White Oak Church Virginia.
Sunday Eve March 22 1863
I received your kind epistle of the 14th just last evening and it was perused with the utmost pleasure & I have seated myself this evening for the express purpose of having a sociable chat with you through the silent medium of the pen. I don’t know what we should do were it not for that little instrument -the pen. Through its instrumentality, we can convey our thoughts and wishes to our friends and relatives even if thousands of miles separate them from us. It is not quite so pleasant though as it would be to be sitting in their midst and talking with them face to face, but then what is there that will cheer up the drooping spirits of the absent one so much as a letter from his or her friend at home. There is nothing more pleasant to the tired and weary soldier than to receive a letter from his friends at home for it gives him the assurance that he is not forgotten by the dear ones he has left behind in going boldly forth to battle for his country’s right & to preserve it as it has been handed down to us by our forefathers who so freely bled and nobly died that we their children might enjoy the fruits of their valor & heroism. And now after three quarters of a century has passed shall we allow a traitor’s hand to pollute that glorious emblem of the free? Those sacred stars and stripes? No, never. So long as I have health and strength I will battle for them.
Well I declare. I have got entirely off the track from what I intended to write when I first commenced. But I return. I suppose you want to know all about what we have been doing since I last wrote you and what we intend to do. We have not been doing anything worthy of note since I last wrote you. We have lain here in our old camp and I do not think we shall do much till we have different weather from what we have been having. It has snowed and rained alternately for the last three days. It cleared off today about noon. So the sun has been shining bright all the afternoon, the first time it has done so for nearly a week.
You need not look for any news of importance from the Army of the Potomac till we are sure we can make a move without getting stuck in the mud for its no very pleasant affair for our army to get stuck in the mud, I can assure you. Just suppose you were to start out to make a visit and when you had got about half way there a heavy rain storm should set in and make the roads so muddy you could go no farther and you had to stay there all night & the next day turn around and wade through the mud home again. That would not be very pleasant, would it, Carrie? Methinks I hear you say ‘no’. Well that was just our fix when Burnside undertook to move about two months ago.
I received a letter from Hank Bridges2 this eve. He is near Stafford Courthouse. He is well and sends his respects to all. I also received one from Ed Gridley3 a few days ago. He said they were all well at that time.
I have been to see the ‘Virginia Wonder” today. It is a girl four years old and said to weigh nearly two hundred pounds. I don’t think she will weigh much more over a hundred. Yet I think she is the fattest person I ever saw without any exceptions. She has a brother seven years old who weighs thirty seven pounds and there is a baby at the same place that weighs eleven pounds. I think there is quite a contrast in that family, don’t you?
There is one of my tent-mates (little David we call him) who looks at your picture almost every time I open my portfolio. He calls Rand his girl and he says he is going home with me and I have got to take him over to your house & another says he is coming to see you. Every one that sees your picture calls you twins and I always tell them yes. So I think you will have plenty of Beaux when the ‘two years’ men get home.
Our old Captain (Capt White4) came back last night. He was wounded at “Gaines Hill” and he has not been with his company since. He is looking much better than I expected to see him.
The rest of the boys have all retired so I am left alone. The fire is nearly out so I shall have to stop soon. Its always the rule when a sparking to stay till the fire goes out and then go home. So I suppose when the fire is out its time to stop writing.
I am acquainted with one Frank Pound but not the one of whom you speak. I had begun to think Rand had not rec’d my Phiz it had been so long since I sent it & had heard nothing from it. Since I had that taken I have shaved my whiskers and mustache off. But I am going to let them grow again before I come home.
Are you sorry that Fannie’s father has traded off his farm? You will not see her quite so often now as you used to.
I expect we have to go a landing in the morning a horseback after grain. We have a considerable fun bringing up grain, I can tell you. I shall not feel much like getting up in the morning if I don’t retire soon. I guess I have written all the trash you will care to read at once so I will close.
Remember me to all. Write soon.
From your sincere friend,
I think George paid you quite a compliment.
2 Henry C. Bridges born 2 Oct 1836 Otsego, NY son of Alonzo Bridges and Fidelia Barber, served in the 8th Calvalry
3 Edward Gridley born about 1835 Saratoga Springs, NY son of Charles & Mary Gridley, served in the 9th Artillery
5 Joseph Alonzo Braden born 11 July 1840 in Seneca Co, NY to Louis & Electa (Moore) Braden. He became a infantryman in the Union service 30 April 1861 in Co. D, 27th Regiment, NY Volunteers under Colonel Slocum. His command was assigned to the Army of the Potomac and participated in the First Battle of Bull Run (First Manassas) and in all the engagements of the McClellan campaign. He emerged from his period of service unscathed and was discharged in June 1863. On 23 March, 1864 he married Lucy Angel born 20 March 1845 in Galen, Wayne Co, NY
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