Camp Near Fredericksburg Va

Jan 29^th 1863

 

Dear Sister

                        I will now commence to write you a letter, but I do not think that I shall be able to finish it to day. One of my eyes are sore to day and I have to stop writing every other moment otherwise I am well and hope this will find you all enjoying the same blessing.

 

I trust that uncle Josiah is better ere this I hope so at least. I know not as I can write an interesting letter as news is scarce. I think I wrote you about the attempted move of this army. The Journal states the reason the move was not carried out was that the officers in the Second Division of Gen Franklin went to see President Lincoln and remonstrated against the move telling him that the army was to much demoralized to move that they would certainly be cut to pieces. Now that was false for I never saw the army in better spirits than they were at the time the circular from Gen Burnside was read stating that the army of the Potomac / were again about to meet the enemy &c they cheered the order in all the regts and I feel confident that had it not been for the storm we should long before this have gained a great victory. but it so happened that their report made no difference for had Gen B— done his best the mud would have prevented as it was all but our Second Division moved and were out in a tough storm three days I pittied the poor fellows the came stragling back men waggons & guns for nearly a week I saw guns stuck with from 15 to 20 horses on them which could not be moved. now we often see a waggon load of wheels go past that are dug out of the mud. The rebels got wind of it and placed a board across the river just opposite us with the following on it in large letters Burnsides Army Stuck In The Mud It was to true. Since that time we have seen nothing but mud & rain snow &c this morning the snow was nearly a foot deep it rained some yesterday and carried it off about as fast as it came. It has cleared / off and is now quite cool. Well another change of Commanders in the Army of the Potomac Gen Burnside off the hook. Joe Hooker in Command I also hear a rumor that Gen Franklin & Sumner have resigned but I hope its not true as I have great confidence in Gen Sumner. as a Gen Fighting Joe may push us on a few miles farther towards Richmond but not far if he regards the loss of life at all but from not what I hear it seems he does not. Let Joe Hooker or any other Joe be put in command he cannot move an army now if he wishes so to do. I still say as I always have the Potomac army under any other Gen than Mcclellan will not prosper he is the man and the sooner he is reinstaled the better for the Country The cry is with this army Give us Gen Mcclellan back then we shall gain victorys. If he had been let alone Richmond I have not the least doubt would have been in our posession now. Seth is well and sends his respects to all We two went at work a few days ago and built us a hut We dug a hole in the ground / three feet deep six feet square built an oven & chimney made a bed of pine poles placed our tent over it and now feel as comfortable as we would in a nice house three of us live in it. All are looking anxiously for the pay master (this Regt) but have not seen him yet we ought to have been paid off three weeks ago for four mos its dissagreeable to be without money Seth & myself between us had a one dollar bill between us that we took of the Country we thought we would have the good of it so I took it up to the Commissary yesterday to get some molasses &c but he had orders to take nothing only Uncle Sams money so we had to make up our minds to go without but as good luck would have it Mr Ambler sent Seth a little to day and we now have our molasses. If Uncle Sam does not pay us off soon I shall resign as the Gens say I shall have to borrow a stamp to put on this cant get them here. I have been with a detail to day after wood its fun we stumped in two feet at almost every step the wood about here is nearly all cut off I do not know what we shall do for wood soon I guess will write a few lines on another sheet of paper.

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