"Hon. William Cothren, Dr. C. H. Webb, and others of the Committee for recruiting in the town of Woodbury: Gent:-Enclosed you will find $30, which I desire you to use for the best interests of our volunteers, with the most earnest prayers, and sincere, good wishes of their friend, and yours,CHARLES E. ROBINSON." During the five weeks succeeding the patriotic meeting referred to, the volunteers were busy drilling, the Committee in recruiting, and the citizens, particularly the ladies, in soliciting contributions of every thing useful for the soldiers, who were to go in haste to the front. Havelocks for the head, needle-books, towels, clothes, shoes, and red-flannel shirts, were prepared and distributed to the brave boys, who exhibited in turn a grateful recognition of their zeal and kindness. At length, the company was called to go to Hartford, to join Colt's Regiment, as they supposed. On Saturday, the 18th day of May, the company, which had, from the color of the flannel the ladies had given them, gained the sobriquet of the "Woodbury Reds," but who called themselves the Woodbury Valley Rifle Company, "fell in," and after marching through the principal streets of the village, partook of refreshments in the . grounds of the writer, where a large portion of the inhabitants of the town had assembled, to cheer them, on their departure for the unknown results of their patriotic venture. They were escorted, by some of the leading citizens, to Hartford, preceded by the Woodbury Drum Corps. The streets were crowded with citizens, who made themselves hoarse with enthusiastic cheering. Flags floated every where, while every window was crowded with patriotic ladies, waving handkerchiefs, and in every way manifesting their respect and approval of the departing braves. At Watertown, the reception was no less enthusiastic, and as to the reception in Waterbury, the following is taken from the AMERICAN of that date: "THE WOODBURY TROOPS.-The Woodbury Valley Company C. in Colt's Revolving Rifle Regiment, left Woodbury for Hartford on Saturday last, accompanied by some of the principal citizens of that place. At Waterbury, the Co. was received by Mayor Bradley, and was escorted by the Union Spear Co. and a large body of citizens, to Brown's Hotel, where refreshments were served. The Co. was then escorted to the depot, where eloquent and patriotic addresses were made by Mayor Bradley, H. B. Graves, S. W. Kellogg, and Wm. Cothren, Esqrs., and by Dr. J. G. Beckwith, of Litchfield, who furnishes two sons for the Company, one of whom is the Captain. "The Company arrived at Hartford about 5 o'clock P. M., and after marching through the principal streets, went to their quar ters in Colt's steamboat depot, a commodious and excellent place. The Company was highly complimented by the citizens and soldiers in Hartford, and were pronounced to be one of the firest companies that had yet arrived, in drill, appearance, and good behavior. They will give a good account of themselves. "Previous to their departure for Hartford they passed the following resolutions: "Resolved, That our best thanks are due to, and are hereby tendered to the ladies of Woodbury for their indefatigable labors in fitting out our soldiers for the service of the United States in Col. Colt's Revolving Rifle Regiment. "Resolved, That our thanks are hereby tendered to those of Woodbury who have aided in fitting us out for said service, and we are determined to do them honor under the flag of our country. "Resolved, That we are under especial obligations to William Cothren, Esq, who has been untiring in his efforts to promote our welfare, and has shown himself to be an honest man, a most liberal friend, and a patriot in the highest sense." The gathering, subsisting during the weeks of drill, and fitting out of this first company furnished by the town, though there were no bounties in this early stage of the war, cost not less than a thousand dollars. It is only by considering these ever-accruing small items of expenditure of the war, in every town and hamlet in the entire North, that we are able at last to grasp an idea of the vast total that the late rebellion cost our government and people. This "first offering" of our old town, as they marched away from their homes in our beautiful borders, officers and men, were as follows: Captain,-Josiah G. Beckwith, Jr. 1st Lieut.,-Wilson Wyant. Sergeants,-DeGrasse Fowler, William H. McKay, Richard H. Spring, and Charles N. Newton. Corporals, Burton Downs, Calvin A. Hubbard, Albert Winton and George A. Chatfield. Philip H. Wells, Privates. Joseph Marshall, Wm. H. Cone, John Ledger, John M. Quinn, Robertson, Edward A. Root, John Gordon, Hugh S. Gosley, Henry M. Dawson, James L. Warner, Ransom P. Tomlinson, William Barton, Edward Knickerbocker, Joel F, Sellick, Myron G. Bishop, Charles A. Squire, Richard Condon, Charles Gosley. After the arrival of the Company at Hartford, it was recruited to the full standard, and Col. Colt's organization having been given up, it joined the 5th Regiment, under Col. Ferry, and was afterwards known as Co. E. of that organization. As such it participated in all the arduous campaigns in which that Regiment was engaged, crowning its glorious record by participating in Gen. Sherman's grand march to the sea! Subsequently to the disastrous battle of Bull Run, and others in the spring of 