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+//New York (NY) Morning Express//, May 16, 1861
+Our War Correspondence.
+—
+Letter from a Member of Company E, 8th Regiment, N. Y. S. M., to his Brother in This City - The Butcher Regiment of New York City in Camp.
+RELAY HOUSE, ELKRIDGE, MD., May 10, 1861.
+Our quarters here could not be better, We are all in excellent health and spirits and ready for action. Our only cause of complaint in the quality of food dispensed. It is almost intolerable, the only merit the beef has, it renders the use of umbrellas and overcoats superfluous, for we are always dry. No fear of the enemy now, for we've salt enough to preserve us. Our officers are capital fellows, and are very kind to the men. Col. Lyons is universally beloved, and his ambition seems to be to merit the good will of his command. He visits the sentinels every night, and if it proves stormy, he always has a little whiskey for them. Captain Griffin drills us pretty hard; he is an excellent soldier, and nothing is too good for his men. He drained his private purse for our benefit while at Annapolis. G. L. Fox, of the New Bowery Theatre, is a lieutenant in this company, and is very popular with the whole regiment. As the Fire Zouaves passed him, en route to Washington, they gave him three rousing cheers. I like a soldier's life very much. It is so novel to me. Our encampment is very picturesque, and hundreds visit us daily from Baltimore, and are profuse to their compliments as to the general appearance of things. Occasionally we have a little trouble with mounted rebels, some of whom are very bold and fire upon our "pickets"; but the sentiment of the respectable portion of the Batimoreans seems to be decidedly in favor of the Union. I trust we may soon have a chance to pass through Baltimore, for I wish to test the loyalty of its citizens. The march would prove beneficial anyhow. If we wore attacked it would afford us an opportunity to fight, (and I think we know how to do it) and if we passed peaceably through it would set the question at rest and prove wonderfully favorable to the Union cause throughout the country. Ben, brother of Florence, the Irish Comedian, and I are cooks this week for our mess. The mess consists of 12 men. We tried our hands at baked beans yesterday, and wore in hopes of securing for ourselves the title of the "Delmenicos" of the Eighth Regiment," and would have done so only we unfortunately happened to get a large piece of brown soap in the beans, The boys made a great time about it, just as if we could help it. The regiment being composed mostly of butchers, you can imagine their opinion of the beef furnished us. One of them, the "dismal man" of our mess, exclaims, "Here we are fighting for the public weal and yet only get such beef. Here our lives are at at steak, and still we only have salt junk." Never mind, all will be right soon. I hate to complain, but I must give the crackers a dash. They are tough as leather doughnuts, Lieut. Fox says he has sent home for another set of teeth. I think about hiring a darkey to masticate mine for me. The toughest work we have had yet is eating the army biscuit. Still we have plenty of fun in camp. As I write, numbers are playing quoits; a me are scupping; some singing patriotic songs; some reading the papers (the Express and Herald generally); but the majority are at a flag raising. When we march up Broadway, on our return to New York, we will open the eyes of the people. We have proved wonderfully, and the regiment moves like a piece of machinery.
+Our Captain has just come running up and tells us to be prepared to move at a moment's notice. There is great bustle in the camp, and we are all in high glee at the prospect of a row. You'll hear stunning news of the doings of the "old Eighth" yet.\\
+Your affectionate brother,\\
+S. C. T., Co, E, Eighth, N. Y. S. M.
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+//Geneva Daily Gazette//, June 14, 1861
+Letter from a Geneva Volunteer.
+CAMP SANDFORD, HEADQUARTERS OF 8TH REG'T.\\
+Washington Greys, N. Y. S. M.,\\
+Arlington Heights, Va., June 10th, 1861.
+Dear Father: I received your letter of the 7th inst., this (Monday) afternoon, and was very glad to get it. The 8th left New York on the 23d of April, by sea to Annapolis, and since that time have seen more active service than any other Regiment that has come into the field. The Regiment numbers 1,200 men, and consists of 900 Minnie muskets, 6 pieces of flying artillery and 10 mountain howitzers.
+This is not a regiment of volunteers, come comes into the field a body of well drilled soldiers. There has been but one regiment come to Washington so well equipped as ours - that is the 7th of New York. Every man is uniformed and equipped alike. Our uniform is find grey pants with black stripes down the sides, grey jacket with black collar and black cuffs, army overcoats, a light grey military cap with Havelock, and fully equipped. There is privates in it worth their thousands. We want for nothing. Sunday night we were two weeks here - the longest we have been at one place since we left New York. when we first arrived at Annapolis we camped in the Naval Academy grounds without any coverings but our blankets; but we finally got quartered in houses. We were under Gen. Butler's command. We had been at Annapolis about nine days, when Gen. Butler selected the 8th, out of six Regiments to go to Mt. Misery, on the main road from Baltimore to Annapolis, to throw up breastworks, so as the keep off any force that might come from Baltimore to Annapolis. From the top of the Mt. we could see Baltimore. It was a dreary place; and the name very appropriate, for we saw enough misery while there. It rained and snowed continually while we were there. We had got the work completed and our cannon mounted on the top of the Mt., when, on Saturday night as 1 o'clock, we received orders to march immediately for Annapolis, thence to Washington. We arrived at Annapolis at daylight, and embarked immediately aboard the cars for Washington, as we supposed, (Gen. Butler was with us,) but when we got to Annapolis Junction they switched us off on to another Railroad, and at noon we fetched up at the Relay House, nine miles from Baltimore. We were the first troops there. Church was just out as we drew up in line, and the officers were dealing out ammunition to the men. It created great excitement in the place. Families packed up and moved out of town immediately. Gen. Butler took lead and marched us up the hill to a splendid mansion, the residence of a leading secessionist, and took possession; and we put up our tents on the lawn. The folks vacated the premises. The next day not a secessionist could be found in the place.
+We had been there a few hours when the 6th Regiment of Massachusetts arrived from Washington, and took possession of another mansion on the hill opposite. While here Company C, of our Regiment, captured the Winans' steam gun and the 6th of Massachusetts gets the credit for it.
+After staying at the Relay House eight days, we were ordered to Baltimore, with the 6th of Massachusetts. We arrived in Baltimore at 7 o'clock in the evening. The 6th Regiment of Massachusetts is the one that was attacked there on the 19th of April. Before commencing to March through the city, Gen. Butler read his orders. In them was this "If you are fired upon from any house, halt and level that house to the ground, and the people therein be made to know earth no more - then march on." The march commenced. The 6th Regiment of Massachusetts went first, and ours followed. The 6th carried no colors, we carried colors (my company is the color company) through the city. As we marched through the city the Massachusetts Regiment was hissed every step of the way, while our Regiment was greeted with cheers and waving of handkerchiefs. We marched through the principal streets, thence to Federal Hill, where we camped.
+About 10 o'clock the citizens of Baltimore sent supper to our Regiment. The next morning breakfast was ready for us at any house where we might go. Folks would pull us in to breakfast; while the 6th was treated with contempt. Fear of having the city burned was what made them treat us so well.
+While in Baltimore we seized about 400 stand of arms, ammunition and provisions. The last night we were there, Gen. Butler received notice of his appointment as Major General. He started immediately for Washington. We were in Baltimore three days and three nights, and then went back to the Relay House. We staid there a few days longer when we went to Washington.
+[...]
+I must stop writing now as I have got to go on parade. I am a private in Company G.
+E. MEAD.
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Howard County, MD in the Civil War

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