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:--Since my last to you another of our Field Officers has met with an accident. Lieut. Col. Walters was taking a ride the other day, when his horse in some way contrived to break his own neck and injure his rider so severely that we have not seen him in camp since. Major Brady has returned from Conn., and is now acting as Commandor of the regiment. We are under marching orders for Centreville to join Sigel's corps, and shall leave here in a day or two, but our address, I suppose, will continue Washington, D. C." Last Saturday one of the members of Co. I died of typhoid fever, and was buried a short distance from camp on Monday morning. Johnson of Co. B., died Sunday night, and was sent home. We have no Chaplain yet, but one is expected sometime or other, if he ever joins us. We have had neither company nor battallion drill since coming here until this A. M. We have company and battallion drill this P.M. Considerable excitement is manifested in regard to the General Orders in reference to enlistments from Volunteers into the Regulars. I believe quite a number in this regiment intend to enter the regular service. I wonder what has become of that W. G. who was going to write some more for the Jeff?

Dear Times:--Again we have marched, this time not very far, -- from Gainsville here about five miles. Sunday A. M., packed up house and furniture and started, the teams started behind us, but instead of following the 2^nd Brigade went on after the 1^st, and we did not see any thing of them until noon of the next day. A short distance from Gainsville we passed through what was formerly the village of Haymarket; now it consists of only a few chimneys from which the houses were burned away at about the time of the last Bull Run battle. As the story was told to me the northern troops were passing through the village and the people began to fire on them, and the exasperated soldiers fired the houses and soon all that was left of Haymarket was blackened chimneys, the church, one shanty, and two or three barns. There was a skirmish reported a few miles from here night before last. It was thought we would be called out, but we were not. The mountain has been on fire not very far from here for the last two days presenting a beautiful appearance at night. Before leaving Gainsville we received rations of raw salt pork and coffee. The wagons went off with the cooking utensils so my mess converted the wash basin into a stew pan, cooked our pork and boiled our coffee, caught a rabbit and made rabbit soup, then confiscated some apples and stewed them. How would you have fancied boarding at our hotel?-Don't you think it was gay? Who wouldn't be a soldier? Yesterday we received our new dress coats but the boys are quie puzzled to know what to do with them, as they had about all they could carry before. They say "How are your dress coats?" but the laugh won't come in. We have guards over all the houses, rail-fences and turnip patches here now, though all the people are known to be the strongest kind of Secesh. I thought guarding Rebel property was played out, but it seems I was mistaken. Well, live and learn. The following named members of our company have been left in hospitals:--Samuel Downs and Smith Delavan at Patterson's Park, Baltimore; Corp. B. White and M. A. Wheeler are in Georgetown; Corp. P. Lounsbury, Wm. H. Curtis, E. Northrop, F. Goodale, T. Edwards, F. S. Smith and J. L. Day are in Washington. Other companies in about the same proportion, I think. Our Chaplain has arrived and gone back to Washington to carry their letters to the sick ones and see how they are getting along.

Dear Times:--I do not know whether it is best to write a true account of our movements and conditions of the Reg't and Company for the past few days or not-it may create an impression at home not wished for by some; but I cannot create facts, I must chronicle them as they transpire. Last week we were joined by our Chaplain and had religious services on the Sabbath. Monday night we received Marching Orders and on Tuesday morning with about one day's rations of raw pork and two days hard bread in the haversack, 40 rounds of cartridges in the box and twenty more somewhere else, blankets, wool and rubber, a change of under clothing, over-coat, and tent, in and on our knapsacks, at 7 A. M. were ready to march. For the transportation of those not able to march we had one ambulance, and for carrying the Quartermaster tent, Hospital store, and all regimental baggage, we have six wagons. Whose [?] it was or whether it was anybody's or nobody's that with at least forty men not able to march and carry their knapsacks, provision was made for only four or five, I do not pretend to say. Or whether it was right that men not able to carry themselves be obliged to carry their baggage or lose it, and that the companies lose their cooking utensils because the Q. M. had no transportation for them, while a part, at least of the Sutler's baggage was carried by the regimental wagons I do not pretend to say. Soon after our march commenced, it began to rain and we tramped in mud and wet with scarce a minute's rest until 1 P.M. when we halted for an hour and partook of the contents of our haversacks, after which we resumed our march and crossed the first Bull Run battlefield in the course of the afternoon. At about dark we halted for the night and occupied the shanties which I think must have been built by the Rebs, for winter quarters, last winter. At 7 A. M. on Wednesday we picked up our traps and started again. Thirty or forty sick who could go no further, were left here with a large number of knapsacks under the charge of Dr. Gregory. We passed through Centervile and marched about five miles farther (as near as I can judge) and halted here and here we pitched our moving camp nearly a mile from wood or water, except the water that continued to pour from the clouds on our devoted heads. Our pork and hard bread was played out, and a little hard bread was given out. Two Companies were furnished pork and the rest offered salt junk. Four or five Companies had a few cooking utensils, but we hadn't a thing, so salt junk was of no use to us and we did not take it, as raw we couldn't eat it. A detail was made for picket, seven were called for from this company for twenty four hours. That they thought rough - a two days march in the rain and twenty four hours on picket guard with "no grub." Capt. M. said they shouldn't go till they had something to eat, & went to see what he could do. I don't know, but I mistrust that while he was gone he did some pretty tall talking; any way, when he came back he had pork for the pickets, but the boys in camp couldn't get any meat till afternoon the next day when we received one day's ration of fresh beef. Yesterday we received a ration of pork and as near as I can estimate we have had about half rations of other things since coming here. Thursday A. M. though we had but just got in from a two days' march, Company drills were ordered, and there was to be a battallion drill that afternoon, but for some reason it didn't come off. Thursday P. M. the sick ones who had been left at Bull Run came in; they got a big scare sometime Wednesday night and started for Centerville, got about half way and stopped till morning in the rain. When the wagons reached the plain where they were left, most of the baggage which had been left there was missing. Yesterday noon the rain stopped and after dinner there was a drill, company skirmish drill this A. M. and I presume there will be battallion drill this afternoon. When we left Antioch, the poles to our hospital tent could not be brought, and until yesterday afternoon no sort of accommodations for our sick had been provided. - There is a report that we march for somewhere tomorrow; can't say as to its truth.

The place where we now are is named Chantilly or Chantila, or something of that sort, but do not know just what. Address as usual.

A. E. B.