May 17, 1998

Dear Friends,

It has fallen on the luck of the Eighth Conn. Vols. to be part of a great celebration of the Army and the War efforts back in our home state. We left the front lines and arrived by the cars here in north western Connecticut in the city of Torrington. We are here on special detail along with members of the 14th Conn. Vols. and the 2d Conn. Heavy Artillery.

We set up a small camp to sustain ourselves and set to cooking and lounging as a soldier does best. It was our purpose to encourage the public to ask us questions about the army, and how we liked it. I suppose that the orders of the day awere to speak positively of the army so as not to discourage the home morale of our boys, and also to encourage any of the able and willing to join the ranks.

Each unit took turns drilling on a small patch of hard ground, so as to keep up the military air about the premises. We also conducted firings, and salutes, so as to impress the citizens. As one company came off, the next would form and go on, to keep it up constantly. Back in the camp, we would stack arms, and conduct other army life activities such as mail call, coffee ratoin, and games, checkers, dice, cards, and even reading and sleeping.

We were on the back lawn of the local museum here in town, and we were between the hedge row and the carriage house. Inside the museum and the carriage house, they had cleared out the furniture, and arranged chairs so that politicians and other dignitaries could entertain the public with their oratory. And the public citizens did come on large numbers, and did enjoy the sites and sounds and smells. After the afternoon had passed, the people faded back into their homes, very few came forward to enlist, and we were left with the sad task of pulling up our camp, and making our way back to the regiment at the seat of war. We enjoyed this brief reprieve back home here, and will remember it for a long time. God Bless our Wives and Sweethearts.

Love,
Kim