In a letter from Camp Graham, home of the 23rd Pennsylvania Volunteer Infantry, Sergeant Charles Cyphers wrote to yet another letter to his former employers at the Pittston Gazette on October 23, 1861.

In his letter, he addressed the state of the war effort near Washington, DC and the autumn weather that had descended on the nation’s capital.

“Autumn is far advanced, and there are decided symptoms of the approach of Winter,” Cyphers wrote. “The foliage of the trees has become changed from green to a variety of tints, and the woods in the neighborhood of the camp present a beautiful appearance.”

With the colder weather, however, came heavy rains, turning the army camp into a morass. The weather “makes life in camp unpleasant and disagreeable in the extreme,” he wrote. Cyphers blamed the turn in the weather for the “fever and ague” that many soldiers were reporting in camp. The colder weather also led to Cyphers expressing concern for how the soldiers of the 23rd Pennsylvania would be equipped for the winter, since many of the soldiers at Camp Graham were still living in canvas tents.

From the Pittston Gazette, October 31, 1861

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Letter from Washington.

CAMP “GRAHAM,”

WASHINGTON, D. C., Oct. 23, 1861.

MESSRS. EDITORS:

I noticed in a late issue of the GAZETTE the publication of my former letter. Weeks have elapsed since it was written, but no important event has occurred during the interval to disturb the monotony of camp life. You are probably better informed of the movements of the Grand Army than we are. It would therefore be a waste of time and paper to recount “stale news,” and I will only speak of matters and things in and about camp.

Birney’s Zou-Zous are still under marching orders, but no one can tell to what part of Uncle Sam’s vineyard we shall be sent to labor. While I write the “cooks” are cooking three days rations. It is reported we are going to Leesburg, Va.

Autumn is far advanced, and there are decided symptoms of the approach of Winter. The foliage of the trees has become changed from green to a variety of tints, and the woods in the neighborhood of the camp present a beautiful appearance; the birds are gathering in flocks previous to their flight to more genial climes, and the fast approach of the Frost King is observable in everything.

“Rent is the fleecy mantle of the sky;
The clouds fly different; and the sudden sun
By fits effulgent gilds th’ illumined field;
And black by fits the shadows sweep along.

“——Winter comes to rule the varied year,
Sullen and sad with all his rising train—
Vapors, and clouds, and storms.”

We have had considerable rain of late which makes life in camp unpleasant and disagreeable in the extreme. Those persons who have been subject to the fever and ague are beginning to complain of their old friend. I have seen many cases of this complaint lately.

I know not what provision has been made or is making for our troops this winter. Probably many of our men will have no other shelter than that afforded by canvass tents. If this be the case much suffering may be expected, and much will have to be endured. But we will look forward with cheerful hearts to the coming spring as the termination of all the hardships of a winter campaign.

We will remember the many trials and hardships our revolutionary fathers had to contend with when fighting for Liberty and Independence, and push boldly on in the contest for the Union.

Yours, &c.,

CHAS. M. CYPHERS.

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Read the previous letter from the Letters from War: 1861 series.

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This is part of an ongoing series called “Letters from War: 1861” that will share correspondence written on the front lines during the turbulent first year of the Civil War.

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