Camp Cooper             

Farefax County V^a

Nov 13^th 1861

 

Dear Granmother & Uncle I have bein neglecting to wrigt to you for a long time but I have at length came to the conclusion to wrigt you a few lines to let you know that I am stil in the land of the living I have had my health as well as I ever had in my life with the exception of the tooth whitch I have had for several dayes it has swolen my face up considerabley I think it will get better in a few dayes I have no news worth wrighting you at this time every thing has bein very quiet since the litle brushing we gave them at Leeasburg I do not think we will be plagued with them any more / this fall some people think they will advance a gain this fall and some think they will not if they do we will try and send them back a litle faster than they come up I think it very probable that we will not have any fighting for several weeks at any rate General Jacksons Brigade has bein sent to Winchester and it is reported in camp that they wer figting their yesterday but I canot vouch for the truth of it there is so many fals reports originate in camp that it is imposible to tell when the truth is told I mus draw my fue lines to a close Billey Morell wishes to ad a post script and I thought that I would leave him plenty of rume give my respects to Sister and Uncle Johns familey nothing mor at present but remin your afectionate grandson and nephew

Thos. W. Collay 

 

Dear Uncle & Aunt.

           This is the third time that I have written to you, and am sorry to acknowledge that I have not mailed either of them. The first one I left open for Tom Collay to write a postscript and he failed to do it. This evening I wrote another and left it in the tent for Tom to write some in and the boys spilled ink on it. So Tom wrote this one, and I am ading a postscript. I need not tell you how much W^m Clark is missed by us, a more gallant, braver, or better hearted fellow than him is not in our company. Our company went out with a portion of the Regt. on a scout last week, and captured 7 Yankee prisoners. Tom Colly got a very fine pistol from one of them, but had to give it up to the Government. I think when I capture one from a Yankee the Government may whistle for it. I have never enjoyed / better health in all my life than I have for the last 6 months My weight is 143 lbs, more than I ever weighed before. David Morells health is good. Rufus Cassell is sick. Thomas Hubble is also sick but neither of them is very bad. W^m Vaughan, Thomas Crawford is sick and has been sent to the hospital at Richmond. Emet Gray is sick and up in Loudon County at James Skinners. Randolph Buckanan has been in the hospital for 7 or 8 weeks but is able to go about again. Buck Smyths health has been rather delicate but he is still able to go about. he is now up at the Junction guarding our heavy baggage. Riddle it is thought is dead he was sent off to the hospital and has not been heard from since. besides the men that are at home on furloughs, we have 16 men on special duty detailed from our Company which curtails our Company down to about 55 men to perform interior guard and picket duty. There has been one member discharged and 2 more that wants a discharge. James King got a transfer, and Tom Collay has been promoted to the office of Pioneer, by this he gets clear of standing guard or picket. Capt. Drakes company in our Regiment was surrounded on picket at Court House last Monday night but fortunately dodged the Yankees by going out through the gardens and in the shadows of the houses without loosing a man. Col. Jones had a very complimentary notice of Drakes management read before the Regiment this morning. We had a general review before Genl. Johnson to day.

 

Your nephew                         

W. W. Morell

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