Thursday, May 24, 2012

1862 May 25 Hole in the Ridge Va

Camp Near Hole in the Ridge Va  May 25 1862

Dear Sister

Yours of the 16th Inst is recd with pleasure
at the knowledge of your good health & progress
in your studies, and pleasantness of you situation
and associations. We are now pleasantly encamped
within 14 miles of Richmond having arrived
here by short & easy marches as it is very
warm weather & exceedingly rainy, & the provision
trains can hardly get along, so that the progress of
the army must be necessarily slow.  I have known
the wagons to start out in the morning to go for
rations and only proceed a mile or two the
whole day on account of the road being
so full of teams, artillery, troops &c, and the
road being very bad & sometimes it takes a long
time to get a few teams through.  Most of
the way there is but one road so you will very
readily perceive the utter impossibility of making
a rapid advance even if no enemy retarded
the progress.  Those at the north who so bitterly
assail our able commander know but
little of the labor and time required to transport
so large an army over the almost impassable
roads of such a swampy country

[page 2]
Anyone not familiar with such matters can form no
idea of the difficulties to be encountered.  I notice
that McClellan is gaining somewhat in favor at the
North and I predict for him at the close of this
war as brilliant a reputation as can be found in
the history of this war.  His popularity in the army now
is unbounded & every officer & soldier under his com-
mand has the most implicit confidence in his ability
& the ultimate success of his plans.
We have been talking for the past week of being in
Richmond in a day or two but have not yet reached
there.  What the plans of the Secesh army are I fail
to comprehend unless it be to disband entirely &
abandon the state of Vir entirely & perhaps its cause.
I learn that the road to Richmond is clear till within
4 or 5 miles of the city & that no Rebels are to be seen
in that direction.  If there are any this side of Richmond
they must be between the Chickahominy & James rivers
more to the east.  We are now north of the West Point
R.R. & not far from the Pamunky River, on the
right wing of the Peninsula Army and will probably
push upon this side of the Chickahominy.
The news we get continues to be good and seem
to augur a speedy termination of the Rebellion
My health is first rate & enjoy the march "On
to Richmond" very well, and shall probably date
my next letter from that place.  I intend to
be at Lewiston at your coming anniversary

[page 3]
and if such is the case through the mercies of Providence
will be an interested listener to your exercises.
I rec'd a letter from Mother a few days ago
which I have answered.  I hope she may recover
from her illness and enjoy again the blessing
of health.  I expect some of us will soon hear from
Joseph.  I feel quite anxious to know of his where-
abouts, though as to his safety I have not very great
fear, but it is hard to tell what does happen in war
times.
On our last march 4 miles, we passed through the
best part of the country since we have been on the
Peninsula.  It appears to be settled and cultivated
and many of the citizens at  home attending to
their business.  One man I had a talk with myself who
claims to be a Union man and got clear of the rebel
army on account of being over age.  He says he has a
son nearly 18 whom they were after several times but
he kept hid in the woods so that did not find him.
He represents the Confederate army as discouraged &
heartily sick of soldiering & thinks they will not fight
much more in these parts.  Says he was in Richmond
about two weeks since & heard a great deal said against
Jeff. Davis and the Southern Confederacy. These state-
ments seem to be confirmed from other sources & show
that the righteous cause of Secession is in a precarious situation.
But I will close hoping you will be happy & prosperous &
still pray for me Your aff'nate Brother A.S. Davis

[page 4]
Enclosed you will find a copy
of the proceedings between Mr G[?] M[?]
A minister in Brussells showing in
what high esteem our Reg.
is held by persons abroad.

Allen Seymour Davis of the 1st Minnesota Regiment


MSS 11338


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