1861 September 15 Camp Federal Hill Baltimore

Dear Father I have so many letters to answer that I had hard work to make up my mind which to answer first but as I have received three letters from you since I wrote you last I thought it no more than right that I should answer your letter first, I suppose you will be glad to hear from me weather the contents are interesting or not, I say this because I cant write you no news you of course read the papers if you do you know as much about what is going on as we do & more for we do not know any thing about the movements of the army one company does not know what another company is to do untill we see them all ready for March we are now hard at work on our Fort & it begins now to look like something I work every other day halfe the Company work one day the other halfe the next day When the Fort is finished and the guns mounted we can hold it if we had three times our number to fight against but I think we shall have no occasion to use A gun I do not think this place will be attacted at all although the City is full of Rebels I went over to the Camp of the seventh of Maine yesterday they are encamped at Patterson Park & A splendid place they have for an encampment they are on the same Brigade with us and our Col Duryee has been appointed Brig General & is in command of the brigade I met several acquaintances & I had A very pleasant visit but I did not stay halfe long enough but as my pass would not allow me any more time I was oblidged to come away among my acquaintances was Thos Beale who used to live on the corner South Street I never saw him look so well in my life in fact all the men look as though they enjoyed good health we had A Parade through the City Thursday & there were crowds of People to see us but not Archer we halted in Monument square Company F directly in front of the residence of Dr. Thomas one of the leading Rebels of Baltimore he is A fine looking man he was standing on the balcony with several other men watching our drill (which we went through after resting A short time) the day was verry warm & it made me sweat some but I dont mind that much now we had A splendid parade, two bands own & A band of the regulars it was the first time I ever heard a band of the Regular Army & I must say that I never heard such splendid music from A military band before the band is stationed at Fort McHenry & I suppose that it was owing to Gen Dix that we had them as he thinks A great deal of this Regiment we see him quite often & we are always glad to see him, we have A great name in Baltimore in fact the People are more affraid of us than any other Regiment I do not know wether it is on account of our dress or what but at any rate we attract more attention than any other Regiment in Baltimore my health is verry good & I shall try & keep it in good trim

Letter of George Leavitt of the 5th New York, copied into copy book by his father after his death in battle in 1862.

General Abram Duryee, 1815-1890, was Colonel of the 5th New York, a Zouave regiment, which probably accounts for Joseph's remark that the citizens of Baltimore "are more affraid of us" perhaps on "account of our dress."

John Adams Dix, 1798-1879, a former U. S. Senator from New York and Secretary of Treasury under President Buchanan, was commissioned a Major General at the beginning of the war but was considered too old for active service and held garrison commands through the war. He was most known for suppression of the New York City draft riots in 1863. After the war he served as minister to France and was elected Governor of New York.
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