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+Letter of Abner Van Dyke
+Sunday, Jan. 19.
+It is a very dark, rainy day—had our inspection in quarters this morning; nearly the whole company were in the ranks, and the guns and clothing were in good order, making due allowance for the wet weather and the poor health of the company. Last evening, a few of us were invited to the Colonel's quarters, and had the pleasure of listening to a lecture by Capt. Kendall, who has been for some years past in the service of the United States, acting as an explorer. He exhibited several varieties of cotton, which grows mainly on the West coast of South America, from Bolivia to the western confines of Patagonia, and on and between the coast and interior ranges, far above the snow line. It grows on trees and needs no cultivation, is very hardy and does well in the Northern and Western States. He had a sample sent in a letter from Canada, (grown there) which is superior in texture to any ever raised in "the Land of Dixie." The lecture was very interesting and instructive, and we all enjoyed it after so long an absence from such intellectual feasts. Cotton is no longer "King;" and even if the rebels are brought to terms, it will he many years before they will recover from their wretched state sufficiently to supply us, (say nothing about the rest of the world) with cotton, consequently we must raise it ourselves or find a substitute. But I will leave this to older heads and more experienced pens. My purpose is simply to give your readers the little incidents of a life in camp, and not a treatise on political economy. I notice in the letters sent from other Regiments, a great deal of boasting, but the "gallant First" speaks for itself. Wherever we have been stationed thus far, we have received many compliments for our good conduct, neatness of appearance and superior intelligence. We owe much of our reputation to Lieut. Col. Roberts who is the Col. of the Regiment, and is constantly labor for our advancement and improvement in the military art, and at the same time is very kind and attentive to the sick and unfortunate. Mrs. Roberts is a "Good Angel" to the sick and afflicted; dispelling by her kind and genial ways, much of the gloom and loneliness common to a camp hospital. I offer her the tribute of a grateful heart for those kind words and a "friendly grasp," when fever burned my brow, and assure her that her acts of mercy are felt and appreciated by many - a manly heart. Our friends in Michigan have sent us books, tracts and magazines, from time to time, for which we thank them. I will simply suggest that papers would be more interesting, and more generally read by the Regiment.  Please call attention to this matter. Detroit and "home" papers please us most, send then along, friends. "The living present" is the soldier's field, and the newspaper, fresh from the press, he eagerly devours.
+Yours truly,
+Abner Van Dyke
+Co. E., 1st Michigan Infantry.
+And the generations yet unborn, will bless the heroes name: letters and poetry of Abner Van Dyke, 1st Michigan Infantry, 25th Michigan Infantry, U.S. Colored Troops\\
+https://governingmichigan.org/collections/view-item/?DMaliaslist=p16110coll4&DMItem=35
+----
 "Camp Michigan
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+Letter of Abner Van Dyke
+Camp Michigan,\\
+Annapolis Junction, Maryland,\\
+Jan. 31st.
+Mr. Editor:
+On this mild morning the last day of January, at the risk of wearying your readers with my uninteresting notes, I will send you a few items, which have transpired since I last wrote.
+We have been having very disagreeable weather for a long time past, raining nearly every day, and so muddy that we could not leave our quarters, without being loaded down with "mortar;" but the sun is now shining for the first time in about a week, and it looks like the face of a faithful friend, "fairest when seen in darkest day." As his first rays, pierced the gloomy clouds, and fell upon the window before me, I felt like exclaiming with Milton, "Hail holy light! offspring of Heaven first born!"
+The people here inform me that February is generally a pleasant month; I hope it is for we are getting tired of being cooped up in barracks and drilling in the manual of arms. We long to go out into the fields and breathe the pure air of Heaven once more. The health of the regiment has improved a little of late, and as the new hospital is now finished, and the sick moved there, they will be very- comfortable, and I trust the Est of names on the "sick-book" will soon diminish. Our Surgeon, Dr. Turnicliff and his assistants, are very kind and attentive and do all they can to banish disease and death.
+I think when the weather becomes more settled, it will be healthier. We need more exercise in the open air, and a greater variety of scenery; in proof of this, I will simply state, that the companies out on the Railroad, acting as "picket guard," enjoy much better health than those in camp. Men who have spent most of their Eves in out door occupations (as most of them have,) cannot long retain their vigor when forced to stay in barracks and listen to the cry of "shoulder—arms!" and other commands equally tiresome, when so often repeated A forward movement would do more for the health of the general Army, than all the medicines which the Surgeons can prescribe. But just now such a move is impossible, so we must "learn to drill, and wait for something to turn up."
+At the court-martial, recently held at the Colonel's headquarters, several pretty hard cases were tried, and their sentences were read on dress parade a few morning's since. One Beegan, who had become notorious among us for his "dare-devil" courage, was dishonorably discharged from the service of the United States, and sentenced to the penitentiary at Washington, for one year at hard labor. I think the punishments which these offenders receive will have a good effect upon others who are disposed to break the peace and disobey orders. Verily, "the way of the transgressor is hard." With a very few exceptions, we have a very peaceable and orderly regiment, and I hope the guard house will have fewer inmates for the future.
+Capt. Withington, of the old Michigan First, has been released, and is expected here today on his way home. We are preparing give him a suitable reception.
+Yours truly,
+Abner Van Dyke
+Co. E, 1st Michigan Infantry.
+And the generations yet unborn, will bless the heroes name: letters and poetry of Abner Van Dyke, 1st Michigan Infantry, 25th Michigan Infantry, U.S. Colored Troops\\
+https://governingmichigan.org/collections/view-item/?DMaliaslist=p16110coll4&DMItem=35
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Howard County, MD in the Civil War

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