Camp of Troup Artillery Jan. 10^th 1863

 

My dear Mother

                        I received a letter from Pa this morning brought by Lee Lyle bearing date 4^th and in which he says by the farthest he will rejoin his co. today so I write this to you as I judge he has already left. He states that no letter has been received from me since the letter of Fredericksburg. I wrote immediately after the fight to you and also to John Patrick. A few days after I wrote to Bea in reply to hers and since we have been down here. I have also written to Bea how to account for the wholesale irregularity. I am unable to do. But I guess you have heard that most of the artillery has been moved from Fredericksburg to this place, about 25 miles from F & about 31 miles from Richmond. The object was to obtain more food for our horses. We are in 3 miles of the RailRoad, but I believe no P. O. is handy. This country is like the greater part of Virginia about eat out by soldiers. The demand is not so great here as at most places from the fact that there are not so many soldiers. I judge there are only about 1500 in all. A very good dinner can be had by riding about 2 miles in almost any direction for fifty cents, which a soldier calls a killing low price. All around there are a good many nice young ladies our boys are visiting every night. At least a small number of them. I have only been visiting twice and I rekon this is about as good as I can do. I find the young ladies very agreeable with a large show of old Virginia hospitality. Capt. Carlton returned from Fredericksburg yesterday and he says many seem to think another fight will take place there soon, and I dare say with the same result. The boys have all give up the idea of going to Georgia. North Carolina seems to be getting in a critical position and I think more than probable that we will be ordered there. At least I expect that is as near Georgia as we are likely to go. We have put up very nice winter quarters though not on a very extensive scale. I have one most of the boys put them up for only two men. They run up the logs about five feet high and put a chimney to it, and then cover them with small Yankee flies. They are very comfortable in rainy days expecially. The weather has been exceedingly fine lately and bid fair to continue so but today it is rainy without everything looks gloomy and dejected. It chills one today oh how pleasant to be at home today around a warm fire. Enjoying the society of happy friends. Telling tales of bygone incidents & anecdotes but the soldier must console himself with the ironic maxim (rendered so though by its application) “Alls for the best” Pa speaks of small pox in Athens and Cartersville. This would have been dreadful to me some time ago—but our company has already sent off one with it and another now lives in camp who will be sent off in a few days. In the Army a man gets poor attention at best. but it is surprising to me how one can feel for his brother soldier. For when a soldier dies everything goes on as before scarcely a sigh escapes even one of his weeps and in ten minutes they are as lively as ever. Perhaps you may say unfeeling wretches. It may be applicable for aught I know. but again nurses for small pox are hard to find as you will know. Many fearing the disease often parents neglect their children through fear of the disease. But let a soldier be laid on a bed of sickness by the dreadful disease. He never calls in vain for a nurse, and attend him though it may be with rough hands than those of his mother or sister. Now to him who is ever ready to risk the disease by nursing his comrade you would not apply the name of unfeeling wretch but something entirely different such as God bless him! But now perhaps this same man may be the one who before the name of unfeeling wretch was applied, now is what has now surprises me. They go with their wanted fun at the death of a comrade but at his sufferings they grin. But the Army is the great school of nature. I hope you will receive the letter I wrote you at Fredericksburg. I received all the clothing you sent &c. I wrote in that letter for you to hold on to that overcoat if John did not take it—if he does take I wish he would send the boots immediately. I can have a splendid suit

SOURCES