Camp Near Richmond Va

Jan 14^th 1865

 

My dear Cousin. Your short and very interesting letter bearing date of Dec 29^th was received a few days ago for which I was & am still much obliged. I handed Samy's letter with my own the day after they were received. He will write I presume by the same opportunity that I avail myself of at this time, viz, Maj Ballard, who kindly agrees to take letters for us as far as Sparta. I was glad to see by your letter that Mrs Wiley's health was improving or that you thought she was some better than when I left home I hope she will continue to / improve till she regains her health. I am glad to learn also of Billy's health improving. He has had a hard time of it for a long time. I received a letter from Eugenia yesterday written on the 3^rd of Jan. She mentioned that the sick negroes at Pa's were better. They were fortunate in loseing only two out of the no of sick ones. It is cold & cloudy and looks like another snow storm was brewing. We have had wretched weather for some time past I never saw as much water on the surface of the land which is very level about camp. As an illustration, the wells that have been dry all along the lines every 2 or 300 yds apart are so full of water that we could with a long handle / gourd dip up the water from the wells. In many instances it rises in the tents and frequently it is dificult to keep a fire in the fireplaces. The roads are in wretched condition and the poor mules can scarcely keep up. Both armies (as the papers state) are mudbound. Every thing is quiet along our lines and instead of the regular fire from our Batteries that was kept up every hour for the last two months not one is now heard. It is a silence that forbodes evil to some unlucky Yank or Reb. One reason of the silence is supposed to be the failure of Dutch Gap Canal that Gen Butler was preparing to startle the world with. Since they have given up work on that our big guns have nothing to / shoot at. Then the ground is to wet to admit of military opperations of any sort. There are more peace rumors in the Richmond papers but they are only idle so the Examiner says. By the way did you get the copy of the Examiner I sent you by mail. It contained an account of the cooking of the newyears dinner at Richmond. I sent it to you thinking you would like to read it. We got our share of the dinner about the 4^th or 5^th of Jan. One turkey and a quarter of mutton to 27 men & no beans. I do not complain but it shows how little the masses know of the quantity of food it requires for the army. For instance, 60 barrels of flour was cooked up into 36000 / loaves of bread besides quantities were sent in by the citizens and not one loaf did Co. E. get. The kind hearted virginians did the best they could and knew. I was as gratefull for my share as if it were ten times as great.

 

I wish I could be at home awhile this winter to enjoy hog killing season. Backbone stew for instance would go very well for dinner. But whats the use of talking so I cant be there & so I am contented to stay here if the Savannah people will not whip us by going back into the union. I confess I was deceived about Shermans ability to get to the coast. He ought never to have done so and I am inclined to blame Davis for it more than / anyone else. Indeed he is the only one to blame for he should have sent troops from Va to defeat him which I may say I almost know he could have done without endangering Richmond. If the President erred it was the bigest error of the war and out of charity to him I must think it was an error for I dont believe he would willfully have sacrificed Ga out of mere hard headedness. I feared a failure in the Ga armie when Hood was put in command. He has failed most completely and for the want of sense. If our Congress were not afraid of the President they could & would still make arrangements by which all our reverses might be borne with a better grace and confidence restored again. But of them I am afraid. They have neither the pracsis nor the independence to legislate as they ought to. But Ill not tire you longer its out of our power to remedy it now. If we are whiped it will be ourselvs wot do it. But I must close or my letter will be left to go by mail Give a great deal of love to Cousin Jimy & Moses and to Mrs Wiley also when you see her I am sorry I have not time to finish the other page though you will think I have already written enough my love to all at home Write as soon as you can to your aff Cousin

S.P. Harris

SOURCES