McLean, Horace Letters (1862-1864)

              [page 1]
Camp Mary  May 4 1862

Well Mary, 

after an absence 
of some two weeks I have 
concluded to write to you.  
I am well this morning & have 
been since I have been here 
except a light cold which 
has troubled me some little 
in way of breathing + head 
ache. When I got to this Place 
I found Capt Walden here 
with about fifty men they 
organized & got off sooner 
than they or I expected in 
consequence of the conscripts 
Law   I have joined his 
company as a private + have 
been here ever since the day 
after I left Home.  all the 
company except my self & 
some seven others

[page 2]
returned home on furlough 
together with all the officers 
of the Company the Capt 
left me in Charge of the 
squad & baggage & he will not 
return till the 6th instant 
and after that time I shall 
be so situated that I can 
come home & spend a few 
days.  Say some four or five  
we have Plenty to Eat here & 
that is good enough for any 
body except the Pickle Beef 
it is not so good & indeed some 
of it cannot be used by some 
of the boys & it is owing to 
them not being used to such 
food I have seen a very large 
number of my acquaintances 
here.  Some from Diferent parts 
of the State I have seen Joseph 
Lawrence & Leonard Lawrence

[page 3]
and Winston Gay they are 
all well & seeme to be geting 
along quite well.  A greate 
many of my acquaintances 
come to See me every day 
before I know they are in 
the camps  Dr L B Parker 
came to see me on Friday last 
& staid till this marning he 
recd inteligense by Clay 
Parker that Frank volunteered 
some time since & that he would 
have to go back to Chambers 
he was preparing to Practice 
Medicin at Rockford but 
he says that he will leave for home 
about Tuesday next.  Well 
Mary this camp is one & a half 
miles from Montgomery City 
& has in it 4 companies of 
Cavalry 6 of Infantry & one 
of Artilery

[page 4]
And the Col is looking for 
several more companies 
yet H W Hiliard is the 
Colonel Jack Thorington is 
the Lut Col there has been 
no order as yet in camps 
but the Cols order No 1 
takes effect to day & we 
expect a ridged Discipline 
from this time out.  
Some of the boys Dread it 
very much but as for my 
Part I long to see it.  there 
are so few of us we have 
not Drilled any yet but after 
next Tuesday we will go 
into it in earnest.  There 
is some sickness in camp 
& some Deaths but not 
many.  we have some light 
cases of Peumona but 
most of the cases are measles

[page 5]
One soldier road in to the 
River & Drowned himself I 
think he was from Pike.  One 
Soldier shot another & wounded 
him mortally all of them 
belong to the Cavalry at 
camp Stone.  I heard that 
they were boath Drunk Down 
Town at a little Eating house 
it seems to me that so soon 
as men get in camp the 
they loose all manner of respect 
for themselves & every body 
Else & it is much to be regreted 
for I fear that such men can 
not have as good success in 
battle as those that maintain 
there dignity all the time.  
Well Mary there are some 700 or 
800 Prisners taken at Shiloh 
at This Place & by Permission

[page 6]
I viseted the Prisiun & saw them 
& conversed with some of them 
they are very Dirty & lousy & 
the most of them seem to be 
rathur of a low class of People 
& some of them seem to be quite 
imitent they have to be guarded 
by a Detachment from our 
camp day & night one of the 
Guard Killed one of them 
the other day while escorting 
him to the well after water 
the Deceased was a Lut it 
enraged the Prisners very much crowded 
the whole number are all in 
one Cotton Ware House & they 
are dying fast I think there 
has been some Dozen buried 
& likely there will as many 
more this week they blame 
there Goverment for not

[page 7]
exchanging The pople here 
are very much alarmed here  
on account of the fall of 
New Orleans & the Possesion 
of Huntsville Ala I belive 
that real patriots in this 
City are fewer than one would 
have thought 16 Months ago 
the authorities here are hauling 
the Cotton out of Town 
Preparatory to burning it in 
case of the enemys gun boats 
paying them a visit. Well 
Mary I expect you want 
to know how I like 
camp life I can say to you
that I have been preparing 
my mind so long for this 
seem that I can stand it 
better than you would think  
Provided that I can keep 
my helth

[page 8]
I have a letter that A J 
Thompson recd of his wife & 
it stated your Mother 
Died a few days ago I was 
much surprised to hear of such 
a thing.  For  the last time 
that I heard from her she 
was geting better.  She must 
have had a back set some 
way.  

I am sory that you 
got Disapointed in going to 
see her at the time you started  
Mr boyd came to my 
camp since I was here & 
told me that your Mother 
was geting well so he heard 
& said he would have called 
by if he had time.  he was 
on his way to Corinth to 
join his company he staid 
all night with me & I went 
with him to the cars next morning a
t 6 oclock two miles walk 
with his bagage

[page 9]
Well Mary you must 
brace up with our many 
Dificulties the best you can 
& try & take care of the 
Children & your self the best 
you can.  and I do not 
want you to be uneasy 
about me for I will take 
care of my self the best I can 
the battle field has as many 
chances as home with the 
Destracted condition of our 
country for I think I am 
doing my whole Duty 
when I am trying to drive 
back the Ruthless Enemy 
from the homes of my family 
& my Country so dont be weary 
about me if you all can 
keep your health & be Provided 
for till I get back it will 
be enough for me

[page 10]
This will be handed you by 
A J Thompson.  I will be at 
home in about twenty 
days I wish you to let 
Father see this letter as 
it will save me the 
trouble of writing to him for 
I have written all that I 
can think of to day & 
accept of love & respects 
to your self & the children 
& to all inquiring friends 
Very Respectfully, 
your Husband
H McLean