Franklin County: Bob Taggart to Captain John
Taggart, September [?], 1861
Summary:
Taggart describes the effort to protect Washington from any Confederate attack
and speculates on the possibility of the war ending through compromise.
Captain John Taggart, 9th Penn. Reserve Infantry
Sept. 1861
Camp Senally
Dear John
Your kind favor of the 26th came to hand yesterday and that of the 21st today. With the duties of the day being over, I will proceed to answer them. We camped out on "picket" Saturday evening and the weather being beautiful we had quite a pleasant time. Nothing of interest transpired during the stay. Such excursions after a week's stay in Camp [deleted: ] the men very much, consequently they are always ready to travel the distance from Camp to the place where we are guarding stationed is about three miles and coming home we started and continued the entire road at a "double quick" which gave us all a good [illeg.].
News of the recent glorious victory at [illeg.] reached us last evening.
[illeg.]
[illeg.] every [illeg.]
[illeg.]. It [illeg.]
[illeg.] all off to the defeat of "Bull's Run" [illeg.] shows
well for the military skill of General Butler and Commander [illeg.].
What
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time matters will now take I cannot say but would not like to agree with you on the opinion that
Washington is secure from attack. When I say that I would not like to agree, I don't mean it. I simply meant that we differ in
opinion. It is evident that the administration does not intend to act solely on
the defensive, and will wait an attack on the Capitol. Everything being nearly
prepared it seems the purpose to attack the rebels at
their [illeg.] and thus withdraw their forces from their strongholds in
Virginia. Davis & Co. seeing this and knowing their force is not
sufficient to be divided in such a manner as to protect the Atlantic and Gulf
Coasts and between borders of their Confederacy, may become desperate and make
one fear for life or death of the national Capitol. But we are ready for them
now there is sufficient force here to meet any that may come to attack. Besides,
we [illeg.] all aroused [illeg.]
[illeg.]
[illeg.] up, and once finished it is the general [illeg.] that
the majority of the troops concentrated here will be [illeg.] to
different points South and West leaving only sufficient to protect the Capitol.
Time will [illeg.] all things
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.
Allow me to congratulate you on the recent addition to the family, and express a fervent wish to the youngster may long live to be [illeg.] [illeg.] to its parent as they will prove to him. I suppose [deleted: ] [illeg.] [illeg.] "Uncle Bob" that he will be pronounced a good looking chap and [illeg.] to [illeg.] the name. I am glad to know that Charles is gotten better, and hope that he may be free from any more such attacks.
So Robert [illeg.] thinks the present difficulty might be settled by some "Honorable Compromise." Well sure I think there must [illeg.] in a settlement of the present [illeg.] and yet, if the vote was put to them compromise or no compromise, there would [illeg.] [illeg.] every Camp over which the Federal [illeg.] now runs a [illeg.] No! I would like to have been there to see Robert -- & family as [illeg.] [illeg.] friends John [illeg.] but cannot possible satisfy that desire.
I didn't think Sam would start so soon for Washington, but hope he may have a
pleasant and profitable
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time. Did he go out to Woodville before he
started to school?
I am sorry George and Ben G. did not get into the High School. I know Ben was qualified for admission last winter.
My love to all the family. Respects to enquiring friends
Yours Fraternally
Bob
