1862 April 25 Camp Winfield Scott Near Yorktown

1862  April 25  Camp Winfield Scott Near Yorktown April 25th 1862
My Dear Father--Yours of the 18th came to hand last evening, you say
you would like to know where you are since you wrote last you have undoubt
edly received one from me giving you the information you request, in my last
I said you need not be surprised if we did not make A move in three weeks
it may be longer there is A tremendous lot of work to be done yet, we are out
day & night building batteries & making new roads our Regiment has Just
Finished A battery to mount five one hundred pound rifle Parrot guns this
battery is opposite Yorktown on the same side of the river about one mile
on halfe from the Town the Battery is close to the River in A garden belonging
to A private in the Rebel Army it is A beautiful place A fine large House
large Peach Orchard & fruit of every kind in abundance the House is now
used by the Soldiers, you will now want to know how this battery can be opp
osite Yorktown & yet on the same side of the River at the Point this is verry
easily explained because the River at this point is Crooked [diagram inserted] this is
the only way I can explain the situation, we have to wait for the paper to find
out what is going on around us wee did not know anything about Lees Mills
Fight (only about A mile one halfe from our Camp) untill we got the paper
we of course heard the firing & rumors about the fight, but we hear so much
firing & so many rumors that we can never tell what to believe untill we get the
papers, the newspaper reporters have the priviledge of going wherever they wish
while we are confined to the limits of our camp, our Col came verry near being
killed at the battle of Lees Mills he with some five or six engineers were sketching
the works of the Rebels when A shell from one of their guns burst int he middle
of the roup blowing off the arm of Lieut Wagner but injuring no otherlo other
Persons, I notice what you say in regard to Genl Prentice being surprised at
Pittsburgh landing it was A piece of carelessness for which there is no excuse
The commander of A Brigade in the advance has no business to neglect to
take every precaution to guard against surprise, I also think the one in command
of the attact on the batteries at Lees Mills can offer no excuse for blunder there
he (whoever he was that ordered the attact) had no business to send A hand
ful of men, when there is so many Troops arround here, our provisions begin
to come in faster, any one to read the paper now  there is A prospect of
having something to eat now, it has been impossible to get provisions along faster
any one to read the paper s would think there was A Large Town ever five
or six miles, now all along the road from Fortress Munroe to Yorktown I
dont beleive there is twenty Houses, I had heard of Big & little Bethel and
supposed them to be Towns of least 500 inhabitants but when we arrived
there I found one House & three barns & New Markett Bridge will if there
ever was A bigger Joke than this same bridge, i never heard of it it is Just about
six feet long no more or less I thought when we were down to Accomac it was A
mighty rough place but this Rougher, the rebels are verry strongly entrenched and
will resist to the last there will be an Artilery battle when the ball opens there will be some
music, Joseph is at Ship point I received A letter from him last night.  I shall get A chance to
see him when they land. I receved the Adversiser of the 18th the Paper & letters come regular
your letters ae always interesting & I am always glad when the Mail brings one from
you, I like the Camplife much bette than being in Barracks we have A f8irst
rate tent with A nice carpet of pine boughs we call them Soldiers feathers they make A
very soft bed, we have fine army pies served out to us every day together with salt-
pork, & beef fresh meat twice A week some days we have nothing but army pies but
have plenty coffee  Coffee is A great institution deprive us this & we are good for noth
ing as long as we have our coffee regular we are all right & deprive us this then we
are miserable, I can eat pork & salt house now as well as any of them in fact I had
rather I had rather have it than boiled fresh meat you want me to be prudent &
not spend any money, well I dont see how I can be otherwise for we have not
received any money in four moths &when we will receve any I dont know or care,
for myself, I can manage to get along without it,but I know that Lizzie must have money
& am anxious on her account we may be paid off soon & we may not, as soon as I do get it I shall send
it Home, my health is very good I have not been sick but one week since I have joined the
Army that sickness was caused by the change from Barracks to the Camp the change was
to much for most of us but now we are all right can eat all we get & more my have
rsack is empty but will get more to day, I would like to have some of those buisketts
that Mary Wallace knows how to make I will not mind A plate of fried onions
you need not think because I have been in the Army so long that I have forgotten
to eat turkey, roast beef & such like far from it I can make way with A roasted chic
ken without any trouble I am in hopes that before long I shall have an opportunity
to try, direct your letters to 5th Co F. Regiement New York Volunteers Sykes Brigade
Army of the Potomac Washington D.C. from your Son George W. Leavitt

Letters from George Leavitt and his brother Joseph Leavitt were copied into a ledger by their father John Leavitt in October 1865: "because they are of value to me and I was fearful that they might get mislaid." Both boys were mortally wounded in the war, George at Second Bull Run, August 30, 1862, and Joseph at Spotsylvania, May 18, 1864.

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