Letters from the Front - Nathaniel Caverly Jr.

Sunday, January 25, 1863

Nathaniel Caverly Jr. wrote a letter home to his father, beginning with "I thought that as it is Sunday and I have not much to do today that I would write a few line[s] to you to let you know that I was well and h[e]arty and contended." Nathaniel asked his mother to send a vest, " a good heavy one to button" and a pair of warm socks. He closed the letter with "Write soon."¹

References:
¹Alan C. Phillips, Soldiers in My Family: Caverlys and Murrays 1754-1865. (DePere, Wisconsin: A.C. Phillips, 1993.), 84-86.

Burnside's "Mud March"

Wednesday, January 21, 1863

The Thirteenth New Hampshire received orders to march at 4 A.M. Although the regiment lined up in preparation for a march the Army of the Potomac was stalled due to a blinding rainstorm and ensuing mud.¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 101-102.

Orders to March

Sunday, January 18, 1863

The Thirteenth New Hampshire received orders to march in the evening after an inspection in the morning. However, when the appointed time had passed the Thirteenth remained in camp.¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 100.

Measles Epidemic

Thursday, January 15, 1863

An epidemic of measles raged through the Union camp in Falmouth. One of the fatalities of the epidemic was sixteen-year old Ira Whitaker of Company G of the Thirteenth New Hampshire Regiment.¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 99-100.

Another Week of Drills

Monday, January 12, 1863

The Thirteenth New Hampshire spent much of the previous week engaged in drills. Assistant Surgeon John Sullivan was sent home on sick leave indefinitely in order to preserve his life.¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 97-99.

General Burnside Reviews the Army of the Potomac

Tuesday, January 6, 1863

General Ambrose Burnside reviewed the Army of the Potomac near General Edwin “Bull” Sumner’s headquarters at the Phillips House. General Burnside cut the review short as to not expose the men unnecessarily to the extreme cold.¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 96-97.

Reassigned to First Brigade, Third Division, Ninth Corps

Monday, January 5, 1863

The Thirteenth New Hampshire endured a week of extremely cold weather at their camp in Falmouth along the Rappahannock River, as the thermometer hovered near zero for several days. The Thirteenth spent most of the previous week engaged in drills followed by a regimental inspection. Today the Thirteenth received the news that their regiment was reassigned from the First Brigade to the Third Brigade of the Third Division of the Ninth Corps. ¹

References:
¹S. Millett Thompson, Thirteenth Regiment of New Hampshire Volunteer Infantry in the War of the Rebellion, 1861-1865 : A Diary Covering Three Years and a Day (Boston, Massachusetts: Houghton, Mifflin and Company, 1888), 95-96.

Letters from the Front - Nathaniel Caverly Jr.

Thursday, January 1, 1863

Nathaniel Caverly Jr. wrote a letter home to his parents, confirming that he was well and had survived the battle of Fredericksburg without injury. Nathaniel began his letter with gratitude to God by proclaiming, "By the will of Him who rules all things I am preserved till the commencement of another year and I am thankful to him that he has preserved my life till the present time while so many of my fellow soldiers are being killed off and dying." Nathaniel mentioned the battle but avoided detail, suggesting that the Union attack failed due to the delayed delivery of the pontoon bridges before the battle. Nathaniel closed the letter with a request for news from home. "I want you to write and tell me news and what you are doing and what stock you keep and how the hay cuts out and what you have sold and bought and all the rest of the news and write as you can for when we are moving around we get the mail most of the time."¹

References:
¹Alan C. Phillips, Soldiers in My Family: Caverlys and Murrays 1754-1865. (DePere, Wisconsin: A.C. Phillips, 1993.), 82-84.