Haddam Meadows State Park
Haddam, Conn.
March 14, 1998

Dear Friends,

We are getting out of our winter quarters, and trying to get the rust out of our bodies and our company. We were appointed to rendezvous at this large parade ground from all our special details, and start the work of getting into campaign trim.

The first few to arrive here along the banks of the Connecticut River were at sun rise, and were smart enough to get a pit dug and a fire started. The morning was snappy, and overcast, threatening rain, snow, or both. We get the most of the company up, and proceeded into the plesantries of hot coffee and idle chat for a time, and then the Sgt. got us under arms. There were a few new recruits who were just taking all this in, and determining their own sanity in their judgement to enlist. One old veteran from the invalid corps came by and was peddling his equipments and traps. Many of the new boys pitched in and bought some of the stuff, while the veterans bought small trinkets, light in weight, but long on usefulness. The retiree was quite happy too, and left in search of a card game with his new found wealth.

We did drill some for a while, including School of the Soldier, covering the facings, and the manual of arms, and then proceeded into the School of the Company, and the line and flank manuoevers. We continued to work in the wheels, obliques, and transformations. The weather there started in getting hard and blustery. And so we drilled faster and at the double quick some to keep warm. Then it was no use to ignore the snow and sleet, for it came for real. We stopped drilling long enough to get into some firing reviews, including Fire bt File, Fire by Rank, and Fire by Company. Warm muskets felt good.

We endeavored to get up some hot rations, and Pvt. Elwell set to chopping wood and food into large mess pots. About the time the meal was on the fire, it seemed fruitless to the objective of getting the rust out to keep to it here in the sleet and snow and wind and cold. So the boys were dismissed, and were happy to get themselves back to their winter quarters once more. Maybe it was not quite a Ground Hog Day, but maybe it will be Spring in a few more weeks. I am sure that we will remind ourselves about how uncomfortable the cold is one day this summer, while fainting from the sweat and heat of the campaign. Which is more preferable? I am sure that that as a singular laycium subject could last all of one day.

Respectfully,
Kim