Letter to sister

Scope and content:

Written from camp near Lewisburg, West Virginia. Letter regards heavy losses in battle, a "visit to the Yankees," and family news.

Language:

English

Other descriptive data:

Camp Near Lewisburg
December 3rd, 1863

My Dear Sister,
I rec'd your kind & affectionate letter some days ago and reply at my earliest opportunity. When we retreated to Giles Co. & started back to this point I left my desk & all my writing apparatuses behind & they did not get up until a week ago when I started on a flag of truce to the enemy & did not get back until last night. As I have been so long delayed in writing to you I suppose it is unnecessary to give you any detailed account of the late fight as you have I suppose seen several accounts in the papers. It was the hardest & most disastrous fight we have ever had in this portion of the country.

This Batt. & the 22nd Regt. bore the brunt of the fight. What our loss is I do not know, certainly very heavy though. It will be some gratification to you to know that I was highly complimented in Genl. Echols official report (for my conduct in the fight) to the War Dept, though it does not become me to speak of it to anyone but yourself & I desire that you will not speak of it. I have just returned from a very pleasant & sociable visit to the Yankees. We were treated very kindly indeed. We remained with them three days & four nights had "sure 'nuff" coffee three times a day & everything good that any one could desire, egg‐nog & whiskey included. I send you a Yankee paper of as late a date as I could get. I got a letter from L. last night and found it waiting my return. She is well & "all right", does not give any satisfactory reasons for her long delay‐ but I suppose I will have to give her a slight lecture& forgive her. She inquired after you‐ says she heard you were going to her neighborhood Christmas‐ hopes you will. If you do, you must go to see her. Her Mother has been very ill this fall‐ still is so.

Everything is very dull here now. I have not been to see any ladies since the fight, expect to do so as soon as I can get some clothes washed. Has Lizzie Van Lear returned from Salem yet? When I got home last night I found an invitation from and Aunt of hers, Mrs. Alex Arbuckle to visit some ladies at her house‐ but I rec'd it too late to go. She is a very nice lady, has been very kind to us. When we retreated from here the Col. & I left some clothing at her house & the Yankees heard of it & went & searched the house & destroyed it together with a great deal of her clothing & of her family. I lost some valuable clothing but saved the most of what I had. I do not know when I will be able to get a leave of absence. I would like you to buy me some yarn and knit me a pair of suspenders if you will. Do not make them more than 1 ½ inches wide. I will come to see you all as soon as I can. Aunt Mint is mistaken about my not writing to them. I have written twice I think without a reply. I will write again tonight. Give my best love to all. My love to Kate Duck & all friends when you write again. Good bye.
Your Loving Bro
James

After you have finished reading the Yankee paper send it to Uncle Jimmie

Subjects:

Confederate States of America. Army—Virginia Infantry Battalion, 23rd

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