Letter to sister

Scope and content:

Written from "Camp at Rich Hill on Big Sewell Mountain," Virginia. Letter regards daily life in the 36th Virginia Infantry Regiment, including troop movements and enemy locations.

Language:

English

Other descriptive data:

Camp at Rich Hill on Big Sewell Mountain
Oct. 3rd/61

My Dear Sister:
I wrote you some days ago from Meadow Bluff but did not get an opportunity to send it. When I wrote it we were under orders to march the next morning, where I did not know- but now, as I am at our journeys end I can tell you. We are encamped in full view of the enemy. We being on the Eastern or first top of Big Sewell Mountain and they being on the Western or second top- the mountain having two tops about one and a half miles apart with a deep ravine between. We are now in close quarters certain- so much so that we can readily distinguish them drilling with the naked eye. We can see everything quite plain. Since I wrote last a new order of things have come around. Gen. Lee now commands here. Gen. Wise has been superceded by Gen. Floyd and the two commands have been united.

Wise has been ordered to Richmond and has gone. Gen. Loving is here with his forces. If we have a fight Loving will command the right wing- Lee the centre and Floyd the left wing. Our force has been considerably increased but is not near strong enough. The enemy's reported strength at their position on top of Sewell is twelve thousand (12,000)- but then they have nearly as many more between them and Charleston. So that our little force of two thousand would be no where without they attack us in position. One thing certain I don't think it will ever do for us to attack them with this force. But something must soon be done. We cannot remain in sight of one another long without something being done and what is more our men cannot stand it- being on half rations all the time all they get is three biscuits a day and a piece of tough beef- and soldiers can't live in this country where it rains every other day and cold enough to freeze them on any such food as that. We have had several very heavy frosts here. Last Saturday morning a soldier from a Miss. [Mississippi] Regiment was found dead in a wagon supposed to have frozen to death. It rained all Thursday night and all day Friday night very hard and it was as cold as January and the poor fellow not having any tent along with them (having in obedience to orders left them at Meadow Bluff) froze to death. But his is only one of many deaths that occur here every day. Poor fellows! They take sick and have no one to take care of them and die from neglect. You can hardly pass a house without seeing a dead man and often you find them in barns and stables in the stalls where horses have been and nobody to bury them. I was told the other day by a man who said he saw three dead men lying in a stable and had been there so long they were actually putrifying[sic]- and I shouldn't be surprised if it were so- every house from here to the White Sul. [Sulfur] is a hospital. I should like to see some of those Manassas boys out here awhile- they would see some to grumble at.

There is to be a decisive battle fought here ere long whether we shall winter in Charleston or not and I don't care how soon for I am tired undergoing such hardships and doing nothing. I want to get into better quarters somewhere. I don't care where much- can't get as much as a hand full of hay- have to lie on the cold wet ground (in fact nothing but mud) and get up in the morning with rheumatism and sore throat and if it was not but for Lottie's piano cover I would have had to taken it on the naked ground and I believe I would have been dead long had it not have been for it. But I still have pretty good health- have a bad cold occasionally but I don't mind that much.

How are all at home? I should like very much to see you all. Have you seen Lottie yet- don't you think she is a beauty? I wish I could see her now.

But I must close as it is getting too dark to see how to write. I long for a letter- do write very soon. Give my best love to all at house also Uncle [Jo Burns?] family and tell Mollie to write. Tell Aunt [Minta?] that I wish often for some of her good biscuits and chickens- tell her to be sure to write very soon. Direct to the care of Col. McCausland, 36th Reg. Va. Vols. Floyd's Brigade, Charleston, Va. and if we whip the Yankees I will get it there; if not I will get it wherever I may be. Best love to all- tell Uncle Jimmy to write often. Good Bye. May God Bless you my dear Sister in the prayer of
Your Loving Bro.
James.

Subjects:

Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Regiment, 36th

Names:

Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870
Lee, Robert E. (Robert Edward), 1807-1870

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