ED CORMAN LETTER OF OCTOBER 5, 1862

WRITTEN FROM COLORADO TERRITORY

Fort Lyon Co. T. 5^th /1862

Dear Sister,

Your ever welcome letter was received last mail which I am not going to try to answer. You may imagine that I was glad to hear from you. It being just one month from the date of your letter or from the time it was written, till it came to hand, it is very curious why they should be so long coming from there here. Letters have come through in ten days, and the mail runs night and day from the Grover here. Indeed I was glad to hear that you are all well, but was sorry to hear that Jennie was sick as it takes so long a time to recover from it. Indeed Allie if you was sleepy when you wrote it did not hurt your writing propensities abit, for I think you write better now than ever.

We have not had any plums here this season, although there are some about seventy-five miles from here on delay creek. I have had strawberries and peaches since I came here, also some potatoes, roasting, ears, green beans, melons, etc. they came down from Pueblo the strawberries and peaches I obtained here. I did not know Celia Blundt, Allie although I presume she was a nice girl, I was sorry to hear of her death, I don’t believe you’ve send Mary’s likeness out by Mr. Doudna if you do it will be some time before we’ll get it. It was a false report about Capt. Whitenhalt being shot by one of our soldiers. Storms are very frequent out here in the summer season. I didn’t get well either from that storm I told you about. I got into one of the wagons and escaped the most of it.

“No” I don’t ever get the blues. You know it would not do for me to let my mind go with the blues away out here. I have often wished to be home since I cam here, but still I am satisfied, I will tell you of a circumstance that took place here while I was out to Mexico: a member of the Wis. Battery was sick in the hospital, he received a letter from Wis. From a friend announcing the death of his sister, after which he eat nothing, and pined and dwindled away and at last he died. The doctor held a post mortem examination on him and could not find anything wrong and pronounced his death caused from grief.

Our company are anxious to leave here they being of the impression that it is really sickly and miasmatie. Today is Sunday and very windy, everything begins to denote fall here, it is now getting dark.

General Canby arrived here today from New Mexico, with two company of U.S. regulars cavalry on his way to the State all the regulars are going to the states from here with him in a few days, our Ambulance has been to Denver and just got back this afternoon. The sutler has just got on a large supply of goods from Leavenworth, Col. Clark has been relieved from his command of this Post. Col. Tappan of the 1^st Col. Regt. Has superseded him. There are at this time seven companies here, one company of the Colorado troops will leave tomorrow for Fort Garland which is about a hundred and fifty miles west of here in the mountains some of the boys are out on a four days scout now they started las evening about dark. Some of us have been out nearly everday this week. Though details are generally called for about dark, sometimes after dark, we have drawn blue over coats and shoulder scales since we came here.

Col. Clark followed a train about 10 miles one day last week for our coats, he was going to get lighter sabers for us, but there was none in the train. I believe you asked me if we got the Conservative we get the Conservative the Tribune the Mo. Papers, the Rocky Mountain News and the Denver Papers. The War News is more favorable now than it has been for some time, the Indians have nearly all left here the past week. There is no news here to send you. H.P. Bennett of Denver delivered a speech here last week by moonlight.

B.B. Vining the one that got thrown from his horse died some time since I believe on the 22^nd of Sept. he died about one o’clock and was interred the same evening about sun down. Some of the boys have been unwell but are about well now. We heard from John Scott last mail. Wm Scott his brother got a letter from him last mail. He was guarded twenty-five days by the rebels at Fort Smith, they give five Privates for him, Col. Clark got a letter from our regiment last mail, they were at Fort Scott it seems they donut (do not) like Col. Lynde very well, it said they were in several engagements and Col. Lynde was absent everytime. It is getting dark and I will quit till tomorrow.

8^th – Changes have taken place since writing the above, by the date you will observe that this is Wed. eve at a late hour to 11 o’clock. The fire is burning brightly in the fire place. I am sitting near by a small pine table with a bottle marked wake-up on it and some other bottles. While card playing is progressing rapidly in the south end of the building, the boys are all snoring round me. It is a beautiful moonlight. The guards are patrolling their beats round the outside of the Post.

You are in you bed perhaps sleeping soundly, and dreaming of some unkown things, probably and what are the rest doing. Following suit I presume as nature would dictate. But this is talk and that’s all. I guess I had better drive on. What are you thinking about just now is Mary swearing in her sleep well I have had to stop a while and am going to commence operations once more but I am going to go bed sometime, between this and tomorrow evening, this time sure, but you wanted me to mark this place. Fort Lyon and show you right where I slept well, I sleep right on the south side of the last window in the front side on the North end of the quarters. G. Leo sent you the floor plan of this place two weeks ago when I commenced this letter.

We was under marching orders and expected to march on Tuesday but the orders was countermanded, we did not know where we was going and now we are not going at all. I have written so much nonsense I had better quit. I hope this will find you all well and hearty. Give my best respects to Jenni I hope she may be well of the fever. Give my respects to Mr. and Mrs. Dornbergh and Mr. and Mrs. Casebeer maybe I’ll write some to John in this envelop.

Take care of your self.

As every thy affectionate Brother

E. Corman

The above letter is the sole property of Jack Bender and may not be used in any format on any Internet site nor in printed form without the consent of the owner, Jack Bender.

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