“Smoking My Troubles Away”

By Bruce Allardice and Wayne L. Wolf · Originally published June 2020 · p. 19

William Byrns (1838–75) of Burr Oak, Mi., enlisted as a fifer in Company B, 1st Michigan Infantry, during 1861. He was promoted in August 1861 to 2nd lieutenant, 1st lieutenant in April 1862, and then captain in September 1862. He resigned his commission due to disability and entered the University of Michigan to study medicine. After graduation he and his wife moved to Galesburg, Ill., where his wife’s family lived. He practiced medicine until his death. The below letter is to his fiancé, Florence Clark (1842– 1927), then living in Ceres, N.Y. William wrote numerous letters to Florence during the war. They married March 9, 1863, in Galesburg. The letter was written after the regiment’s transfer from a Maryland camp to join McClellan’s Peninsula Campaign. The First fought in all the Army of the Potomac’s campaigns, Fortress Monroe Old Point Comfort, Va. March 18, 1862 Florence mine, You letter of the 8th was recd. only today. I will not try and express how much vexed I was at knowing that my letters for the past 10 days have all been missent [sic]. I have written you no less that 5 or 6 times since I received yours saying that you had gone to Ceres. So I have written to Ceres, Pa., & I see by your letter that Ceres P.O. is in N.Y. Were I a lady I am sure I should go off in tears, but I am only a masculine & all I can do is to fill my pipe & smoke my troubles away. Perhaps you have not heard a word from me since we left Monocacy Bridge [Maryland]. We left our camp there on Sunday the 9th & arrived at Annapolis Junct. the same p.m. There for the 1st time in over 5 months our Reg. was all together & held a dress parade. We there recd. orders to be ready to move, to drill hard & to reduce our baggage preparatory to going into the field. That night we recd. an order, by telegraph, to report to Fortress Monroe at once. We were astir early on Monday a.m., broke camp, but could not get away from Baltimore until 2 a.m. on Tuesday. We were very tired & I soon forgot my troubles in a comfortable bunk of the Steamer Georgia. Awoke at six to find that we were at anchor & had been for over an hour in consequence of the breaking of some part of the engine. We had to lay there till after noon. Arrived safe at the Point on Wednesday a.m. We went into camp at a point distant about one mile from the Fortress Monroe between Mill & Hampton Creeks. I will not try and tell you much about the country. Of course, you know all about a fashionable a bathing place as Old Point Comfort. My time is very limited for we are to have a Brigade Inspection this p.m. at 1 & tis now 12. I am so sorry that I knew no better than to have directed your letters to Pennsylvania. Perhaps you will receive them but I don’t like it one bit. I know that you are wondering why I do not write. I have written almost every day & shall continue to until I hear that you do get my letters. Tis too bad for I have taken so much pain to write all about what I have seen, & this must be the reason why I have not heard from you. When at Monocacy I wrote to have you direct your letters to Washington D.C. Our mail goes there now to be forwarded. You will see by this that it takes some time for letters to reach us, & you will write me very often. We have a pleasant camp & I am feeling well, much better than in the winter. Our regiment is in fine condition & we have plenty of work. Capt. Abbott1 is on picket duty today. His wife has returned to Michigan. I do not know how long we are to remain here. Perhaps a good while. Our own Col. is with us.2 He preferred to come & gave up his acting Brig. Generalship. You did not say at what time you proposed going to Illinois. If we are in the field would you ask me to come? & if Mr. Hamilton is going west I certainly see no reason why it would not be proper for you to go with him. If we are laying at this camp doing but little I will probably go home for good or bad. I will tell you privately that both Capt. Abbott & myself are greatly tempted to resign & may do so. We can do much better. In that case I will have some time to myself. But this will take another sheet of paper if I tell you all the reasons why. I am so glad to hear that you are feeling well. I will write again tonight if I can find time. Don’t forget to direct to Washington, the rest as before. Write as soon as you hear from me & let me know that you do not blame me for seeming negligence. Your Will … Endnotes: 1.

Ira C. Abbott (1824–1908), later Colonel of the 1st and brevet Brigadier General. John C. Robinson (1817–97), promoted to Brigadier General April 28, 1862.

Bruce S. Allardice is Professor of History at South Suburban College in Illinois. He is a past president of the Civil War Round Table of Chicago. He is the author of More Generals in Gray, Confederate Colonels, and (with Professor Wolf) Two Years Before the Paddlewheel. Wayne L. Wolf is past president of the Lincoln-Davis Civil War Roundtable. He is Professor Emeritus at South Suburban College and the author of numerous Civil War books including Two Years Before The Paddlewheel and The Last Civil War Scout.