Tuesday M Aug 4,

No letter yet from Sally

I am going to

send this North without

further delay

 

Warrenton Va.           

Aug. 1^st 1863.

                                   

Dear Sister.

                   Your last Sundays letter has not arrived yet, but we may move between now and tomorrow or I would wait till then before writing so as to make square work all around.

 

We have had a whole week of rest, nothing at all to do except to cook our victuals and "forage". This latter article is getting about played out for there is not a pig, sheep, potatoe, or any thing else eatable within five miles of here except what has been kept under guard for the special use of the owners. They have to have a little to live on themselves, or they would become / dependent on Uncle Sam for their living, so it's cheaper for the government to protect a part of their property if its only enough to keep from starvation. There is no one hardly that claims to be for the Union. they are all Secession to the backbone. The women are worse than the men, but men there is none except old men, and a few boys. There are some slaves that do the work on some farms, but only a few, most of them having ran away. I saw a woman standing guard over a yoke of oxen the other day, in order to save them from the "general destruction" Her cows had been driven into the little front yard among the flowers, and the women were keeping them from being driven away. I have never seen a soldier yet that would take anything away by force out of a persons hands, but if any thing is lying around loose, / it is very apt to walk off. We have had fresh pork and mutton all the week, but we shall have to come down to Uncle Sams fodder now if we stay here. There is some curious operations going on here in Army matters. The 37^th Mass has left us and gone no one knows where every teamer and detailed man was called in to their regiment yesterday and away they all went. I believe they are going to New York city. the men thought they were going to enforce the draft. But I should not be surprised if they went to Charleston S.C. to enforce the draft there A good many other regiments have been detached in a like manner and gone off where no one knows. This is not the only movement that looks blind to us, every thing seems to be in motion but us. the other two Corps are moving somewhere. our first Division moved away somewhere today and the second is back several miles from here not having come up to this point with us. Our Division still remains here but we are / expecting to leave at any time, perhaps sooner. We have good camping grounds here, up on a hill almost out of sight in the clouds. We do not have any shade, they never put us in the woods nowadays, no siree. They say it is healthier in the open air in the hot sun and I suppose it is so. I am living alone now, got a tent all by myself my old woman was detailed last Monday morning to go to work at the Brigade Commissary. I suppose he will stay during good behavior. It is a little more comfortable being alone but a fellow has to always stay at home or run the risk of losing his rations if they are issued while away. I have had plenty of chances to get me another woman but I should rather live alone through this hot weather. I have scratched my head with that comb every morning since it arrived. it is a good one but I am afraid it will faint away pretty easy carrying it in my pocket as I do. I found a ten cent note also in the letter. accept my thanks, and hand a few over to Ma too. I have not had a chance to look around for Tom Satchell. I was in the 12 corps at Manassas

 

[written through upside down]

 

Gap but I was thinking Tom was in the 2^nd Corps. We have had fine weather here of late, a little showery occasionally but no storming weather. It seems you have been having a little of our Gettysburg thunder. I am glad you cant see how it looked or what a racket there was where it come from. It looked as if there had been awful ripping work done there and it sounded as though there was too.

 

I guess I will not write any more now. If there is any time in the morning I will put in some thing if your letter gets along by that time. L C Cook

 

            Little Billy Green has been drafted. He was discharged from the regiment you will recollect nearly two years ago at Brightwood. Hawkins is drafted too he was discharged the latter part of last winter. Billy Read about the same time also drafted. When is that six cent postage law going into effect. I expected to see double postage on your letters before now.

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