1862 March 25 Camp Franklin, Va.

[Letter written on a form for the morning report of the captain. the sheet was not filled out but bears the signatures of 1st Sgt. John P. Bragdon and Capt. H. T. Bucknam]

Camp Franklin Va. March 25th
Dear parents
I thought I would write a few lines to day as
we are daily expecting to leave this place so I can mail a
letter to you at any time if we are called upon suddenly to
leave. I have seen an account in a paper that the soldiers of
the advancing army of the Potomac could not send any letters
to any place while on the march so you may not be disappointed
if you do not get a letter from me every week I intend to write
home once a week or two weeks sirtainly when the mail goes I think
if the mail stops it will be on account of the difficulty of
carrying the mail to and from an advancing army as they would
be shifting about and the P.M. would not know where to find
them all the letters you write will be forwarded to us directly
I want you to get an extra paper with the state laws passed by
the legislature this winter read it and send it to me as soon as you
can make it conveniant I think there is a law passed by which
you can draw something from the State if you have a mind
to do so James Strout will have an extra in his Advertiser Can you
get that and send it to me. Every thing remains quiet as usual with
us here no news of importance except what you get as soon as we do
I suppose you will think strange because I write on this kind of
paper but I have got a plenty besides this the seargent Maj: was going
to throw this book away and so I took some of the leaves his name
is S. G. Baily, he belonged to our company. Some of the boys in
Raymond knows him he is a very smart schollar he has been
through the Tufts College he is liked by all the Regt. We had a
grand review this afternoon of about 40,000 troops composed of
three brigades and commanded by Gen. McDowell the man
that led us to bulls run last July we all marched in
review by division each division composed of two companyies
I tell you it was a long line and a grand display of troops well
armed and equipped and well supplied with artilery and cavelry
and I think they will be almost if not quite invincible in
battle. We have had fine weather here for some time
past the mud has almost entirely disappeared and every
thing looks like returning summer the spring is about two
months earlier than it is in Me. so it is almost June with
us here in regard to the weather it is the same here now
as it would be in Me. a this time of the year June 1st/62

Hiram M. Cash of the 5th Maine will continue this letter on the 27th.

MSS 12916

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