Corinth. Miss March 26^th/62

 

My Dear Anna!

                        Your good letter of the 15^th Inst. Dear sister was very welcome to me. I would have replied sooner but that we have been moving our camp, preparatory to the great battle, which every one supposes to be imminent. We have had so many false alarms however we are getting to be quite incredulous. But now the great army we have assembled here—the splendid array of Genls—some 30 or 40 including Bragg Johnston Polk & even Beauregard & just on the other side of the river the Yankees under Buel have over 100,000 men. Skirmishing occurs daily among our Cavalry. Yesterday we took prisoner a Commissioned officer. Here in a few days is to be fought the Waterloo of America—here is to be decided the fate of the South & our institutions. Ours is a large army (I dont know how many) the Canvass City stretches for miles & miles but we will not have after all is told one half their force. But if we cant conquer here is the best place for us to die. Oh My fathers God! in this the hour of his Countrys / sore need be pleased to interfer in our behalf & Oh (if it is not sacralige) my sainted father approach the Dread Throne & intercede for thy children ask for us a disregard of danger. let us court death rather than submission.

 

All society at home seems to have broken loose. beside a great number of additional Companies & Regiments squads of Citizens are daily flocking to our standards. Cudds has sent 3 more companies beside nearly another company in these squads. A Major Sanderson who knew us all very well & used to live in Wilkinson & was some kin to the Stewarts told me Nole Stewart & a good many other of your neighbors had come & would join Ponds Reg.—Tell our Nole I say it would be the reverse of bravery for him to come, his post of duty is where he is. I have just heard of the death of my partner Steath, tho he had been sick for four weeks with typhoid fever his death was very sudden. His Doctors had just told him he was getting well & sent his wife out to get him a glass of toddy when she returned in two minutes he was dead. This death is most disasterous to me & is an additional reason Nole should / remain at home. If I were not already here I feel it would be my duty to stay at home on account of my poor helpless family & Steaths family.

 

            Your congratulations on my good health found me sick wth the meanest disease jaundies. I have been complaining & unfit for duty for a week. I got out of bed last week at night with a fever on me & dose of Calomel in me to march to meet the Yankees by breakfast. We marched through two swamps & bivouacked on the bares only a few miles from town. We had hardly quieted down to sleep before the windows of heaven opened & deluged us for 3 or 4 hours. We remained several days in close neighborhood of the enemy when we were relieved & sent back to take our position in our Brig. & Divis of the Army. We have few comforts in fact none for people in my condition. Meat & bread & strong coffee has little relish for my weak appetite. The devastation of Timber & consumption of every thing edible (chickens, turkeys, geese, ducks, animals, eggs, vegetables) reminds one of the sweep of the army worms in a cotton field. We were the first regiment who came this winter, tho some troops camped here last year. We found a pretty village embowered in forests / chickens & eggs worth 10 & 15 cents. now the forests are all gone & an old hen is worth 6/-$ 1$. We can get nothing to drink. I feel like a bot or two of claret would help me much but it is not here & cant be brought. the government transportation monopolizes all the rail roads & exclude all private freight. Bennie was with me in Gen Andersons Brig. & out with me on our expedition. He is well & in a splendid regiment. He looks & acts very manly, makes a good soldier Borman & Frank Richardson are in my present Brig. Genl L. Pope. Walker (late Secty) Borman is not very well. nothing serious. Frank spent the evening with me a very fine young man. Sister Mary’s letters to her boys has the true ring of Southron patriotism. She is worthy a place by the side of the “Mother of the Grachi”. Reading her noble eloquent letters brought tears to my eyes (no difficult matter now-a-day however). I am proud of my sister & of my boys. My dear Sister I have long since learned the fact that I “have a treasure in my wife” & you cant know it half as well as I do who know her best. You can not more desire Jane for a neighbor & associate than do we want you & Nole & your family. I have several letters since she got home. She had a hard time poor darling. Love & Kisses to Mama & the same with kind messages & greeting to all the family properly distribute.

 

                                                                        Your affectionate Brother

                                                                                                                        Winans

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