Love of gain or honor did not influence him to enter our army... it was a desire to serve his country and do his duty that induced him to leave his peaceful avocations, gird on his armor and join his companions in the risk and hardships of a life in the army.

From the eulogy of Augustus E. Bronson

Introduction

September 1862

October 1862

November 1862

December 1862

January 1863

February 1863

March 1863

A.E. Bronson Eulogy

Dear Times:--I have nothing particular to say about things here; we are pursuing the even tenor of our way, eating our regular hard bread and meat and drinking our regular coffee, have drills twice a day with fair weather, in fact beautiful for the season, and make ourselves quite comfortable generally. I went down to Falmouth the other day and perhaps the process of getting a pass and a short description of the trip and what I saw may not be uninteresting to your readers. As quite a number of the Co. had been to Falmouth, a friend and myself decided on Monday last to go two days if we could get a pass, so I went to the Captain and he gave me a pass reading as follows:

STAFFORD C.H., Jan. 6^th, 1863.

Guards and pickets; pass Serg't___________and _____________to Falmouth and return.

J. E. Moore.

Capt. Co. C., 17^th C. V.

So far so good; from there to Regimental, presented the pass to Lieut. Col., the Colonel being absent; he said it should be returned to the Co. that evening. accordingly a little after 8 o'clock P.M. it came back with: "Approved, Chas. Walters, Lieut. Col. 17^th Reg't. C. V." written across one end, and "Approved, N. C. McLean, Brig. Gen." written across the middle. Now you will think we are all right. Not so fast. We have an officer called the Provost Marshall, and though he may rank only as Capt. or Lieut., yet his signature, if you're going round, is worth more than half a dozen Brigadiers, so in the A. M. we went to him and on one corner he wrote as follows: "Approved by order Gen. Sigel, S. P. Robinson, Capt. and Pro. Mar." Now we were ready, and started. About half a mile out we came to the first picket, and the German on guard stopped us with "Bars, Zargent!" I presented the document. After inspecting the same he pronounced, "Der bars ist racht;" so we proceeded about a mile farther when we came to another post, and again came "Bars Zargent." I replied, "Yaw." "All racht." again said the picket, and we met with no further obstruction until reaching Brooke's Station where we boarded [?] cars. Just before the train arrived came a Sergeant who inspected the passes, and when the cars came we mounted to the top of one, the engine screeched, and away we went. We reached Falmouth at about 10:30 A. M. [?] the Conn. Brigade, and were soon exchanging greetings with old friends. Charley Gray, among the [?] and altogether too hearty a squeeze for a ghost. Tuesday afternoon there was a "Grand Review" of the 9^th Army Corps by Gen. Burnside. The remnant of the old 11^th, though but few in number, presented a fine appearance with their white gloves and rifles without spot or blemish. The fire in their eyes is not dead yet and they will, if required, give a good account of themselves. We reunited with the 11^th that night, and the next A. M. visited the detachment from the 1^st Conn. Artillery, who are posted on a hill directly opposite the city; went down to the bank of the river and saw the Reb. pickets, many of them dressed in U. S. uniforms. Friend Sparks kindly pointed out the points of interest, and having taken the nearest view we could we returned to the hill, and through a glass belonging to the Signal Corps, had a view of a drill by a brigade of Rebel infantry. At about 12:30 P. M. on Wednesday, we started on our return, had to wait at the depot until half past one, took our places on the cars and were soon again on our way to camp arriving here at 3:45 P.M., reported ourselves back, and things go on in their old course and I am

A. E. B.

Dear Times:-- I suppose Manton has told you of our march from Stafford last Tuesday, so I will only say that the weather was just cool enough for comfortable marching, and the roads in first rate condition. We broke up camp at 5 A. M., passed Brooke's Station about daylight, and at 11 A.M. had made 13 miles, and came to a halt for an hour, the hour lengthened to 3, and we started again. After marching a mile or so further we came to a camp vacated by the 7^th Wis., and here we encamped. That night we had a heavy rain which reduced the roads to the consistency of stiff mortar to the depth of a foot; (how much deeper I can't say.) This rendered it almost an impossibility for the trains to move, and I presume considerably altered the programme. The rain continued to fall lightly most of the time. On Friday it was reported that Franklin's corps were coming back, and sure enough towards dusk, Friday, up marched the 7^th Wis. to take possession of their shanties and were very much surprised to find them occupied. Here was a mix. They had been ordered back to their old camp, and we had not been ordered to vacate. They are a fine set of men, (one of the finest regiments I have seen in the service.) and concluded to leave us in possession till A.M. They build excellent shanties, and I return my grateful acknowledgements to the Lieuts. of Co. C. for the use of theirs while we occupied their camp. About noon Saturday we were ordered to get ready for a march, which we did, and marched about a mile and encamped to await orders. When we get them I presume we shall go somewhere else. In the meantime the 1^st and 11^th Army Corps must be [?]ed together rather "promiscuous." We had a little more rain this A.M., which does not seem to have improved the condition of the roads in the least.

CORRECTIONS, ADDITIONS AND EXPLANATIONS.

In my letter of Dec. 27^th, published Jan. 15^th, I returned thanks to Mrs. Moore and others for a box of edibles received by the Co. Mrs. Moore thinks (so Capt. says) that I was giving her more of the credit of said box than belonged to her-(I insist though those potatoes were first-rate.) I am informed that to Mrs. Otis is due a large share of the credit of getting up and forwarding said box, so while we thank the rest no less, we thank her the more, and shall hold all who had anything to do with getting up or forwarding it in kind remembrance till the memory of those luscious apples and savory stews depart.

I see in Manton's letter published Jan. 15^th, that he only sets down our muster roll as one hundred strong when we left Bridgeport. He has left Eli Lobdell of Ridgefield out entirely. Now Eli is altogether too much of an institution to be ignored in any such fashion, and I object. He puts Smith Delevan down to Brookfield, it ought to be Danbury, and Joseph Maddock vice versa. Rob. Farvour should be Ridgebury instead of Danbury. We have as yet no positive information that Fred Smith is discharged. Corporals Lounsbury and Baldwin are discharged, and James F. Beers and Geo. Sears appointed Corporals in their places. Alfred Bennett, Fred Bussing, Rufus Pine, and Adam (not Abram) Williams are discharged.

OBITUARY.

John Commisky of Co. I, 17^th C.V., died Sunday, Jan. 18^th from the effects of a wound supposed tohave been caused by the accidental discharge of his gun near Hope Landing Va. at which place he was on detached duty.

In camp near Stafford, C. U., Va., of Typhoid fever, on the night of Sunday Jan. 18^th, John Fry of Co. G., 17^th C. V., son of Stephen Fry of Ridgefield, Conn. His funeral with the honors of war was attended at 3 P.M. Jan. 19^th.

Never again to gather with their comrades around the camp fire, or to answer to their names at the "roll-call," may they rest in peace till the trump of the Arch Angel shall sound the last great reveille, and then may we and they come forth, answer to our names at the great roll call above, and join with the redeemed to praise God forever. Amen

Jan. 26^th Inspection at 9 A.M., followed by drill till 11 A.M., and there's the Orderly Sergeant, ready for guard at a quarter to twelve - so I must close.

A. E. B.