Camp near Panenton Oct. 29 63

 

Dear Dot

                                    Here is Thursday evening and no letter from you. Your usual Sunday letter has never reached me. I wonder and come to the conclusion you must have gone on your intended visit to New York. Since I last wrote, we have not done much but move our camping ground and hold ourselves in readiness to move at a moment's notice. This order we have had so often, that we do not consider it worth anything until we receive orders to "strike tents" and then we pitch in and hurry up things generally. The Rebs are reported as across the Rappahannock at Bealton Station, some 6 miles from us, but that don't frighten us, for we would fancy nothing more than to have them come at us. We are all ready for them, and we feel that if we could have one good brush, we would go somewhere into winter quarters. As it is we are all uncertainty. We have gone to some trouble in logging up our tents, and putting the fancy touches on our camp, but we may not enjoy it long. Our tent is as usual, one of the most comfortable in the line. We have our fireplace and nestle together as warm as possible at night. So we enjoy the present, to a certain degree and / care but little for the morrow. We have so little comfort lately, that a very limited amount of that specific article is a huge thing. I do not wish to complain, but we had much fatigue and hardship to undergo during the celebrated retreat and subsequent advance. Much of our exposure was unnecessary, doubtless, but that consideration does not avail us much. For two weeks we had not even our blankets, and if it had not been for my gum coat, I know not what would have become of me. All the Officers were on the same box and loud were their complaints. But let us sum up the results, and see how much we gained. We retreated before the Rebs, Meade saved our Army and cumbersome baggage train, almost intact. Each time the Rebs attacked us, they met a terrible repulse. We halted and offered them battle. They refused to attack us and hied back to their intrenchments on the south bank of the Rapidan, when we prepared to advance. They will not fight, unless upon ground of their own choosing. I believe the Rebs after all to be very weak in our front, that their Generals have been utterly confounded by Gen. Meade, and that they do not want to fight unless forced to it by our General. In fact I begin, myself, to see / the end of the Rebellion. I may be wrong, but I fancy a few months will see this war settled. The Southerners are but human beings like ourselves and human nature must in time become exhausted. And now I must speak of an event in the history of the 119^th Regt. P.V. This evening, we were astonished somewhat by the arrival of no less a person than one Lieut. Col. Gideon Clark! He has come at last—eagerly expected—his presence at length, comforts us. I did think his reception would not have been at all flattering to himself. The Col. has inveighed so strongly against his protracted absence, that I anticipated an open rupture, when he made his reappearance. But mark you! He brought with him a certain shoe trunk in which were stored away bottles of whiskey, lemons, and in fact everything calculated to produce a good impression on a whiskey loving Colonel, and "presto", all past misdeeds were forgotten and forgiven, and our brave Lieut. Col. is the best fellow alive, not a word against him, and all accusations against him are turned, for the present at least, in a few bottles of "good old Monongahela". Do not think I am "sarcastical" It is the honest fact. Do not say anything to anybody of the confessions I am / making, for they involve my Col. The man who stands up and does his duty to his country is not to be compared to him who can furnish his Col. with a bottle of whiskey. I dare not say more but if ever the time comes, when the mysteries of the Regiment can be exposed, our gallant Col. will be shown up in a most beautiful light. I am sometimes almost tempted to apply for a position in a negro regiment, so unpleasant has it become here. News, we have none, gossip likewise. So for Heaven's sake dear, write often, for in your letters is my only solace. Body and soul are worn and done in but they amount to nothing. I enclose a small note about the private affair giving my opinion. Give my love to all at home, respects to all good friends, and dont forget remembrances to Richard—Hoping to hear from you soon believe me to be as ever

                                                                                   

Yours devotedly

Andy

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