Opposite Fredricksburg Va

Monday Dec 29^th 1862

 

                                    To day is a pleasant one. We are on picket Our Company is not on post but will be to night we are laying back a short distance from the river in the sun When we are post we are directly opposite the city on the bank of the river This paper you must excuse Ed. Wheeler came down this morning not to fetch the mail but to tell us that none came this morning thinking that I should have a good opportunity to write I asked him if he had any paper with him & he produced this being all he had with him As you will se it is a Corporals Warrent one that he spoiled in making out I do not think it is as good as mine although I have forgotten how mine looks any one would think it real parchment if they did not see the straws in it Straws are not apt to grow in Sheep Skin/

 

Saturday night Judge White & Chas. Nate Wheeler arrived bringing me a very welcome letter & very a acceptable package The tobacco you sent would have cost out here $1,00 I had not received any letters from you since the 11^th & began to grow alarmed but you explain it all in yours—The story about no letters being sent for three weeks was all “Bush” for letters have come to Reg every day—yesterday all the Express Boxes that have ever been sent to Reg. arrived about every thing was spoiled I had a sleeping cap which was in good order as was all the dry goods John had a lot of things in Ed Wheeler’s box which came safe having been sent later than the rest of all them I shall get a share. The Judge proposes to come again if the boys will pay his expenses & bring whatever their friends wish to send them I think the boys will engage him to come The boys try to make things look as bad as they can to him but it will be impossible for him to know much/about it for we are living first rate now & the weather is spendid. Every thing moves smoothly For him to know all about it (I wish he might Abolitionist as he is) he should stay with us and fare like us through a bad spell of weather or a hard battle I think either would take the tempr out of him although he talks large of what he would do in such a case—About this cursed war I dont know what to think When it will End I cant imagine I believe though that more depends on the people at home than on the army I do not think we shall fight again this winter for soon the rainy season set in and then the roads are impassable There was some fighting on the right of us yesterday some 20 miles from here Seigel & Jackson I hear it was were engaged I wish I might come home in the spring—possibly I may/

 

I wrote Christmas day and sent my bounty Check which I hope will arrive safe If I had known White was coming out I should have waited & sent the check by him but I guess it will come safe to you Oh how I wish I might be to home to day with my darling God knows it seems as if the pleasure of being to home would make me crazy But I should say let her craze if I could only come There is one consolation if I live the longer I stay the more joyous will be the meeting when I do come I will send home my “pictur” when I get money enough to have it taken. Tell mother her undutifull son does not foget her out here I think of her when I am a little unwell of how she would nurse me up—You must read portions of your letters to her I don’t care on my part if the whole [?]/

 

[additional portion written on the front of the certificate] The Judge has come down to bid us good bye & I write a few words to close he did not expect to leave so soon last night was a gay time with us we had a whole barrel of apples dealt to our company I had all I wanted There is a report that we are to reinforce Seigel who is fighting if so we shall another Battle Good Bye Court

 

The love part of course though she cannot appreciate If when reading such though she says Sh[?] you must remind her of Amos.               Court

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