No 45.                                                                                                

Woodville, Ala.

Monday, Jan. 18^th/'63

 

Dear Mollie

I received 2 letters from you today, they came in one invelop, no. 39, 40. I was glad to get them, for I have not had one since the 7 & the time seams longer than it is. the time dont pass off as fast when we are in camp as it does when we are on the march. I am glad you did not start for Illinois as you intended, for the weather must be uncommon cold, it must be as bad as it was seven years ago. I dont like the cold winter, but for all that I think I would stand it if I was thare & this war was over. you spoke about my not geting some of your letters. I have all of them up to this time. you spoke about Mrs. Handys twins being ded. I think it is a blessing for the children, if they had of lived to grow up they would often cursed the day they were born well it is almost night & I must stop, it looks some like a storm. /

 

Tuesday the 19. well Mary I said last night it looked like a storm, it did storm. we had snow anough so that I had a wash this morning, by gathering it off from a log, so you see our snow storms are very light down here. Len wanted I should tell you that he had been up all night on guard & had just come in & is going to take a nap. he has 2 pillows, he has warmed them & thinks they are very nice. the sun has come out this morning & the snow wont last long. we have had some very nice weather the past week. it was warm anough to go without a coat. I am glad you got the children such nice preasents for christmas, but I am afraid you told them a story about it. I let Landon read your letters last night. he thinks they are very good & that you must have some awful cold weather he did not get a letter, he feels some uneasy about his folks, but I think they are all right. Landon thinks the verses on the envelop are first rate, try it again. /

we have a very warm shanty, it is 8 feet square & we have a fireplace in it. thare are 3 of us in it. we are hulling some corn to day. we thought we would have a change once more. we have not had eny bread yet. I think we will draw some flour the next draw & that is to morow. transportation is very scarce. thare is but one train of cars that runs here & it is all they can do to get suplies here for our corps. we dont hear much from the rebs now days, but I supose we will when spring comes. they are taking every thing from the age of 15 to 50, none are exempt except cripels. they intend to give us a hard fight, but we can whip them. they have thousands that will not fight much & will disert the first chance they have. a great many of the prisoners that was taken at Chatanooga said that they would never fight us again & thousands would come to our lines if they could. I think it is a goodeal as a reb said at chatanooga, that we would not have eny / use for cannon much longer, for we could almost shoot across the confederasy now & by the time we whiped them once or twice more, we could shoot across with our muskets & I think they will all see it by another fall, at least I hope they may you spoke about Dons health being so poor, I am very sory to hear that he is geting worse. I was in hopes the change of climet would improve his health but it seams not. I am afraid he will not live long. I think it is to bad that a man should die so soon, afrer serving his country as long as Don has. well Mary I dont no as I have much more to write this time the boys are all well as common & I am fat & harty. Landon said I should tell you he was allright. I would have writen to you sooner but I was waiting for a letter from you. I expected you had gone to Illinois but it was the snow that stoped your letters. I wrote your mother a letter the 10, no more this time       

 

From Oliver to Mollie C Shibly good by

 

[margins]

 

I wrote to Henry the first. I supose he has it before this. I dont no when the mail will go out if it dont go out to morow I will write more

 

Tell John, I said he must be careful & not freeze off of the handell, for he would be in a bad fix. I would like to have him write to me.

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