Camp Seventeenth Michigan Infantry,
January 1st, 1865.
The storm is past; the sun shines out, bright and cheerful, giving golden promise of the coming years. My darling’s birthday, too. I had fondly hoped it might be my lot to be with her on that day. We have received no mail the last three days. A new arrangement has been made at the distributing office, in Washington, the mail being now distributed by brigades.
The Seventeenth could not be found in this great army, as we are not brigaded. A special dispatch was sent out instructing the mail agent to send our mail to First Division, Ninth Corps.
General Wilcox is in temporary command of the corps. The Rebels improve every opportunity to desert. All agree as to the scarcity of supplies and the hopelessness of their cause.
