Location: Camp near Potomac Creek, VA

Date: 02-07-63

Suffering from a severe cold. Just came back from picket, snow and heavy rain for a week, cold and wet with no house or tent, they suffered. Tasted Virginia hoe cake for first time which was pretty good since they had “lived on Uncle Sam’s hard tack so long most anything is palateable,” gives recipe. Comments on friends or relatives back home. Their Colonel is now acting as Brigadier General since Warren has been assigned command of the Division. Peter is now a commissioned officer and “Can’t resign just yet.” Rumor of another movement. The men all long for peace, are “sick and tired out and see no use of fighting any more.” Closes by saying he’s going to bed because he has been sitting up in the rain all night for a week and hasn’t slept much. Wishes family well and says “I will bid you good night and retire to my soft bed on the hard ground and quickly fall asleep.”