Camp near Fredericksburgh

December 25 1862

Chrismas after Dark

By Candle Light

Has been on guard all day since last night. His health is good but Tom is not any better. The weather was like summer. They had fresh beef and whiskey for Christmas, he ate the beef but traded his whiskey for tobacco. Most others got the day off and could walk around at will visiting. Buried 5 more comrades and thinks there will be many more. He saw Ed Lomis for the first time since Fredericksburgh and he looks so bad he doesn’t think he’ll make it. It seems hard to see so many die when they could be sent home to recover. “ There seems to be some kind of disease here that takes a person very sudden and I don’t beleive [sic] the docters [sic] understand it or how to cure it one and all agree that it is so much exposure to this kind of weather”. Sending her two more drawings he made “a day or two ago by myself they represent the Places I made them for to life.” Says he sent a number before and she never mentions them so he doesn’t know if she got them but please save them until he gets home.

While writing another man died in the hospital and three deserters were brought in by the Provo guard, including Edgar Davis of their company who deserted about a month ago. Hank Baker is very sick with fever. He has written 6 or 7 letters since the Battle of Fredericksburgh and gotten none from her. Gives love to all and wishes them a merry Christmas.