Camp Sedgewick.      

Near Brandy Station, Va.

Dec 6. 1863.

                       

Dear Sister

                                    I have thought better of the statement made in my last Friday's letter of not writing today. It is rather cold and disagreeable outside so I thought I might as well occupy a few minutes of my time in writing as to lay around the fire in the smoke. It managed to get along yesterday all day without raining, but it tried the best it knew how to. Towards night the sun came out warm and pleasant, but in the night the wind whipped around into the north cold as Greenland and blew like great guns.

 

Folks at home I suppose think now that the ground is beginning to freeze that the army might move without danger of getting into the mud. while we were across the Rapidan the plank roads that were not wet were frozen / hard as a rock, but in all low places it did not take but a short time for the artillery to find mud deep as any one would wish to see. A winter campaign had not ought to be allowed. It is just murder and nothing else. I really believe there was more men frozen to death than there was killed outright. many men froze by reason of getting wet in crossing little streams and marshy places. It was about as sure death to lie down in trying to avoid rebel bullets as it was to stand square up to the music and take them as they came Let a man get wounded so badly as to be unable to help himself and lay bleeding all night in between the two lines. he wont need any help or care by the time it comes morning, he will be past that. We were in the darndest country I ever was in before or ever want to be in again I dont wonder Hooker got lost, or Meade either. woods, woods, woods, and nothing but woods. It was so thick we could not see the length of the regiment half the time. All day Monday the / little Minnie's were singing over our heads, but not a man could we see from our position, and in all the time we were across the river I saw only one rebel, and he lay in the gutter side of the road with a ball through his breast. We got out of rations the last day over and that helped matters considerably. there was rations plenty in the supply train but that was getting back across the river as fast as possible so they could not issue to us. I eat all three of my meals in the morning just about a good meal, and then went till the next morning before I eat again, then cleaned my haversack of everything except a little butter of Ma's. I can get along very well all day with only a meal in the morning when we are on the march better than than when we are lying still in camp It seems to be the general idea throughout the army now that military operations for this winter are at an end. I think the army will fall back north of the Rappahannock if not as far back as the old line at Warrenton. 

 

I see some newspaper correspondents think we shall fall back to the heights around Centreville. we shall do something before long

 

Your last Sundays letter came through Friday night, so I now know my bill is safe I think I will send $10. in this letter. I have sold my watch that I found at Downsville last year $10.75 worth picking up. I lost my case knife in our late tramp, lost it twice yes three times. the last time it staid lost. I see there wasnt much use to try to keep it. it was bound to go and it has gone Do you think you could send one in a paper there is one I used to eat with at home about the kind, short, stiff, and strong, the handle riveted onto the blade. If you can send one in this way I would like it. I tell you these shirts are about the right things this weather. I put on the one Ma made this morning wore yours most two weeks.

 

Henry C. Tayer you recollect in the tent with Lewis and me last winter died last month at his home. I saw Lewis morning with Bells necktie around his neck. L.C.C.

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