New Haven, Connecticut
March 11, 2001
Dear Friends,

A very fine early spring day greeted the members of the Old Eighth in our home state this day. We were humbly beseached to participate in the oldest St. Patrick's Day Parade in the state, and we were surely honored to do so.

We arrived by the cars in New haven early in the morning, and assembled in the Norton Street area of the city. In due time, the parade was formulated, and the military division included several sister regiments such as the 69 NY, the 2 CHA, the 27CV and of course the 8CV.

We proceeded down Chapel Street to the thrill and wonder of the public, and enjoyed the cheers and the clapping of the crowds of home state citizens. As we got closer and closer to the center of the city, the numbers of spectators grew and grew until the way was quite close and the parade was squirming to get through the space alloted. There was no discomfort at this close quarteres, and the boys simply relished the attention. The noise of the crowds was so great that the orders were hard to hear, yet the old Eighth veterans were sure of their movements and executed every maneuver with precision.

We passed the campus buildings and locations of the Yale University, and marveled and the splendor of the place. Soon, we passed the green and turned on to Church Street. In a short distance, we moved the regiment into line of battle, having marched the route by the right flank, and presented arms as we passed the reviewing stand, full of city politicians and dignitaries of the event.

We were humbled by the showing of respect and support that all the citizens of the city demonstrated for us, and as the parade ended at the junction of Church Street and Grove Street, we showed the public a charge of bayonets, cleared our weapons, and trudged back the few miles to our baggage train waiting to bear us back to our quarters.

All in all, the New Haven citizens and the St. Patrick's Day Parade organizers are the heroes of the day, and afford us so much warmth that we would love to serve the city on a permanent basis. But of course, our oath is to serve the Federal governmanet as volunteers for three years or the duration of this Rebellion, and back to the seat of War we will soon be conducted for the pending campaign season.

Please remember us and our faces as we will certainly return to the new Haven city, but a few of those patriots might not make it back on this earth, so we surely will pray for them and their families.

Your obedient servant,
Seth.