Sunday, September 21, 1862 - Camp Chase, D.C.

Camp Chase Sept 21th 1862

Dear Wife & children

I have just received your letter and was very glad to hear fromn you that you ware all well I have had a touch of the dysentery last week for a couple of days but have got over it now am well to day and hope this will find you the same our regiment left East Capital hill Washington last Tuesday afternoon arived here at Camp Chase about eight Oclock in the evening it rained againe soon after we got onto the ground we stuck up our tents in a few moments slept in them that night the next day wednesday we moved them back perhaps a hundred rods stuck them up and here we remain but how long we shall stay here I cannot tell to day is Sunday but we know no Sunday here I have been to day over to a couple of forts one of them is in sight of our camp fort Richardson ¼ of a mile distant the other fort Barnard is half or three quaters of a mile further on this is on Arlington Hights halo here coms an order for Co. C. to fall into line it is to march up to the Colonels tent to attend religous services after this was through we marched out into the field on a dress parade have to ware white gloves on dress parade this place is five or six miles from the Capitol I saw old Dan Purple to day over in the fort he wanted to know if I had got ten pence to lend him to go down to Jonse,s with to buy a pint he looks tough and harty I saw quite a number of boys from East Haddam that belong to the first Connecticut artilery, the story coms now that we have got to march againe soon somewhare but ware I do not know some say we are going further south some say one way and some another but we shall not know untill arive on the spot, we can get on a spot of high ground see forts & Camps in all directions have not seen but one woman since have been out here and that is the colonels wife. she is here with him, I hear to day that the sixteenth Connecticut has been in an engagement whether it is true or not do not know we have heard once since we have been here that our own regiment the 20^th CV was all cut to pieces but 3 Companys left but we are all here yet safe and sound, the rumor is going through the Camp at this moment that old Stonewall Jackson is taken prisnir I hope it will prove to be true but am afraid it will not cant write any more of this kind of stuf have not rome, I have not paid Bois you did not write whether you had paid Sisson nor how much money you had left pleas tell me in the next, wal children I am glad to hear that you have been good children my love to all of you I should like to see you all my respects to all enquireing friends from your husband & father

A.C. Smith

PS Direct the same as you did before good night all how do you do little Fredie & all of the rest