(A letter)
19 July, 1870
Dearest Mumm and Dad,
This assignment continues to become more interesting, by the day!! I am still under orders not to reveal our location, and am obliged to mail this messages to Headquarters, where I am assured it is forwarded to you quickly and efficiently. I hope you receive these letters not long after I write them.
A few days ago there was some excitement which resulted in our Commandant being called away for some time. In his abscence, Captain Schneider, who, as I have formerly vouchsafed is my immediate superior (and a very efficicent and disciplined officer) was placed in charge. He did not hesitate to take the situation in hand and get things sorted out. As always there were unpleasant aspects to the job, but we took the King's Coin and Swoar the Oath so we do our duty and are proud to do it.
To sort things out we had to travel some distance, but otherwise there was no difficulty. There are many other challenges and obstacles yet before us. Corporal von Erbersbach, of who I've written much before, worries that we have not been properly equipped for the current challenges. I do not Fully understand the purpose of our current assignment, so I cannot say how likely she is to be correct, but I have faith that our Superiors know what they are doing. Or will before it is through.
Our Commandant returned and was pleased with the progress we had made in his absence, although he had some sobering news about our mission. He was not very happy to see the Count, the local civilian official with whom we are working. Apparently the Count has been pursuing a personal project at times when his attention might more productively be on the mission. They had Words, but unfortunately not a meeting of minds. Captain Schneider says that it is because the Count lacks discipline, of course he quite frequently makes desparaging comments about the Count's parents, which I am almost certain cannot be true, since the Count has inherited the title and lands.
The return of our Commandant shook things up a great deal. The time table had been accelerated, he said. Also, it seems that the challenges before us are considerably more formidable than the Count had led our superiors to believe. This has necessitated many changes of plan. I was placed in charge of one portion of the operation, reporting to Captain Schneider, of course.
We got straight to work. Well, not exactly straight to work. First I had to explain to Corporal Lichtenwaller that we were not talking about an actual table when the Commandant mentioned a time table. This is not because Corporal Lichtenwaller is slow, it is because his German is not fluent. Unfortunately some of our fellow guards think this means he is slow, and much time has been wasted while they make sport of him. I do not believe this is good for Morale and have had to have stern words with some of the fellows. I believe I made them understand the importance of the Comaraderie of the Unit. A few of the boys had to have it explained more than once. They have very hard skulls, however, and I am sure are none the worse for it.
There was also a bit of trouble with Acting-Private Garvey. I may have mentioned before the great burden he suffers of many odd illnesses which the Doctors cannot quite cure. I do not know how he does it, and always with a happy wag, um, gleam in his eye and a kind word or words for his fellows. I think he loves the work and would be unhappy doing anything else. He gets on especially well with Corporal von Erbersbach and seems always ready to lend a bit of assistance.
The preparations took all evening, this after most of the men had not had a proper night sleep the previous evening because of our unplanned excursion. The Commandant received news which greatly heartened him, and he was pleased that we were now ready to more when the order came. Which he expected it to in a matter of hours, at the most.
Unfortunately, we did not know that the Count was continuing to spent time on a personal, unrelated project. The nature of this project I can not say, but it did require a number of resources which could have been helpful to the mission, and it drew the attention of those who might wish to interfere with our duties. Before the full import of this had come to my attention, a much more pressing problem occurred in the stables and paddock. Something, and I have not yet been able to determine the source with certain, had frightened the horses so terrible, that that nearly kicked the entire building down. And it was a very well built stable, I can assure you, even if most of the construction was wood, rather than stone.
Fearing that the horses and some of the men would be killed if the stable collapsed, we had no choice but to allow the horses to run free, and hope that with distance and exhaustion sense would return to them. It was while the horses were in disarray that the several more problems came to light. The Count's personal project resulted in some rather nasty injuries to himself and to the Commandant. One of the obstacles of which I have been unable to speak frankly also arrived at our doorstep, as Corporal von Erbersbach said, "not at all metaphorically", and if Captain Schneider's cool head had not prevailed, a great deal of unnecessary suffering would have not doubt occurred.
The mission is not likely to continue as originally conceived, though I am a lowly Sargeant and do not understand such things as the Big Picture, so I may be mistaken in this. However, I am well and healthy, and in the company of my companions, who are Brave and Noble fellows to the last (even Corporal von Erbersbach and Miss Metzger, who are not technically fellows but no less Brave or Noble because of it). Command has fallen once again to the ever sturdy Captain Schneider, and I have every confidence that he will see us through this new difficulty quite ably.
I was very pleased to read in your last letter that with the Spring Thaw work begins on Shaft #7. I do not mind telling you that although, I am proud and happy to serve here, I do miss the Good Times back Home. Sometimes, when I am not on duty, I sit in the cellars or the sub-basement, close my eyes, and bang some rocks together, but it is Not the Same. Here's hoping this finds you in good health.
Your loving (adopted) son,
Clovis
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