Dear Parents.
Our Brigade** has been ordered south, and our regiment has embarked on three steamers bound for the sunny south – do not know at what point we shall disembark but our destination is generally supposed to be Nashville, Tenn.
The boys are all happy to exchange the desolate appearance of the Kanawha for the more active service of General Rosecrans* command.
Our Major has resigned and cousin Doug (Ed. note: from Harmar) has been recommended to fill the vacancy by the officers of the regiment in place of Capt. Golden who is in the regular line of promotion.
I cannot tell where you had better direct your letters; but when we stop I will immediately inform you of my whereabouts.
Much love to all,
Affectionately, your son
D. Putnam
P.S. I forgot to mention in my last that I found my two pairs of socks which you sent by mail.
* See “Victorius Loser William S. Rosecrans” by Albert Castel, in TIME LINE, Part 1, July/Aug., 2002 and Part 2, Sept/Oct., 2002.
** Brigade: “Commanded by a brigadier general. Brigades were the common tactical infantry and cavalry units of the Civil War. A brigade usually included from four to six regiments – though the number varied extensively as the war went on. Some brigades included as few as two regiments; others were made up of the remnants of as many as fifteen regiments. Confederate brigades were more likely than those of the Union to be made op of regiments from the same state”. Quoted from “The Library of Congress Civil War Reference” edited by Margaret Wagner, Gary Gallagher and Paul Finkelman, Simon & Schuster, 2002.
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