Opp. Fredericksburg Va.

Friday 6^th February 1863

 

My own Dear Wife

                                                                                    I did not think I should have time to write you before we left this place. but the storm delays one going & I gladly improve the time to write my darling. We had orders last night to march immediately for for Fortress Monroe there to report to Gen. Dix. I hastily added a few lines to a letter I had most finished to Dick Wheeler supposing I should not have time to write you & asking him to tell you that we had left this “damnable place” I hope while this war lasts I shall never see Fredericksburg again Although we have before us almost a certainty of active operations where we are going it is with few regrets that/we leave this place & those on my part are wholey on account of leaving my comfortable quarters. This morning we officialy received information of the death of A. C Babcock at Hospital in New Haven. Poor Clint. I was thunder struck I supposed according to his own story that he was playing off & was now enjoying a furlough at home. God forgive me if I have ever misjudged him. I don’t know when you will get my “picture” or rather when I shall get a chance to have it taken Since Sunday there has not been a chance & now we are going from here I don’t know when I shall see another “Pictur man” For the last week I have been waiting for John to go home before I sent you a letter But the furlough business is knocked/in the head by this unexpected move. What I mean by the furlough business is by an order from Gen. Hooker furloughs were to be granted at the rate of two to a hundred men for ten days I did not think at first that I should like to go it would be so hard to leave home again But after John had applied for a furlough then I wanted to go I should have applied to for one but only one of us could go at a time & I was coming after he got back. Another thing made me more anxious to come home was that I could go & return for about $12. and that is but a little to what I would give to see you But none of us will come very soon now I guess Where we are to go to from Fortress Monroe I can’t imagine/but it looks as if that place was to be the rendesvous of an expidition before starting for some point south some think that North Carolina is the place others that it is Vicksburg but I cannot tell I think though that Burnside will command the expidition if there be one. We have some of our provisions left but shall carry them if we don’t carry any thing else we bought some flour about the time our things came & some meal also John had soda come from home we have kept house in great shape I tell you I am a science cook we have splendid cakes every morning. For dinner to day we have boiled potatoes with beef gravey I remember how to cook from seeing mother we have for the past month lived better than the Col. himself Good bye much love         Court

 

Direct as before leaving off Army of Potomac though you don’t never put that on

 

How is mother Tell her to take good care of herself if she loves her boy.

                                                                                                C.G.Stanton

 

My love to all who should have it my respects to all others  CGS

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