#16

 

Corinth, Miss.

Jan. 31, 1863

 

Dear Mother:

                        I received your letter sent by Capt. King, day before yesterday. I was very glad to hear from you, as it had been nearly four weeks since the date of the last letter I had received from home.

 

            Contrary to my expectation when I wrote to Hiram I am still here in Corinth, and judging from present indications we are likely to stay here for some time to come. The camp is being fixed up, the tents raised up from the ground, stable built for the horses, etc., in a manner that indicates a stop here for a while. Part of our division have gone elsewhere, but our brigade remains here. I do not know who is the commander of our division now; but if you direct your letters to Col. Fuller's Brigade, / they will reach me. You need not hesitate at any time about directing your letters. Send them to the last place that I wrote from and I will get them wherever I may be.

 

            What shall I find to write about in this desert country? Camp life is not very prolific in furnishing matter for letters. I call this desert country. I do it purposely; for Corinth and the country round about is a desolation—both physically and morally. The town itself is a military post. Very few citizens can be found in it. Most of the houses are occupied for military purposes, whilst many have been torn down so as to give clear range for cannon. The place is very strongly fortified, being environed by a line of forts and breastworks on every side. Five thousand men can keep out 25,000. Around the town for a considerable distance the ground has / been used at some time for camps, and hardly a sign that ever one foot of it has been under cultivation remains. Not a fence remains to mark out different fields, and a few old stumps alone indicate in our own camp the presence of a once fine peach orchard. The timber has been cut down and the land tramped upon, until in many places not a sign of vegetation remains. The town contains many sutler shops, bakeries, etc, who make enormous profits upon their goods. Let me tell you some of their prices. Butter 50 cents per pound. Eggs 50 cents per dozen. Cheese 60. Fresh meat from 10 to 15. Sausage 30 cents. Head cheese 30 cents. Boots $7 per pair. Bread 10 to 20 cents per loaf; pies 20 cents.

 

            The place is a desolation morally. Not a church is there in the town, and I do not know of a chaplain among the troops encamped here. An old camp ground near / our present camp is turned into a race course, over which every day government horses are raced; Sundays not excepted. Chuck-a-luck banks and cards furnish opportunities for gambling. Many a dollar has been gambled away in this regiment since they were paid off. I am sometimes terribly discouraged at the state of things I see around me. It seems as though there were evil and only evil. I know that only a firm reliance upon God can keep me in such a place. But I know that His grace is sufficient for me. I can do very little but by the force of example. The knowledge of the fact that thousands of earnest prayers are being sent up from Christian hearts all over the land for us often encourages me greatly. Tell the Christian friends at home to fail not to remember us in their prayers.

 

            But I must close. I am anxiously awaiting another letter from home. I received a package of papers from Hiram the other day. I wish that whenever there is any news of special interest you would send me a Gazette.

 

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Could you not send the Examiner a little earlier, and not so many at a time. I think I get most of the papers sent me. I have seen two or three copies of the Republican lately. It is growing worse and worse. Does Charley Rhodes edit it?

 

            Any kind of money will pass here. They cut up dollar U.S. notes into halves and quarters for change.

 

            Write soon to Your Son

             George

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