Father:

       I received your letter to-night and as I shall go on guard to-morrow I will answer it now.  I don't feel right to-
    night as I did when I wrote the other letter. I was a little blue then. It was a miserable kind of day, and I did not
    feel just right. Lieutenant Emery had been about half sick just well enough to do all of his duty that I was
    ambitious to do, and leaving the rest for me to do. I have nothing to complain of in particular.

      The Colonel has complimented me for the apparent interest I take in military matters. What I was thinking
    of then was that I must wait for promotion till Lieutenant Emery is promoted, And if he don't study, I don't think
    that will happen very soon. In fact, I think his highest ambition is to keep the place he has now. So, no matter
    how much I know I shall probably have to stay where I am on that account. But facts are stubborn things. To
    be sure, I have a good place now, but then if I see that I am more competent is disposition, education and
    capacity that a man immediately above me, it must sometimes make me feel uneasy.

      I might easily have occupied a lower place, but others with less capacity and exertion have higher ones. I
    don't wish to speak ill of Lieutenant Emery for I like him much as a man, but I know I am his superior as an
    officer, and if I am now, how much more shall I be at the end of three years, if we both live? But we must
    learn to be contented wherever we are placed.  

      We officers have a bayonet exercise every morning at the Colonel's headquarters. Colonel Sprague is the
    instructor. My knowledge of McClellan was very useful to me. Colonel Sprague picked me out to fence with
    him for an example. I am taking lessons in boxing and fencing mornings before drill. Am increasing in
    strength every day. I commanded at battalion drill last Monday, and made less mistakes than are generally
    made, in fact none of any account.

      You wished to know what General Foster found that was previously overlooked. Well, handkerchiefs inside
    the breasts of the coats; belts too tight; or too loose; buttons off; haversacks and canteens hung too far
    forward and so on. I believe I wrote you that we have the post of honor, the right of the first brigade. I have
    just given a dollar toward sending some fugitives north. They are now in Captain Wageley's tent. His first
    lieutenant is my fencing master.

     By the way, our pay does not come along. Hope it will soon or I shall be short. By the way, the evolutions of
    the line you sent me was not the one I wanted. I wish Scott's. I wish you would send it tome. We are to have
    Brigade drills soon. When we shall leave here, the Lord only knows, probably not within a month. If you have
    nothing else to send, you might put the Evolutions of the Line in a box from Milford to the Company. Several
    have come. I believe that they are put up at Perrigo's.

                                                                                                                      Love to all.

                                                                                                                                                  Yours truly,

                                                                                                                                                  W.F. Draper

                                                   Next letter                                      Draper Letter Menu         

                                                                   Draper Menu                          HOME   

.