Letter to Sarah Garibaldi (Poor), 1863

Scope and content:

Letter regards troop movements, news of other soldiers, and remarks that the unit constructing breastworks.

Language:

English

Other descriptive data:

Stonewall Brigade

Dear Wife

We have had no peace for a good while. We have been marching about for opposite of ten days. The enemy is in our front and we look for a battle soon. We have been throwing up breastworks a whole night, but I don't expect that it will do us much good for the yankees never did attack us in our fortifications yet. Whenever we fortify in one place they go and attack us in another, in fact they are too smart to attack us wherever we are fortified for they can't whip us out of our fortifications let alone in the fortifications.

I think I will come home next winter on furlough perhaps fifteen days. I don't think there will be any furloughs granted for any longer time than that. I know I am entitled to a furlough next winter, whether I'll get it or not I am not able to tell lyou, but I think I will get one. I would like to come home and see you all but there is no chance at present for me. I saw Geroge several times and not later than last week and he was well.

I suppose that you would like to know what became of Lee and David Gilbert. Lee is dead from a wound received at Gettysburg. He didn't live but two or three days after he was wounded. David was wounded also in the same battle but he is well now and he is prisoner of war in the North, and he may be exchanged before long. John R. Hepler, Joseph Reynolds and David Pence are at Fort Delaware. John Hepler and Joseph Reynolds were both slightly wounded, but I expect they are both well by this time. We did not know what had become of David Pence at first till here about a month ago, when we saw his name on the paper, saying that he was at Fort Delaware prisoner. He got lost from us the night before the battle and therefore he wasn't engaged. Henry Gilliland was shot in the breast and died instantly. His body was left on the battle field in the hands of the enemy, and to be burried by the enemy.

The health of our men here now is most excellent, we scarcely hear of any sickness at all. I weigh now one hundred and forty seven pounds, and I never did weigh more than a hundred and forty nine in my life. We are getting very scanty rations too. The weather here now is very good. I suppose you have heard of the battles they have had in tennessee where our men whipped the yankees and took about seventy pieces of artillery, and about then thousand prisoners.

I wish this war was over for I am getting tire of soldiering but I don't see any prospect of peace till Lincoln administration lasts and he has yet more than a year to administer the Federal Government, and it lays in his power either to make peace or carry on the war. My time of enlistment will be out next Spring, but I expect to soldier untill the land is blessed with peace, and every body else may as well conclude to do the same or be considered as deserters, for the man that will not be willing to soldier he'll be forced into it. Neither do I expect that anybody will be exempted from the service because he put in substitutes for I believe that they will take in substitutes and all next spring.

I am sorry to hear that Micahel Aritt was taken prisoner for I believe he was trying to soldier as well as he could, although contrary to the will of his father and mother, but he, though against the will of his mother, is not a bushwacker like good many others, and answers to his country's call. I believe that if all of these bushwhackers and deserters would come in to the army we could whip the yankees [thoroughly] and have peace by next winter. For such people as bushwhackers I have no good feeling. I don't care if they were all drowned although they be my best friend and brothers, because I believe they are reason why this war goes on so long.

Thomas M. Arrington and James C. Gilbert are both well, and send their compliments to you all. I shall bring my letter to a close by giving you and mother and Russia my best respects and Remain your affectionate husband untill death.

Subjects:

Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 27th
United States—History—Civil War, 1861-1865—Prisoners and prisons
Correspondence

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