Jan the 26 /63
In camp at Aquia Landing Va
Dear Charlotte
I once more seit myself to write a fiew lines to you to let you know that I am well and much hope that those fiew lines will find you all well. We have had a verry hard march. I wrote a letter to you last Sunday and told you we expected to start Monday morning but the 137th was detailed for rear guard and so we had to wait for all the men and wagons to start out. They started at five in the morning and it took until most sunset before we could go. The rear of the wagons dident go but three miles and then we put up for the knight. Had a good place that knight and Tuesday morning we started. Had a good day to march. The ground was froze hard and it was wore smooth. We marched 15 miles that day. We stoped where there had ben a large rebel camp. They had log huts. We used them for our firewood that knight. It commenced raining about eight oclock. It rained all knight. In the morning we got up feeling rather old and cooked our coffee in the rain and eat our breakfast and started through the mud. We went to Dumfries that day where we staid Wensday knight. It rained all day and most all knight and more mud I never see. Thursday we went by the wagons. There were three regts left at Dumfries for guard. The train of wagons was eight miles long. We march eight miles and stoped for the knight. Friday morning we had to go back four miles and get three days rations. The mud was so deep the train couldent come through. They threw over 100 boxes of hardtac and 50 barles of pork out of their wagons. O Charlotte you cant think what a job it is for an army to move when it is so mudey. I often used to wonder why they dident move faster but I can see now why they dident. I never thought of the train that had to follow so meney heavy wagons and 4 or 6 muels or horses to each wagon and this Virginia mud if diferent than it is in York State. It is stickey and verry deep. Some of the mules would get down and they couldent get up. I see three that lay in the mud. They had left them there to die. Words cant describe the sene. Every horse and mule and man covered with mud. Wagons broke and tiping over in the mud. Mud is no name for it. I wish you could see where we come through but enough of this. After we got our rations we went back and we had to start right off. I was detailed to go on picet. The picets go ahead. We went four miles and put up. I was in a good place. Had plenty of rations and cept a good fire all knight and Sadurday morning we went to Staferts Courthouse where Seigels headquarters is and some of his men staid there until yesterday and then the third brigade wich we are in was detatched from the corps and marched here where we are now and I am glad we have got out of the 12th army corps. It is a reserve corps and it has to scower the country and never does much fighting. We are in a pleasant place. We are encamped but a fiew rods from the river. I call it river. It is a bay. It is ful of steamboats and the Acquia and Richmond railroad comes in here as it is 11 miles from here to Frederiksburg. Our brigade will stay here to do duty. We have got to load cars and unload boats and do picet duty. Burnside gets his supplies from here. There is a great deal of business done here. You look on the map and you can see where I am. O Charlotte we have had a hard march this time. It has ben so rainy and mudey. Rast and Billy was lucey that they wasent with us on this march for I dont think they could stood it. Our blankets wet and clothes all wet and then lay down on the wet ground to sleep but we sleep verry good for we get tierd and can sleep most eneywhere. I got a letter from you Friday and was verry glad to hear from you. It does me a great deal of good to get a letter from you. You sead you had a box ready to send and they wouldent carry it. If you had waited two days longer you could started it but it would spoiled for I wouldent got it before now. But we are in a good place now. Things come from Washington here on boats. You sead there was a word you couldent read. I think it was red pepers. Perhaps I left off the red. I wish I had some pepers so I could make some tea. If I had some when I am wet and cold it would do me good.
Well Charlotte I have got to take another sheete. I was teling you about the pepers on the other sheete. If I had to have some on the march I would liked them to make some tea when I was wet and cold but never mind I will get alond but that sourkraut and mince pies if I had them I think they would suferd right smart I recon. You sead you was glad I was getting sick of this war. I am realy sick of the war but I like the soildier life. It agrees with me. It is true it is rather a hard life to live but I see enough every day to pay for all that. It wants a strong constituend man to stand it. Some of the boys get discouraged and lay around dont wash get dirty and sick but I wash myself and ceep up good pluck when we have our hardest times and come out all right so far at least. But I wish this war would stop so I could come home with you. I would like that better than soildiering. I think it must close before long. There is generl movement now and I hope for good success. I guess our big men have all got rich and they will try to do something now. They will be obliged to before long. I got a letter from Jacob yesterday. He is well. He sead Rachel was coming to see him and then they would come down to see me but we left Fairfax Station so they wont come. I am sorry. I should like to seene them but they could come from Washington here in four hours on a steamer if they new where I am. Jacob dont know eneything about soildier life to what I do. He never has had to march nor eat hardtack. He never has ben scanted for something to eat. They haint ben in Dixie yet. I would like to how the sick boys get along. Rast was pretty sick when he was taken to the hospitle and so was George Burge. We have got but 52 men in our compeny now. Capt Davis come to his compeny this afternoone. The boys were all glad to see him. The first words were boys have you had enough to eat. I will send you part of Jacobs letter. I want you to see that picture and reading that is the way some of the officers give commands. I would send the whole letter if I could but the envelop will be full. I shal have to close. It is most knight and I guess you will get tired reading. I wonder that you can read my letters atalle. Sometimes it is cold and sometimes I am in a hurry and no stand to write on but you must have patience and studey on it. Write often and write all the news. Ciss little Maty for me. Give my respects to all the folks. No more this time so good buy Charlotte. My love to you.
From Charles to Charlotte
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