Chauncey Herbert Cooke

Chauncey Herbert Cooke to his mother

January 20, 1862
Camp Randall, Madison, Wis.

Hd. Quarters 25 Regt. Wis. Vol Infty.

Dear mother:

This is a fine morning and the [...] of January, 1863. How the time flies. Your last letter came day before yesterday. I am awfully glad father had such good luck killing deer. You will have plenty of good meat for the winter. You wish I could have a taste along with you. You bet I do to, but it can't be, so we must not think of it. We came close to a row with the 30th regiment yesterday. The Colonel in command of a squad came down to put some of our boys in the guard house. The word spread like wild fire and a rush was made for the barracks where the boys were taken,, and it took but a minute to get them from the 30th. men and the 30th. Colonel was glad to get back to his regiment. The boys are threatening revolt against the commissary. Our meat and bread is a fright and a big share of the men in both regiments are ripe for mischief. I get a lunch nearly every day at a little grocery just outside the fence. I get a glass of cider, a handful of crackers and a nice piece of Swiss cheese for ten cents. They are Swiss Germans that run the grocery and the girl that clerks has the blackest hair and eyes I ever saw. She has been in this country three years and talks very good English. She has a brother in the Swiss army and when she brags the Swiss soldiers and how much nicer they are than we Yankees, she shows the prettiest white teeth as she smiles.

There is a rumor that we are to be paid soon, anyway before we go South. Rumor is such a liar we don't know what to believe. It is quite sure we will be assigned to the Southwest somewhere. Perhaps to Vicksburg, where the rebs are making a grand stand, perhaps to post duty on some of the river points. Some of the boys pretend they would like to smell gun powder on the battle line before the war ends. I suppose they feel that way. I am learning some things. I find that men who talk the most are not always the bravest.

The news from Washington is bad. McClellen with his big army has gone into winter quarters instead of making an aggressive campaign toward Richmond. Gen. McClennard is doing
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far more good work than all the rest. Some of the boys are dreaming of home and a good time pretty soon, but the Richmond papers talk like the south was just beginning to wake up. Lots of poor fellows will bite the dust before the end yet.

Friday Jan. 30th
I took a run this morning up to the Adjutants office and back, to try my wind. It is quite a distance from our barrack. I believe I am getting my legs and wind back, and I am aufully glad. Some of the poor fellows who were sick with me in St. Cloud, Minn., with measles, are losing ground. Orlando Adams of Mondovi says he has no wind any more. Nathan Mann says he has no vim any more and can't stand the drill exercises.

Lots of the boys are blue as whetstones. They say if they were only out of it, the Union might go to blaz es. If they would take us where the traitors, are, and give us a chance to fight, we would feel that we were doing something. But this dreadful sameness is wearing.

February 2nd
Dear mother: Your latest letter came this morning. I hope you wont delay writing because news is scarce. Anything from home is news if it is in your hand writing and only about the dog or cat. No, I don't suppose we get the war news earlier than you do. I thank you for sending the paper of tea, altho you remember I don't love it especially. But I am sure this will be good coming from the best of mothers. I will drink it in memory of you and home. I have read it somewhere that mothers were the best beings in the world and now I know it to be true. I trust I may live to come home and prove it to you. You think our officers should see that our bread and meat is good. My dear mother, they dont have a word to say about it. It's in the hands of the contractors. Dont worry, we will live thru it. and if southern bullets dont get us, we will tell you all about it when we come home. So Henry Amidon is married Well well, Henry is a good boy and I hope he has made no mistake in his choice. So the world goes. I used to think Mrs. Amidon's doughnuts and milk gravy was better than ours. You dont care mother do you if I say this. She was a nice cook and after walking down to Beef river, and taking a swim with Henry, and by the time we got back to his home for a late dinner, things tasted mighty good.

I was just a bit of a fool two years ago next March when I tried to wade across the foot bridge up to my chin in ice water near the mill dam to visit Henry when his folks were in Vermont. I had to back out and when I got back to shore I was so numb that I ran clear down to Uncle Dan Loomis' place and back to start my blood circulating. I was so cold I couldn't put all my clothes on and ran half naked.

I guess I've strung this letter plenty long, and part of it I can't read myself. I expect to catch it from father about my spelling as as usual, well thats alright, I ought to improve as I have bo't me a pocket dictionary. It looks so much like a testament that our Chaplain came along the other day and asked me what chapter I was reading. Well, he said, the testament is the only book that is better anyway. He is a good man and wants every soldier to have a testament.

Direct as before to Co. G. Camp Randall, Madison.

Your son,

CHAUNCEY.