Near Falmouth Va     

March 24^th 1863

 

Dear Mother

                        I expected when I wrote last to be away from this place before now but I do not see any thing now that looks like an immediate move of this grand army. I was out on the roads yesterday and I wish you could see them though I should not want you to travel over them. I had to pick my way through the woods and fields. There is any number of dead horses and / mules laying around the country here. as soon as warm weather comes they will smell badly. It is pretty warm here now some days and the grass looks green in warm places the spring is backward so the settlers say. I made some good sauce from the dried apples you sent. The shirts you have made I shall not need till next fall and then they will last me till I come home. I can get clothing every few weeks and can most always keep neat and clean. I commence on the second half of my time to day and if I have as easy a time as the first half has been it will pass away quick. How long is it since Mr Shepard worked in the wool room? 

 

I was surprised one day to get a letter from Albert Phillips. I answered it promptly and hope he will write again. Bill Brown sent me a paper this week. Collins sends me daily papers. I am glad to get them. a paper here is always ten cents and one day old. Newsboys come around camp on old condemned army horses about dark selling the papers of the day before sometimes there will be something in the papers that the soldiers are not allowed to see and the papers are all destroyed at Acquia Creek landing Is there any talk of peace now. I hope there will not be peace till the rebels can propose better terms than they have done, but it only bothers my head to think about this war 

 

What does Dr. Burr think or say?

 

It is most supper time. we get soft bread every other day. today it is hard tack, so I shall make my supper in hard bread and coffee. I dont know as you ever eat any hard bread. it is not so bad as a good many say it is and we do not get as good a kind as sailors. it looks some like rain tomorrow so perhaps the army will not move for another week. good bye

Jerome

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