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:--It is with a feeling of sadness that I write to-day. As you will have learned before this reaches you, our dear comrade, Charlie Small, departed this life yesterday at fifteen minutes past twelve o'clock, M., after a very brief illness. Preparations for sending home his body have been made, so I suppose all of earth that remains of our comrade and friend will reach Danbury as soon as this note. He was a kind friend, and the life of the Company; a deep gloom oppresses us all. We can well sympathize with his afflicted family. May the God of the widow and fatherless comfort and sustain them under this trying dispensation of His Providence.

Nothing of special interest has transpired during the week. Here we are and for aught I see, here we are likely to remain for sometime to come. In my letter of two weeks ago I made an unintentional misstatement. The information on which I wrote I supposed to be correct, but I am assured by gentlemen belonging to Co. D. that not a single member of that Co. has been in the Guard House; yet I am very glad to make the correction. May they never have one there.

We have drill now from 71/2 to 101/2 A. M. and from 11/2 to 41/2 P.M. Dress Parade at 5 P.M., making seven hours a day of drill. This does not look like a very hard day's work, but any one who thinks it is not will change his mind by taking a double quick march over rocks and stumps for that number of hours in a day, for a few days. Our rations have been of good quality, and plenty of them for the last week, and under the supervision of Mr. E. L. Knapp, they have been well cooked. May they continue as good and I think we will get along.

A. E. B.

Dear Times:--As I supposed when we came here, our Regiment is in for pick, spade, and pole axe drill with a rush, building forts, batteries, etc., and nothing else. But for inspection Sunday A. M. and dress parade Sunday P. M. and taking their turn on guard through the week, they would forget that there were such things as rifles in existence. There is some talk that we are to be turned into heavy artillery. I don't pretend to know as to the truth of the report; I have seen nothing to confirm it except that a few men from Cos. A, F, and D, have been detailed to learn the drill for that particular branch of service. The weather is decidedly cool here nights with quite heavy frosts. The days are warm enough.

P. T. Barnum, Esq. was here last Sabbath accompanied by Gen. Tom Thumb and Com. Nutt [?]. Barnum delivered a short and telling address on Temperance, and the Gen. and the Commodore each sang a song.

The Wildman Guard were furnished an oyster supper the P. M. before leaving Camp Sigel by Mr. Morrell, a resident of Baltimore, and a brother-in-law of J. I. Foote, of the Co. A vote of thanks and three hearty cheers were given him in return. May his shadow never grow less.

Quite a number of the regiment are sick; some quite sick. Heaven grant that they may be better soon.

We have no news here of any kind-good, bad, or indifferent, except "All quiet along the banks of the Potomac." How is it about the new Draft in Conn.? Does it give any body the ague? Is Danbury to have the benefit of it? And how much longer is the 27^th to stay in N. H.? I don't know though but it might about as well stay there as to come out here, as for all the good it could do, if the boys are drilling well. And, by the way, wouldn't it be a good plan for them to go to work and build a fort there on Oyster Point? Perhaps the rebels may take it in their heads to come up there and take N. H. some day, and if they should it ought to be well fortified.

A. E. B.