Fort Scott, September 16, 1862.
Your kind favor of the 9th came to hand Sunday the 14th. I should have answered immediately if circumstances had not been so that I could not. I was detailed to go about two miles and oversee the casting of some bullets. You will see by this that we have no Sabbath in the Army as far as work is concerned. Three of us run 700 bullets, the first I ever help cast for the purpose of killing men with who are created in the image of God. But I suppose it is right. I was glad to hear that you were all well and in the land of the living. Since I last wrote you I have had the chills and fever and I really don't know whether I am well at this time or not. A week ago today I was taken with chills and fever, which was on Monday. On Wednesday I had it again and then got quinine to break it. Directions from the Doctor to take a dose at 6, one at 10, one at 2 & 4. I took one at 6 & 10; and between one and two there was a man came into our camp at full speed crying at the top of his voice, "The Sesesh are upon you!" The poor man was badly frightened which I suppose badly frightened some of our little command. The man was minus hat and pants and said the sesesh were murdering the inhabitants in a most shocking manner but a few miles off. Our camp is in a beautiful grove of timber and a half miles from the Forst. We were all out, dressed and saddled in a very short time and went about 25 rods from our camp and hitched our horses and returned to the tents to await the coming of the enemy but he did not come. There was a band of them came within 6 miles of us and robbed some of the inhabitants and killed two of them. The man who brought the dispatch to us was from that neighbourhood. Some 15 or 18 hundred of our army have recently been repulsed or defeated at Carthage, Mo., 50 miles from here but a large reinforcement has left here to aid them and we have not the results yet. I think they are fighting now and we expect to be called on every hour. General Blunt is acting as a Major General and commands four Brigades, each brigade contains four regiments I think but I am not positive; that would make General Blunt's command sixteen thousand men. I forgot to tell you that I took my regular dose of quinine at 2 and 4 o'clock notwithstanding the alarm and was out all the time; it was a very cold chilly night but I have had no ague since and feel with the exception of some few headaches, well.
Brigadier General Solomon of Madison, Wisconsin, has a brigade of four regiments here. He is in Blunt's division. His men are all from Wisconsin. He was Col. of the 9th Wis. Infantry when he came here and is now promoted to a Brigadier. I think he is a most excellent officer. He has seen service in Europe. I wish Manly and his whole regiment was in his Brigade, the 9th, 22nd, 23rd and 3rd Wis. Cavalry compose his brigade, I believe.
It is now quite cool here and I shall have to buy an overcoat, that is if I can, as it would not be safe for me to have mine sent from home. The mail was robbed, the one before your last came, and the driver tied to a tree by a band of guerillas. There is now due me five and a half months pay, and no signs of getting it as I know of very soon, and when it comes I am afraid to send it to you. It is a small thing to speak about but I wish you to keep my overcoat nice till I come home for certain reasons that I will explain when I come which I hope will be between now and spring. If our general goes out of service before the end of the war we will probably get a discharge. The Gen. is a very good man and popular with all the men but for all that he may not do service to the end of the war. He possibly may be served as Fremont was. Fremont's Body Guard was all discharged when he was dismissed. Some of them are now with us. There is very bad news in regard to the Indians in the north and if accounts are true here you are in as much danger as we are here. We hear that the Indians are already in Wis. and in Sauk County in hostile array. I do not believe it and pray God it is not so. I have written Manly since I wrote you last. My love to you all. I shall have to close and have to go away soon. Kiss them all both great and small for me if you choose. God bless you and yours,
Your husband,
C. N. Mumford