Jan 1^st 1863

Near Fredricksburgh

Virginia Hancocks

Division

 

Dear Sarah I sease a short time this morning to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well and although I am over five hundred miles from home I do sincerely goin in wishing you and Oliver Mary and famly a happy new year Dear Mussy on last newsyear we ware all at home and pertook of a new years Diner all together but their are no knowing whare we will be tomorough or next new year day but I do hope that we may all meat in this world again Dear Mussy we left Cockysville on the 8^th day of Dec/arived here on on the 18^th Just at the close of the battel of Fredricksburgh our Reidgement was desined to arive at Fredricksburge before the close of the battle to reinforce general Burnside but Burnside was defeated with a very hevy loss on the evening that we arived here and was not in any part of the battel I have sean it stated in some of the northran papers that Burnsided gained a great victory over the rebels This is not the case Burnsides was defeated with a loss of at least twenty thousand men it has been expected that the battle would have been renewed before this time but it has not been we are now under marching orders to leave this place tomorrow and if not revoked we will leave this place for some place unnowen to us yet. Some say to Washington others say for harpers ferrey others say to fort McHenry that is all we know about it Dear Musy the last letter I received from you is dated on the 7^th day of Dec I was glad to here that you ware all well it had two postage stamps inclosed in it which will enable me to send you one more letter it is imposable to get any Postage stamps here I received your letter after I arived here. The box of provisions you stated you and Green would send to Halk and me/has not been received boxes are not permitted to pass through the lines to this place so if it is sent it will never get here Jacob Haugh is sick he was sick in the hospitel two weeks before we left Cockeysville was sent from their to the hospitle in little york Pa since that time I have not heard from him William P. Woods has been sick and not fit for duty for the last six weeks he is only able to walk round a little Dear Mussy I wrote you a letter with my pencel on the day after I arived here I gave you a description of this place in it you have probly received it by this time I am looking anciualy for a letter from you every mail write to me frequantly I always like to hear from you and all the rest since we left Cockeysville we have had very hard times we have not sean bred since we left Baltimore we have to use hard crackers in the place of bread our other living is as yousial we have laid out in the open air ever since we came here we would have had our little houses bilt for our quarters in a day or two and now we will have to leave them for some one else The days here are warm with white frosts at nite I have sean no snow since we left Cockysville Dear Mussy the three quarters of a day that I helpt John Thompson to/take up his otes he did not pay me for it I charge him Thirty eight cents call on him and get it. excuse this bad writing I write it on my nea setting on my knapsack we have no tabels here we have to eat our victuals of the ground every thing are very dear here tobaco is two dollars a pound corn meal is six dollars per bushel whisky is three dollars a quart other things in proposion and now Mussy I do hope that you will engoy a happy New Years for my part I have no delicaseys to eat to day I conclude this letter by sending you ten new year kisses and my love to you Dear Musy give my love to Oliver and Mary Thompson & childrin and all equiring frinds good by to you and all the rest for the present                        WRodgers to Sarah Rodgers

when you write direct your letter

to WRodgers

Company I. 148 Regement P. V

Hancocks Division Second

Army Corps Near Fredricksburg

Virginia by way of Washington

Citty D. C.

SOURCES