_Camp near Orange Court House, Va.,
January 16, 1864._
The army is filling up with conscripts, absentees and others, and if we
get also the principals of the substitutes our army will soon be very
formidable. Mose Cappock has returned, although his wound has not quite
healed. I believe if we whip the Yankees good again this spring they
will quit in disgust. Their cause is not just, like ours, and they are
sure to become discouraged more readily.
The people of Richmond have had a great time recently, feasting and
fêting General Morgan. Men who saw him there tell me he is very young,
handsome and attractive, but is modest and has a most pleasing
address. I learned that when he passed through Newberry the people made
him come out of the train and let them all take a good look at him.
An officer in our regiment was cashiered for forging a furlough, sure
enough. I feel very sorry for him and think he should go to the Yankees
the first chance he gets, for he is ruined wherever this thing becomes
known.
The winter has been unusually severe so far, but I am perfectly
comfortable in every way, except that our diet is becoming anything
else but bountiful or extravagant. We draw a little coffee and sugar
occasionally. For breakfast this morning I had a cup of “Pure Rio,”
some ham, rice, biscuit and butter, but I have a hankering for such
things as syrup, sweet potatoes, sauer-kraut, and the like. I do hope
it will not be a great while before I can have such things.
Edwin still has some of the good things to eat which he brought from
home in his trunk. His servant, Tony, stole some of his syrup to give
to a negro girl who lives near our camp, and Ed gave him a pretty
thorough thrashing for it. He says Tony is too much of a thief to
suit him and he intends to send him back home. I had to give Gabriel
a little thrashing this morning for “jawing” me. I hate very much to
raise a violent hand against a person as old as Gabriel, although he is
black and a slave. He is too slow for me, and I intend to send him back
by Billie when he goes home on furlough.
I must close, as Gabriel is bringing in my dinner. I will write to you
again in a few days.