Tuesday

                                                                     Camp 8^th V^a Regt Dec^r 6^th/64

 

My Dear Wife & Children

I forwarded a letter to you yesterday by M^r Moore but as I have opportunity I will continue to scribble and commune with my loved ones it does me good and makes me feel better contented at the same time that you all may be somewhat entertained by being introduced into some few of the novel scenes through which I am and have been passing. I write in much confusion, without much time for reflection and consequently without much order or propriety

 

Immediately in front of the 8^th Regt & even of the Brigade, some two or three weeks since, the Yankee line of pickets was not farther than 200 yards. Hunton, thinking them too close, charged and drove them out and took possession of the Yankee lines and have hed them ever since. for two weeks past the Yankees or Butler have had negroes in front, which the 8^th does not relish so well. the soldiers have orders to fire on every one they see, so picket firing has been going on daily, for weeks, in front of us, the Yankee line distant a little over a quarter mile. Yesterday eve it was quite lovely for a time, also we were firing some very heavy guns at the Yankee gunboats / at Dutch Gap about two miles distant. the shells tho over a mile from us sounded loud some making a noise something like the wings of a lazy bird Picketts division extends from Dutch Gap on the James to Port Walthal on the Appomattox about 4 1/2 miles and guards the South side Richmond Peters railroad from Richmond to Petersburg the Railroad is about one mile in our rear, and the Regt. is 14 miles from Richmond and 8 miles from Petersburgh—Chester’s Station is our nearest depot about 2 1/2 miles distant.

 

the soldiers go into their picket lines about night and remain there some 24 hours. my turn to go will come soon. My boot has rubbed the skin off of my right heel and made it quite sore. Tell Kitty I burnt my left hand badly the first time I attempted to cook at Camp Lee—the pot with the top on was setting on the fire, boiling beef & rice soup—the kettle began to turn over. I caught the Lid with my right hand and grabbed the bale (ask Ernest if it is spelled right) with my left it was near red hot and burnt large blisters on my thumb and forefinger, also my second finger I put my hand in water as quick as I could (tell Jimmy) I then got a young man to tear rags from the old towel you gave me, also some strings & he tied them up well—I then kept the rags wet with cold water all night, and by morning the pain ceased—I have now a very large blister on my forefinger (but I take good care not to break it like (Tell Jimmie) he did /

 

Tuesday night after I left home I staid within four miles of Gordonsville. where we left the two horses in company, and walked into town reaching there just before day—as I had walked some the day before to let M^r Hamilton ride, my boot rubbed my heel) so I concluded to turn my right foot out to grass & walked the whole distance & into Gordonsville barefooted While in Camp Lee a man from N. Car. who had been several months in Castle Th[?] arrived almost starved to death. from his own account it seemed like he could not get enough to eat. he said if he could get once filled up, he could get along with the usual allowance. we all cooked our meat rations together & this man must have eaten what was allowed for three men. I know I did not get half my allowance. for some time I was afraid of him, thinking he might be roguish, but I was pleasantly disappointed. next morning I found him reading a new Testament, which he said the day before he had given his dinner for, hungry as he was. I quoted to him the passage “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness for they shall be filled—he replied that salvation was now his chief concern. I saw nothing of him afterwards

 

            Tell Ernest that in drinking the soup I made when my finger was burnt, I had to make use of a spoon invented or discovered by old Diogenes I think the crust of bread with the crumb scooped out

 

            I have been here now 24 hours and have drawn no rations yet had it not been for the bread and meat & coffee you put up for me I should have suffered. I have still 1 buscuit and one piece of ham left and will get two days rations this morning, so I shall have one days supply ahead. I gave Gov Smiths letter—sanctioned by Gen. Kemper—asking a furlough for me for Twenty days to Col. Binkely. it will be forwarded to Gen^l Lee to morrow & if approved I may start homeward the close of this week. how I shall rejoice to see my loved wife and all my little ones / (the tears will start to my eyes when I begin to write about you all) but do not imagine I am unhappy—I am far better contented than I expected I have heard the whistling of a good many balls overhead and striking the trees in front, but just now all is quiet. You would be astonished to see how snugly the soldiers are fixed up in their cabins The cabin in which I am writing was made by your nephews chiefy—Cathbert By, Hamiton Gulich, John & Lud & James Hutchinson—it is divided into two rooms 10 x 12 each and many little conveniences for cooking & eating. We have within a few yards a fine camp chapel for the 8 & 18 Regts I heard M^r Grandberry preach night before last and from this sermon last night we have organized a large singing class about 50 a devoting Society is in contemplation and the organization of a young men’s christian association. We are now Dec^r 8 (Thursday) in hourly expectation of Butler’s assaulting our lines. last night we had orders to be ready to march at a minutes notice that is the 8^th Regt. and got every thing ready. when I laid down last night I did not know what moment I would be aroused and marched to reinforce our works at Dutch Gap on the James river I should have slept well but for the booming of the cannon after midnight. My heel is still sore, my fingers are getting well—the coffee you gave me still holds out—it has done me a great deal of good. Dick Saunders & Sullivan from New Bat. reached here yesterday and joined our Company. D.

 

Keep in good heart my dear Wife, I am in the hands of a kind Providence who can, if it is his will, preserve me safe in the most imminent danger. Let us look to him with our whole heart and in these evil times cast all our cares & trouble upon him remembering that he cares for us—Kiss all the children for me                  Your own            Augustus

SOURCES