Warrenton Va.            

August 30. 1863.

                                   

Dear Sister.

                  I have just got back from Brigade inspection, 11 o'clock. It was so cold all the morning that we had to stand by the fire to keep from freezing, but now we have had a little exercise it seems quite comfortable.

 

Our new Division General inspected us. had I told you that Bartlett had left us? he has been away two weeks or more and a man by the name of Terry now commands us. He aint a mite bigger around than a beer barrel, and a very little taller. I think he has sometime or other swallowed as much as a barrel of beer, and may be the barrel went down too. He is a queer sort of fellow in other respects also. he speaks to everybody he meets, privates as well as colonels. He will go along / through the camp take up a drum or a fife and go to rattling away on them as if they were his own property and it was his business to give us a little music, stop a man going along and ask him how his health is, another he would ask if he got whiskey enough, and how old are you, ever in service before, how long you been enlisted &c &c. If he commands this Division a year he will be acquainted with every man in it, name, where he was born, how old, and who his wife is. He said the regiment was looking nicely, and it is. I do not think there is another in the field that is in better condition as to arms, equipments, clothing, &c than this. When the colonel came along inspecting the arms the general was talking with some of the color guard about two rods in front of us. the colonel took my gun and looked it over. "By George" says he "that is a splendid musket" and passed it back to me. he finished the company and by that time the general had got through his conversation and came along to our company. Said he, "Col, I want / to examine the countersink in the hammers of the muskets to see if there has any rust collected I notice in many cases there will be dirt there when all other parts are in good shape". So he took a number and examined them. they all appeared satisfactory for he made no remarks to the contrary. The col. then came after my gun and carried it to him, says he, "Gen there is a pretty nice piece" he looked it over and said "yes." "that is fine" "Col. you have that man excused from the next "tour" of guard duty." So you see there is something gained by having a good gun. I do not think there is a better looking one in this brigade than mine, except one, and I am not sure of thats being any better.

 

We have had some awful weather this last week, for August. frost one or two nights I think you must have smelled it at home have you not. how do the cranberries stand it? are they all killed? the corn in low places has got bit haint it? How is it about that check, have you seen it yet. I put it in another of those envelopes that unseal to easy. they all got dampened through in that long spell of wet / weather while in Maryland and Penn. so that I had to wet them to get them to open, for they were all sealed up as tight as a drum when they got dried. Does Warren work for Swan now? has he built that house yet. what is Tot and H doing, painting I suppose. Where is Granny now? I have not heard from her in sometime. I should like to step in and get one of her doughnuts and a piece of cheese Give my love to her and tell her I think of her very often Tell ma that we shall soon be nine months men, and it will not take long for that time to slip away I want at least thirteen biscuit on the table when I land. you all remember I suppose that I was kinder partial to hot biscuit and a little "sass" too so be prepared. Who was that gal or "she" that wrote a few lines in your letter last Sunday. I cant think of any one but A.E. Jencks, alias, Gaskill. it looks like her writing Am I any where within fourteen rows of apple trees of the right one. You will probably know that your letter was received if you see this envelope. you will recollect it wont you.

 

I am very much obliged to Ma for the pins they came very acceptably. I shall depend upon you for envelopes till I can get some, price here 30cts for poor ones I suppose we shall have to go to drilling now patrol is done away I guess How are they getting along home on the farm                                                             L C Cook

 

We have Sour Kraut now Dutch fodder. Good.

 

[front margin upside down and side]

 

I should like to to Penn and get my overcoat it would come quite handy now. How much can you get me a pair of woollen shirts for, checked, kind of plaid I guess you call it. I shall want some for winter, no hurry about it now I do not like these army shirts. I will send you a piece of one I got in Annapolis a year ago that I have worn all along it is getting pretty well worn now. the other is all gone

 

This is about the kind of cloth I would like any color will do dark is best When you have an opportunity just inquire what you can get a pair for and you will greatly oblige

                                                                                                           

Lowell C Cook.

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