Camp near Holly Springs Mississippi

                                                                        Saturday afternoon Nov 29^th 1862

 

My Dear Wife             Again I seat myself to write you a few lines to you as I know you are anxious to know how I am geting along especialy if you have my letters and know that I was about to move I have Just got my tent Pitched all very comfortable in A new camp after 3 days hard Marching We arived hear last night at 10 or 11 oclock Got A Bite to eat and got to bed about 2 this morning—I stood the march beyond all my expectations and I feel about as well to day as when I started Nearly half of the officers Gave out with Sore feet and other causes—Gaulding &c &c But I got along well the weather has ben most Beautiful and to day is as pleasant as summer We have Slept on the ground each night and was so tiard I slept as sweet as I would on a fither Bed to day we was very highly complminted by our Colonel & General for Our swift march and Good dicipline We are now some 5 miles from Hollysprings in the advance of evry thing (as we generaly are) We drove in the enemys Pickets yesterday without much fighting But the Rebils have a large force the other side of holly Springs But I think they will fall Back to Jackson and if not before there we shall have a Big fight—Our Troops Burned most evry thing as they came through except where we met a flag of truce and then the Boys would hollow hang out your Shirttale &c &c all ful of fun it Looks hard But I dont/But it is our best way for this is the 3 time we have had to go over this Ground The destruction of property is awful Houses Barns fences corn cribs with thousands of Bushels of corn all laid in Ashes and to day the Boy are more than Going for things Killing hogs chickens Tirkes Geese & evry thing you can think of I guess they have gave me 8 or 10 chickens sweet Potatoes &c the hogs are Squeeling in all directions 3 divisions came with us I dont know how many troops but Supose some 15 or 20 thousand cannot tell how long we shall Lay hear prehapt 4 or 5 Days but I think not long I hope not for the watter hear we have to use water wors than any mudhole you ever saw where the hogs had wallowed it is bleue and for my part I have not drank a Particle since yesterday I would give the Last cent I have for A pail ful of my Cold well watter But I intend to come home and then I shall no how to appreciate those things at home I Recd A letter from Charles & his Boy to day they are all well he wrote a Good letter I must answer him I do not expect to get all of my letters but still I think communication will be kept up Charles says all he is waitg for is an invitation from you to come after you to LeRoy or any other Place & take you home with him I think they are cincere and you will have a good visit—Well have you the trunk & with the Trophies and things and if so what do you think of them if it was now I could send you some more for the Boys keep Bringing me things and if I can cary them I shall send home another trunk and I mean when/some of these times I may send you a piece of silk as A Silk dress or something else never mind I will send you something nice if I have Good luck how did pet like his things he said they was prety nice dident he—Well I have Just eat the Last Appele and had A drink of wine and now I am all Right what are you going to do with the Dammask isent that nice—Well I dident see Mrs R

 

Well Cinda it is Monday noon Dec 1^st and hear I am Seated By an out door fire in a mudy Cornfield Just as I was Writing Day before yesterday and the Bugle sounded the officers Call and we was Ordered to move in one hour & A half we started and went about 2 miles and camped after dark and yesterday morning started again and marched till after dark and camped in A Cornfield of some hundred Achers we were geting Ready it was thundering Lightning and we pitched our tent and Just as we got in it there came a Gust of wind and Over went our tent and tumbled us all over with it and I never saw it Rain harder I got wet and so did my Blankets I was officer of the Guard Well I done the best I could But I suffered some with cold I expected to take a hard cold I was tiard and slept some it is still cold But the Rain is over we are drying our Blankets and doing the Best we can I feel first Rate there is not an officer who has stood the  march beter than I have We are now near Granada Rite in the Enemes country where Our forces have never ben 5 miles from the Talahatchie River we had a little fight yesterday Drove in 4 thousand of the enemy—We are all in Good spirits and are daily expecting a fight if they dont Run so dont worry about me I will do the Best I can/

 

Well I was going to say I did not see Mrs R before I left and I am glad of it I did not want to I visted with him he Owed me some 20 dollars But I have orders on the man for it Pay day I have had excelent Luck so far I have not Lost any thing of any amount We have tried Prety well for warthog Super we had chicken Hard Bread and the Can of Strawburies you sent me Nothing ever tasted as good to me I have not opened the Grapes the Wine Botle Broke & I lost it all I would sooner Lost 5 dollars Well I must close for now we stay hear to day and I have several letters to write

 

Well my dear it is evening and the word has come that the mail goes as at 8 this evening and I must finish this I have not much more to say only to tell you my health is first Rate for All I slept wet I took no cold and am in good spirits My men are all in Good cheer and say they are glad of the change of commanders they Poring me a share of evry thing they get and are cheerful and will do any thing for me they say they are Beter cared for than any other company and I mean they shall be while I command them We are now within 4 or 5 miles of the Talahachie River and the Rebils a thousand strong swear we shall not cross we may move tomorrow But cant tell you will hear from me often I shall write a few lines to night to LeRoy so if you are there you will hear from me I have only 25 men in the Company I hope to hear from you soon Kiss my Pet and tell him to be a good Boy We may have A Litle fight Before I write again But if we do you wont hear that I Ran Keep up good cheer and do the Best you can write often Give my Love to all I Remain your sincere Husband till Death shall seperate us  Geo

 

[front margin:             Cinda no doubt you will hear of A Batle by the Papers Before you hear from me again but Be cool and do as you did Before wate till you know the Best or worst I will write as soon as I can            A Kiss

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