This partial letter is unsigned and contains no names that would help to identify the author but given the location of the regiment described in the letter, I’m inclined to believe that he was member of Co. H, 5th Maine Infantry. Following the Battle of Bull Run, the 5th Maine was assigned to defend Washington and they camped not far from Fort Ellsworth.

In spite of not knowing the author’s identity, I’ve published the letter because it mentions the use of charcoal as a remedy for diarrhea.

T R A N S C R I P T I O N

Headquarters 5th Regiment, Co. H, Camp Alexandria
August 13th 1861

Dear Brothers, Sisters [ ]

Your letter of the 8th was received last night with Sunday’s newspaper. I was very glad to hear from you all.

We are getting ready for an attack from the Rebels on Sunday afternoon. The alarm gun was fired at some Rebel cavalry. The Brigade was ordered out but we had no fighting to do although we expected to be hard at it before morning as the Rebels are reported coming down the Mount Vernon Road. But my opinion is that if they attack us here, they will get a reception that they will not forget. Within sight of here twenty thousand troops—infantry, artillery and cavalry—are encamped. While I am writing, we can hear the sound of heavy firing. ¹

I must make this letter short as we are expecting an order every minute to strike our tents and go back under the guns of Fort Ellsworth about two miles from here.

I am feeling somewhat better today although not well by a considerable. I have not been out of the tent but a few times. When we go to our new camping ground, I shall have to ride.

The fever and ague is just making its appearance in camp. If it gets hold of me, I shall have to look out. As I am now, it will give me fits.

I think that charcoal ² that Mother put up for me has been the means of saving my life. I have had a touch of the summer complaint three times and from not taking any medicine but that and think it helped me. Tell Sarah I think a piece of her pie would be just….[end of letter missing]

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¹ The “heavy firing” reported in this letter remains a mystery. It could not have been from the cavalry skirmish at Lovettsville, Virginia, 60 miles away. Perhaps there were some Rebel guns firing on boats passing up or down the Potomac, which would have been in the direction of Mount Vernon.

² Among the various home remedies for treating diarrhea (the “summer complaint”) in the mid 19th century, activated charcoal was sometimes used. The carbon produced from burning wood at a high temperature was pulverized into a powder and consumed as a dietary supplement. It was conjectured that the charcoal would adsorb the toxins in the gut that were causing the diarrhea.