1863 February 3 near the Rappahannock River

Camp Fifth Maine Vols Near the Rapahanock River Va Feby 3d 1863
Dear Father-------I now sit down to pen y A few lines in answer to
yours of the 14th & 23d which I received on the 26th & should have answered
them at the time of receiving if I had not been on Guard that day, I suppose
you would like to know how many it takes to stand Camp Guard & as I
cannot thing of Much to write I thought I would write & let you know the
number which is thirty to give you A Time table of the relieves which is three
the day relieves stand in the following way, now this is the true time
         day time                         night time             table of each relieve which I
         1st 9 to 11                      1st 9 to 1          suppose will be as interesting to you as     
         2d  11 " 1                        2d 1 " 5           anything that I could write what you
         3d   1  " 3                        3d 5 " 9           say about the removal of General Fitz
John Porter Now I will say I do not agree with you about the removal of him
as I consider him one of the best Generals that this Army had & A plaugy site better
one than the one that Filed charges against him Just look & see what he did at
Mechanicsville on the Peninsula & through all them seven days Fight & at
Hanover Court House where he drove the Enemy & captured five hundred
Prisoners Father I believe Fitz John Porter was as true to his Countrys Flag
as any other General in the whole Army & there is no one that will change
my opinion of him or McLellan two of the best Generals that this Army had
has been dismissed from it what for Just for the talk of some old black
abolitionist & nothing more & Just as long as they continue dismissing such
Generals Just so long will this war continue Father I do not like to write any
thing that will make you think that I am discouraged but if you was in the
same place that I am & you had seen the stuff that these two Generals was
made of, I think you would begin to think that this was carried on by A few
money making men, I will now close these few lines by saying that I am well
& enjoying good health which I hope is the same with you & Mother From
your Son Joseph Leavitt  P.S.  I also received A letter from Lizzie & William
Lizzies was enclosed in yours of the 23d

[Letters of George Leavitt of the 5th New York and Joseph Leavitt of the 5th Maine were copied into a ledger by their father in the fall of 1865 as a remembrance of his sons, both of whom died in the war, George at 2nd Bull Run and Joseph at Spotsylvania]

MSS 66