1861, there was a lull, and an apparent unwillingness on both sides of the fight to risk more than was necessary in actual conflict, while they both were leisurely engaged in collecting, arming and drilling their numerous legions. Col. Ferry was ordered, with his Regiment, in July, to guard the Upper Potomac in Maryland. This was a dry, distasteful, dull duty, quite different from the stirring scenes which the soldiers expected, when they "left for the front." When the "Woodbury Reds" left Woodbury, it was still judged injudicious to march our troops through Baltimore, but they were sent round by Annapolis. Not yet had Gen. Butler taken possession of that rebellious city, which had massacred some soldiers of the glorious Massachusetts sixth, as it was hastening to the rescue of the capitol of the Nation. The writer will ever have a vivid remembrance of that foul deed, as a near relative was among those who shed this first blood to preserve the integrity of the Union. Woodbury, too, has an abiding interest in this first glorious act of Gen. Butler, in silencing the traitorous city, and opening the way tó Washington for the passage of the loyal troops of the North to the capital of their country; for he is of Woodbury origin. His grandfather, Capt. Zephaniah Butler, who fought under Wolff at Quebec, was a native of Woodbury. At the Waterbury ovation to our Woodbury Boys, on their way to join their Regiment at Hartford, frequent allusion was made by the speakers to their "marching through Baltimore," and at every such mention, the air rung with their cheers, and with the stern avowal, that they would "march through Baltimore," and they did,-thanks to the wise and vigorous action of Gen. Butler. Being assigned to patrol duty, it was not much to their liking, and they pined for more active duty. In their rough, soldier way of expressing it, they were "spoiling for a fight," and the squelching of the rebellion. Their letters from camp at this time, to friends at home, were full of this complaint about their enforced inactivity. A few extracts from letters received by the author at this time, will show this more fully. They will also show how the soldiers felt in regard to that small number of persons, who somewhat faintly clamored for peace. It is these outpourings of the heart, written on the spot, and with all the feelings of the supreme hour, that give us the clearest pictures of the soldier-hearts, that were in the great contest. The first letter is from Capt. Robert G. Williams, of Co. G., 4th Conn. Vols., afterwards the 1st Conn. Heavy Artillery. He was the last pastor of the 1st Congregational Church in Woodbury, and the people had a great interest in his movements, when it was known that an irresistible, conscientious impulse compelled him to enlist in the armies of the Union. CAMP ABERCROMBIE, HAGERSTOWN, MD., July 31st, 1861. "WILLIAM COTHREN, Esq-My Dear Friend.-Yours of the 6th of July was received by due course of mail. I was very soon detailed, with a portion of my Company, to do escort duty for a train of baggage wagons to Martinsburg, which occupied two days. The next day after my return I was taken sick, and remained so for two weeks, and have not yet fully recovered. "On the 4th of July, the left wing of the Regiment was ordered to Williamsport, to protect stores and provisions there, the Division under Gen. Patterson having been ordered forward. The day was very hot, we marched slowly for us, and only reached Camp at dark. We bivouaced. I ate my supper just at 12 P. M. At 2 A. M., an alarm raised us all, but it was only an alarm. In the morning we moved Camp and remained there more than a fortnight, expecting to move every day. We had orders to hold ourselves in readiness to march at a moment's notice. Detachments of our Companies were continually sent over to Virginia, and made several captures from the rebels, of various value. One party went ten miles and back, during the darkness of one night, and took a rebel Captain (Mr. Geary) whom they found hid between two feather beds. "On Saturday last, I was ordered to report, with my whole Company, at this place in the A. M.-We left the camp at Williamsport at 5 A. M., and reached this place at 6-20 A. M., a distance of six miles. I was obliged to ride, and the Company came on under the 1st Lieut., who remained in the rear, and allowed the men to come as they pleased. I overtook the Company just as it reached here. We are highly complimented for our march it being really before breakfast. "I advised the men to stop at a spring about half way, and eat the breakfast they brought with them. They had their knapsaks, haversacks, canteens and arms. I am happy to report, that Company G. is at the head of the Regiment for discipline and drill. Some of the rest do not like it very well, but such was my aim and purpose. "I am writing now in front of my tent, and also witnessing their gymnastics. They are forming a pyramid, five men at the base, four in the next tier, three in the next, and one or two in the next. With the tiers they easily march around the street. Often, one takes another on his shoulders and marches all around the Camp. Many of them turn somersets, handsprings, &c., and with the musket are equally ready. "Our Regiment is doing nothing but guard duty, which is not so actively military as we had hoped, but we have obtained a good |