Camp at Pocotaligo S. C

                                                                                                            January 27^th 1865

 

My own Dear Fannie

                                    Your long looked for letter came to hand last night. it was dated Dec. 24^th and was directed to Atlanta, and I suppose the poor thing has been traveling around all over the U. S in search of me. You can scarcely imagine with what joy it was received and read by your humble servant. if there is a class of beings on earth who know how to prize letters from their friends’, I believe it is the soldiers. they are the only connecting link he has to home and all he holds dear on earth.

 

            Well, Fannie dear, I have very little news to write you that will prove interesting we remain statu quo as when I last wrote you which was a few days ago. we are still encamped here waiting for the / weather to take to its’ self some settled form during the past week it has been pretty rough cold rainy and windy. it is very pleasant to day but cold and windy. Yesterday I had a little fireplace built on my tent so that now I am comparatively comfortable.

 

            Our Division went out on a scout this morning and will probably not return before tomorrow evening. they went out with the expectation of having a fight. there is a Rebel fort out about five miles which our troops were going to take. I presume they will be successful for they are hard fighting men and don’t know the word fail. there had been five expeditions sent out from Beaufort against Pocotaligo before ours and they had all failed. Our Corps was finally ordered out to take the place and they took it. Genl Sherman was here yesterday looking around, seeing how things were getting along in general. he was dressed in a plain suit of citizens clothes. but there is not a man in the Old Army of the Tennessee but knows him well, be disguised as he / may. I expect we shall soon cut loose again for an other campaign. we have received orders to turn over all tents and surplus baggage so that we have got to make our houses with the broad sky for a roof, but we are used to it and in warm weather prefer it to being in camp. Fannie I received a good long letter from Sister Teen last evening. they were all well. she was very happy over the result of the election and of Shermans campaign. she is a good sister and I should like to see her very much if nothing happens next fall I hope to be able to make her a visit, if I can coax Fannie to go with me. I am promising myself a great deal of pleasure next fall when I get home and the most pleasant knowledge of all is that my dear Fannie will be there to enjoy it with me. it seemes that pleasures loose half their worth when not shared with some loving and sympathising friend. but Fannie dear I believe I will close. I am afflicted with a slight head ache and I believe my dear will excuse me from writing more this time. please give my love to all and reserve as much for yourself as you chose with a kiss your affectionate                       Frank M G

 

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P. S. I will enclose you some verses written by a Wis soldier on our late campaign, which are pretty good

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