Osborn Ayer - Civil War Correspondence

in their place All this regiment who have been with us have at different times prooved [proved] failures The 22^nd acted badly at Charles Town, Virginia on our retreat form Strasburg, Virginia the 25 failed to do any thing when we once changed a scirmish [skirmish] line at Haull [Hull] Town, And the 2^nd M D [Maryland] were driven from the field with half their numbers opposing them refusing to rally on our squadron when we went to their support and leaving us to fight it out alone We are now in the Regular Brigade which is also the Reserved Brigade and is commanded by our former Charles Russell Lowell III The Brigade consists of the 1^st 2^nd Regulars and the 2^nd Mass [Massachusetts] I believe the 5^th & 6^th regulars are also included but are not here One Battery of four guns twoo [two] ten pound rifles, and twoo [two] twelve pound Napoleons also belong to the brigade Formerly our Brigade has been known as Lowells [Lowell's] Brigade and in this campaign has been credited with one hundred and thirty four prisoners all of which were taken by the 2^nd Mass [Massachusetts] Our Brigade is now considered the best here and we have more men in the 2^nd Mass [Massachusetts] than in all others regs together I begin to wish the fall campaign to close soon as I am worn out and tired out, besides the weather is now very disagreeable raining almost daily and the nights to [too] cold to sleep out without cover I cannot think we shall be long needed here for I think the Johneys [Johnnies] will themselves be forced to fall back nearer their base The valley cannot support them nor even the inhabitants this winter We have destroyed many of the mills and nearly all the grain and hay below Strasburg, Virginia besides we drove

off the most of the stock The inhabitants execrate and hate Lowell and the 2^nd Mass [Massachusetts] beyond the power of language to express, but War is war and friendship ceases where we can only moove [move] by the strong arm of power and life is only safe by the power to defend it on our side I received twoo [two] Ohio Papers a few dayes [days] ago and the direction looked like Lester A's hand writing I do not know from whoom [whom] they came without who sent them The name of A Hach was on one I begin to think our chances to winter at Falls Church this winter is a slender one from our connection with this Brigade The Ladies of that place sent a petition to the secretary of war asking that we be sent back their [there] You see by this how the the dear ones prize the protecting arms of ours Fair ones we grieve to disappoint you, The more so that we could there combine duty with pleasure but we must go where the powers that be think best not as we will, I think it more than probable that we may go into winter quarters somewhere at the lower end of the Valley near Harpers Ferry, Virginia But I have a hope that our worthy Uncle will think that he has no further use for us as I trust by putting the right man in president The Rebs will become disheartened A peace man will never do the Soldiers They will fight for that but never vote it Fremont is worse still, only ambitious to defeat the greatest and purest statesman of the Times Abraham Lincoln I hope all of our friends there will rally and support us who are here and must bear the brunt of war though it takes our hearts blood Do not encourage our enemys [enemies]

by saying by your vote that we wish peace on any other terms than that once said by the soldiers champion I believe in these words

Viz) There shall be no cessation of hostilities, nor end to war untill [until] you lay down your arms and submit to the government of the United States Some think that by electing a peace man peace will be restored This is peace on our submission and I know a rebel too well to make such an admission If we must die let us die fighting for the right and sustaining a just and honest man Freemont [Fremont] asks nothing else than to defeat the present administration for that he would sacrifise [sacrifice] countrey [country] and everything else He cares not whether McClelan George B. McClellan or Jefferson Davis is president so that he succeeds, but I must close Write soon my health is quite good for me

Regards to all will write to Brother P next

As ever Yours O Ayer

Tilton U.S. Hospital

Wilmington, Delaware Oct 26^th

Dear Brother I wrote to our folks on my arrival here but as yet have received no answer I believe I have not written to you personaly [personally] for a long time but I have written home at evry [every] opportunity and what was written to them was also as much to you only I could not get time to write individualy [individually] to each This has been a verry [very] busy summer with the Cav [Cavalry] in this department and I have been weeks at a time without time to wash a shirt therefore you must not blame if I have not given much time to letter writing I am now where I have plenty of leasure [leisure] but I cannot

[upside down] Ever Yours Osborn Ayer

sit verry [very] easily to write, but I think I shall be able to ans [answer] all the letters I shall receive When I wrote home I had reason to believe I should get a transfer to my own state soon but I find there is little hopes for that now, so I must remain content untill [until] I can obtain a furlow [furlough] This I shall apply for so soon as my wound gets a little better It is doing verry [very] well now but I think it will be a long time before I can use my leg I manage to walk arround [around] on crutches but it gives me so much pain that it is but little I learn by the papers that our Regimet [Regiment] with a great loss on the 19^th in the death of our Charles Russell Lowell III who commanded our Brigade