1862 August 9 Camp near Harrison's Landing

Camp Near Harrison's Landing Va August 0th 1862

Dear Father--Yours of the 3d & 5th inst. came to hand this morning and
I hasten to answer them in yours of the  3d you say that my letter looks as if
I was dissatisfied with the management of the war, well so I am for I think
the war has been shamefully conducted, yes it has been horibly mismanaged
from the first, why it has been so & who is to blame I will not attempt to say
although in some of my letters I may have laid the blame where it did not
belong, if I have made some wild statements ,you will not lay it to any
want of faith in the success of our Armies but to the anxious desire to see more
energetic movements towards s\crushing out this rebelion, this war has lasted
altogether to long longer than there was any need of, now Just look at it as it
stands to day, our Armies are nearly checked, on the twenty seventh of June the
day we fought the battle of Gains Mills the left of our Army was in sight of Rich
mond, to day we are A considerable distance from it on the 27th day of April
Genl McLellan had A large Army. An Army I still say capable of capturing
Richmond, you argue that in forceing his army he would have to storm the
Fortifications in front of Richmond well so the works would have to be stormed
yet I say it could have been done without more loss of men to this Army than
has been experienced so far, I do not wonder that you do not agree with me in
regard to this matter fro the reason that you know nothing but what you see
in the papers in regard to what is going on in the Army now the papers
publish a great many things in regard to the Army which are not true and
lead the public to believe that everything is going on first rate, one reason I
write as I do, is because the papers make so many false statements, I do not
write to you about the dark side of the picture for the purpose to make you
worry but to show you that it has A dark side, true every picture has A bright
side & I look at it oftner than on the dark side but there are times when the
dark side will force itself before you & you cant help but look, you have
not had many of these dark pictures from me because it is not my disposition
to look on them myselfe but I have seen so many things lately that made me
mad, that I had to give vent to my feelings when I hear that the Colonel
of A Regiment make such remarks as these, go to your tent & die, you came
out to die & you might as well die one time as another it is enough to make
one mad, now this was said to A member of Company 'J' of this Reg
iment wen he wanted to go to the Hospital this man took the Col
now acting Brigadier at his word & did go to his Tent& died the
next day this is A positive fact I know A great many play sick
to get clear of duty, now such things as I have told you are positive facts
& I only mention them to show what brutes there is in the Army I am
thankful that all are not so, yes there is also A bright side to this
Life & I look on it often & one thing I like to reflect on is the good feeling
existing between me & every man in my company  & I know it will give
your pleasure also to know that I am on such good terms with my Company
now in regards to that commission,I knew that I had only to hint what I should
like & you would do all you could for me, but if as you say only those in the
Maine Regiments are entitled to A consideration you will have to give it up
for this reason, no transfer from one Regiment to another can be made,
you can get transferred from one company to another but not from
one Regiment now if I intended to make this A business I
had rather make my way up from the Ranks step y step, but as I only
intend to serve for the war I would like A commission & why I wrote about
it was I thought there would be A chance for me haveing see A little ser
vice because I know that some that will obtain commissions dont know
the first thing about Military tacticts, however I will make myselfe contented
where I am for the present & perhaps something will turn up  I have made
one step up the ladder & as I sayd before I had rather make my way
up step by step if I intended to make it my business, I am sorry to learn of the
accident which nearly happened to Edward of course you know what
I mean when I mention the name of J.L.C. & am glad he was in time to
save himselfe, I hope he may get well & go into business only as Edward
M. Leavitt never as A Partner with any one not even with the best man in
Portland, I am glad you notice my sending home my money as no one has
mentioned it, & in most all of your letters you say take care of the coppers
now I prefer to send them Home to my Wife, for I know she can keep them
better than myselfe, now that allotment system is Just the thing, I have
had a Feast to day two of my Friends have received boxes  & I have been
Welcomed to whatever they have cake fruit A splendid cup of tea with
Milk in it, I made the tea myselfe as Leavitt has to make the tea because
he knows how to make good tea (so the Boys say) well the tea was good if I
did make it while I think of it I will mention that our copper kettle was
washed out yesterday, lately we have fresh bread, dried apples, potatoes
onions, Cabbages, &c which is A change for the better I hope it will continue
I will close by saying I will be contented to do my part & hope when this
war is ended I shall return Home & find you enjoying good health
remember me to all enquiring Friends from you Son
                                            George W Leavitt

The last letter written by Leavitt of the  5th Maine.  Three weeks later he was killed in the battle of Second Bull Run and buried on the field by his company.

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