Roanoke Island N. C. Dec. 24. 1864

 

Dear Cousin Charlotte.

                                    I have been to NewBerne and returned this week and I am now in possession of your kind letter which you sent there. You may be sure I am sorry I did not receive it before for it is a very interesting one and of course would have been more so if it had been received as soon after as might have been reasonably expected. But that was not your fault and I am much obliged to you on the whole and hope you will repeat the opperation as often as possible. I wish you a Merry Christmas and many more. What are you doing to day? At church I suppose and I wish I were there. I would like to visit Westerly once more and hope to do it sometime. I hope you are not having worse weather than we are here tho it is not very / bad for this season. The wind is from the North West and ice has made hard enough to bear a man in one night. The cold takes hold of me nearly as much in these cold spells as it used to at home when it was much colder. This is the 3^d winter I have been here and I expect I should suffer very much to go North now to stay unless I was within doors most of the time, but there is no danger of having to try it before next winter and all may be different then. Cap. Dan. A. came here last night and received his order for muster out of the service at his own request and left for home to day so you see he made a very short call. Edgar’s Captain is here and thinks Edgar is doing very well for a Prisoner as he is in a hospital where they get better feed and good shelter. Cap. Adams got away from Collumbia S. C. and went thro’ to Dalton where he found our troops. A great many of our soldiers / and officers have escaped and many more are being exchanged now and I hope they all will soon. About one half of those captured at Plymouth are dead. I think I was exceeding fortunate in not being captured there and have no disposition to complain of my fortune in that respect as I believe it saved my life. Ralph has resigned and gone home so I am nearly alone. I do not think I shal get home before my time is out but I may. I am having very good health now. The 85^th went to Plymouth on an expedition while I was gone to New Berne and I am here so you see I have nothing to do yet. I am back to the 85^th for duty and am no longer recruiting so you will please direct to me, 85^th here and I will get the letters all right. I hope to receive them often as I shal be lonesome now the old acquaintances are all gone. I called on Mrs. Lehman and family at NewBerne and had a good visit. When I was last at Plymouth I visited a family there with four young / ladies and had an old fashion times visit. They have had but little society there and here on Roanoke there never was any that was worth looking after. I suppose when I do get home I shal not be fit to go into decent company without being drilled to its forms a while. But I may not have the fortune to get back atall so I give myself no uneasiness on that score. It is getting late so I will retire. 26^th We had a most glorious Christmass day. It was a warm as could be desired for comfort and the weather made every one cheerful in spite of themselves. We had an excelent dinner and I had some Egg Nog and a plenty of new native wine. The wine made here is as good as any in the country and is certainly pure. I went about the Island some and saw the contraband meetings which are sometimes quite amusing. They get the spirit very easily and cut up beyond all account. One woman got happy a short time ago and got on the seat to dance and fell off and broke her neck. Several have hurt themselves and every day something haptens among them tho now the are more careful. There are over three thousand darkies here and they do not have much for the women and children to do but get religion. They are fed at the expense of the Government and there is a poor chance for them to earn their living while things remain as they are. /

 

I have had a letter from Amy recently and one from Mother saying they were all well. Emma is at home as you know. I suppose there must have been some doings at Alfred among the societies. There are a plenty of ladies about there but the young men are rather scarce and will be more so when the new call for troops is filled. I think the news is good enough to cheer the loyal and hurt the Copperheads considerable but I fear Gen Butler’s expedition is likely to disappoint the friends of success—see if I am not right. How is Sarah Maria and all the rest of the cousins. Do you see Uncle Oliver often. Remember me to him in kindness. You were the only one who wrote me the account of Julia Babcock’s marriage. Where is she going to settle. Do you visit Uncle Nathan Longworthy? I am not posted at all about the friends in that country and hope you will do it and that promptly and often. Excuse inordinate haste and consequent mistakes and write immediately if possible to

 

                                    Your affectionate and lonely Cousin

                                                                        George

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