On picket.                  

Near Brandy Station

Jan 26^th 64.

                        I am rather inclined to think my this weeks letter will not reach you in very good season. My writing Sunday was knocked in the head early in the morning. Perkins came along immediately after roll call and said "Picket at eight oclock Lowell." and picket it was and is now, and will be till noon tomorrow when we shall be relieved and go back to camp.

 

We are about five miles from our camp off in the direction of Stone House Mountain. We have had a very pleasant time so far, four of us on post together besides myself. I think it is the warmest weather I remember of ever seeing in the wintertime it is really / uncomfortable in the sun through the day and it seems good to get into the shade. we had to put up boughs to keep out the weather when we came here in expectation of a rain storm, but instead of keeping out rain it serves us better to keep out the sunshine. If this weather holds much longer the boys will be praying for mud again. they dont like to see the ground drying up so soon for it brings visions of marches long and fatiguing, fighting &c which dont go the right way with the grain. Well! I will try to write a little more. there have just been three women here, have just gone away, trying to get inside the lines. I have been jawing the last hour with them about letting them in but it was of no use they couldnt get through by my post. Wy' they say, "we have a pass signed by Sedgewick, allowing us to come in." When we came here Sunday the orders were to allow citizens in that had / passes, but before night the orders were not to allow any in at all, passes or no passes "drive them all away, not be bothered with them" they thought I wasnt very accommodating thought I was rather hod (hard) upon them after they had come so far. they had pies and milk to sell, milk twenty five cents a quart pies not so reasonable as that. some of the men bought a few pies and some milk and after a while they went away.

 

I see they have got through up above here through the 3^rd Corps pickets I guess, but they are coming back again this way, drove out perhaps.

 

Well! I suppose tonight you will exhibiting in old Harmony. I wish I could step in and see the performances. I would like exceedingly to see the school maam and have a chat with her. I used to like buss the mistress when I was a boy and sometimes I feel a little boyish now. do you think I could get near enough to your schoolmaam of the model school to do that same. / darned if I shouldnt like to try. but I shall have to let you do it for me, will you try. if you do let me know how you succeed. What gal was it that wanted to know when you had heard from the seat of war. was it the school maam. I have got all your letters up to the present time. another will be due in a day or two I got your stamps all safe. About the stockings they came all right after washing. I am pretty well supplied just now, guess have got enough to last me through.

 

I should like to know if you are having as nice weather at home as we are here. I shouldnt wonder if you have had some slushy times the robins and blue birds are having jolly old time now. it sounds good to hear them. I shall not be able to post this until day after tomorrow morning so I will break off here and write a few more lines when we get in tomorrow night L. C Cook. /

 

Wednesday 27. /'64

 

                        Well we got off picket today, relieved at eleven oclock and got into camp at two this afternoon wet through with sweat. found everything all right Loomis had dinner all ready, soup, the same one that I was getting in readiness for him when he got off picket Sunday noon, but a slight obstacle presented itself that morning which prevented my doing much in the soup line.

 

            I tell you we are having awful nice weather just now. it is just such weather as we have at home in planting time. there is no mud now and there has been no frost for / several nights past with the exception of last night.

 

            They have been making so many improvements around camp since I have been away that I hardly knew where I lived when we got into camp today. the company streets are being graded and sidewalks made so that it will be a little more agreeable getting around in muddy weather. the tents have been undergoing some alterations too ours has not, it is near enough right as it is. they are at work on a guard house too. we have been all winter without one, just decided to have one. I dont know as there is any additional news to put in to night. The papers say Frank Wheatons wife is dead. died at Harpers Ferry, so it seems by that that the third brigade is not at Johnsons Island. the first is there sure. shall I have a letter tomorrow night

                                                                       

Lowell C Cook

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