In the mud

Somewhere near Allcock Va

November 21 1862   

 

My dear Anna

            I am about as uncomfortably situated for writing as a human could be but avail myself of an opportunity to send a line by an officer who is going to the "States" Lieut Hurd's father is at the point of death and I have procured a detail for him to recruit a band for the brigade.

 

            We have been marching as slowly as in M^cClellans palmiest days for all this week & have brought up in the mud about 7 miles from Falmouth. Since we arrived it has rained hard and I reckon that the campaign may or will be called closed for three months. / I have still 200 men absent sick. And if the attempt is made to carry on a winter campaign there wont be many left by the spring.

 

            Nobody can imagine what are the difficulties attending the march of so large an army. Six miles per day in good marching in the presence of an equal army.

 

            For instance if the army is ordered to move at 6 AM & commences to move at that time it will be noon before the last of 40000 men are on the road, and by five oclock the men ought to be closed up for the night.

 

            I am heartily sick of the policy of the government & dont care a great deal which side wins now.

 

            The army is totally disgusted & cares no more about patriotism than you do. 

 

Mr Cobb grows fat on hard bread & pork. So do I. D^r Adams is under arrest for disobedience of orders.

 

            We havent been paid for 4 months & money food & clothing are mighty scarce

 

            I dont know where we are going or what it is imagined that we are to do. I know that I should like to go to Boston or Texas.

 

            I hear that the 44^th has already seen service. What does Henry write. Have had no letters & seen no papers since Monday.

                                   

But I must close with dear love to all affy

Your husband

Fran^s J Parker

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