“They say we are entirely surrounded”

Camp at Warington

Sunday, November 16^th 1862

Dear Clara,

I am so that I feel pretty good again after the march and I hope this short note will find you all at home enjoying good health. I am writing this letter by candlelight and in an awful hurry. We have got orders to move, perhaps tonight. Jackson is in our rear with a lot of men to attack us and if we don’t leave tonight we will have to go in the morning. I have not had time to write before since the first letter I wrote from here because our time is taken up with drill. They don’t give us time enough to wash our clothes. We have been busy all day on inspection and drill so I could not write today. I don’t know where we will go to from here.

The talk is we are going to attack the Rebels. They say we are entirely surrounded by them so I thought I must write tonight because I don’t [know] when I can write again. Fletch says tell his folks to write for he has not got any postage stamps so he can write. He is well and is cooking our rations for to carry with us tomorrow.

Dear Clara, we are in a bad place just now but you must hope and pray for the best. Oh, I when last night came it seemed as if I must be at home more than any time since I have been down here. I could not get it out of my head but what we were going home but when I look at the sad reality and know that I can’t come it makes me feel bad. It’s I feel more so on Saturday nights than any other time. Oh, I do want to see you, Dear Clara, and my little ones so bad I don’t know what to do. I don’t feel satisfied with looking at your pictures but I hope and pray for the best. Dear Clara, I have not heard from you now in 2 weeks and it seems so long not to hear from you. But I will wait for it patiently until I get it.

Dear Clara, God only knows how I love you and my little ones. Keep good care of them and yourself until I see you all again which I hope above all things to do so. Hoping God’s blessing rests upon you all, I will bid you goodbye for the present. Excuse my hasty writing.

From yours fondly and truly now and forever, God helping me,

Your P.L.D.

I will write again as soon as I can.”