1862 August 20 Washington, D. C.

Washington D.C.  Aug 20, 1862

My Beloved Harriette
                            I have just arrived
at this place--God be praised I am
again free - I thought last week I
should not get away within a year or so
if ever, but fortune smiled and I am
here with 160 other officers released wit
me, yesterday I visited my Regt. at
Fortress Monroe.  The enthusiastic reception
they gave me paid me for all I have
suffered--I am well--we all left
the cursed, dirty, filthy place at Richmond
called the Libby Prison on Sunday morning
arrived at Fortress Monroe Tuesday Monday night
where we reported to Genl Dix. The
next morning my officers sent Horses for
me & eight of my party to go out to
the Regiment three miles distant.  I passed
to day with them--Tuesday Evening we
all left on the Boar for Baltimore
where we arrived this day 8 A.M thence by
cars to Washington D.C. arrived here 1 P.M
We have reported to the Secretary of War

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and are to receive orders from him
to morrow at 2 P M==
Since writing the above I have been placed in
possession of you kind letter informing me
of the Trunk of Clothing--I sent for it im
=mediately and am now for the first
time in four months decently clad--
I have just see Mother & Ellen & Williams
wife &Sister Ann & Brother Dorn [?] & his wife
Sarah & Sister Ann's Daughters they are all
well--I am stoping at Willard's
tomorrow I call upon the President
I hope to get a furlough but dont
know as I shall succeed, shall know
tomorrow--they want me to go im
=mediately to my Regt. I have pleaded
my wife & children & hope through them
or rather on account of them I shall suc
=ceed--If I do I shall push immediately
for Cambridge--I have been told that
the Cambridge folks or some of them
have said they would shoot me if I ever come
back there.  I am exceedingly anxious to give
them the priviledge--There are some people
there as rotten at least as the rotten meat
we have eaten for the last four months and
yet there are some as good people & true in
Cambridge as can be found anywhere earth--

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I love my country & her institutions, I am
ready to serve her to the last--If any
man calls me a traitor now I am
free he dies if I live= Now my Dear
Harriette I will banish all such thoughts
& feelings as I am addressing the Dear one
I love so well--Dont get sick, dont feel
bad-God is good & will do all things well
for us as he always has--I dont depend
on Cambridge alone for a reputation--I am
now by force of circumstances acting upon
a broader field--I embrace you all in
love--Keep up good courage I think I
shall see you in a day or two--
love & thousands blessings to you all
I am surrounded by so many & tallking
so constantly that I can write but incoher
=ently--I will do better next time--
Good Bye my Dear till I see you
Tell Johny & Ifving & Wills & Phoebe I have
not forgotten them--
                         Yours Ever
                                    John S. Crocker

John S. Crocker, 1825-1890, Colonel of the 93rd Regiment, New York State Volunteers (Morgan rifles)

MSS 11312