Nov 13^th 1862

Camp in Loudon Valley

 

Dear Mother

                Your letter of the 9^th is received I am glad to find that you have such a stock of correspondence I have just come in from picket I have marched over a hundred and fifty miles since I left Pleasant valley have been on picket evry day for the last two weeks yesterday I left camp for picket with six out our company we marched to Kanes Headquarters from there to on to Leesburg turnpike to meet the stewart cavalry they had skeddadled back we then went on picket marched for ten miles, six of them without halting we came near having a meeting I never was so tired in my life we are all sick of huddling around this way the rebs come verry near our pickets and they reported that we were taken by the rebels we should be better off I think we came to camp here saturday last / it snowed last Friday we had to sit up all night by a fire to keep us from freezing all the boys are sick of this shifting around so my boots are all worn out I shall have to get a pair I cant see how it is that I have kept up so I have done duty evry day but one since I enlisted our reg fares worse than any other reg in the army we are called A No. 1 by military men Philip Helenthall wife was here to see about conveying his remains on to Cromwell I was one of the Pall Bearers he was buried with military honors 8 men were detailed as escort 6 men were detailed as Pall Bearers the rest of the Company acting as an escort the dead march was played by the Drum Corps it was solemn we have not had service for over four weeks we dont like him he better go home and put his feet to soak (the Chaplain) I know how Loomis feels mine are about the same / the war will close before long I hope the North will compromise with the south last Friday night we could not lie down on account of the snow on Saturday we left the Shenandoah and came back in to Loudon Valley a distance of seventy miles from 11 AM to 5 PM we made a fire but the first I know I was called to do guard duty then I wished the Abolition goverment in the bottom of some place I think you never heard such grumbling in your life Deserting is spoken of by the Officers aplenty and I dont blame them we have built or are building some log houses for Winter quarters but we dont think we shall be here to live in them for we commenced some in Pleasant valley and had to quit them but we must have some thing besides our blankets or Cromwell boys will be some where else besides in dixie 

 

I hope you will not worry about me as I shall try to take care of my health they the boys dont like it to think that Abe Lincoln has put Genl McLelen out of his office you must write soon I will now draw to a close by bidding you good bye till my next the tobaco is [finger print] so Capt Hubbard writes

wishing to be remembered to all I remain your Affect

                                                           

Son George

 

this is the 3^rd letter since five PM now ½ 8

 

tell father not to get discouraged about his crops Sage and so on

                                                Write soon

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