Stoneman Station, Va.,
Sunday, Feb. 15, 1863.
Dear Brother and Sister:
I received your letter last night, and, as you say my letters don’t come too often, here goes for the answer in hopes to get another soon.
Really you have been having a time visiting. Hope you don’t go as some folks I have heard of, just to get something to eat. “Go it while you’re young,” or while the year is, and the sleighing lasts. By George, but I would like just one spanking sleigh ride this winter! Nothing but a 2:40 horse, drifted roads, a duck of a cutter, and a little ducksie with a duck of a bonnet would do me, though. I wouldn’t be worth a cent without a lively “schoolmarm” to help do it. Do they have any such in your part of Chautauqua? But talk of sleigh rides for me—it’s all bosh.
You need not look for me to be “one of the three.” I wouldn’t go if they should offer me a furlough. No doubt you want to see me, but won’t you want to see me more after three years? Such a coming home then will be worth talking about.
The winter is passing away rapidly. About three weeks more will bring us round to the same time we left Hall’s Hill last winter. Ah, then for another summer of fighting!
Captain C. W. Ayres, Ninth New York Cavalry, called to see me the other day. Con is a first-rate fellow. Straps on his shoulders add no “style” to his character. Perhaps now you don’t understand the military significance of that word. It is the same as “airs,” “putting on airs.” Charlie will remember him as we saw him soon after the first Bull Run. He says he is coming home on leave soon. He bought that farm Uncle Joseph is to live on.
I went over to see Alf day before yesterday. You may believe I have attended to my business pretty closely, when I tell you that is the second time I have ever had a “pass” to go visiting since I’ve been in the service. I found Alf well, enjoying himself like an oyster in the mud.
You may be surprised to hear that half this army is gone, because you see nothing of it in the papers. At least, I do, but it is a fact. The Pennsylvania Reserves, Ninth, Sixth and Second corps, are all gone, I don’t know where, and more are going every day. There was a rumor that the center Grand Division was to be withdrawn to the defenses of Washington and the rest of the army sent to reinforce our armies in the south and west. In my opinion that would be a good plan. We can do nothing here this winter, and if the war is to be fought out there is poor policy in keeping this army idle. Even if it is to be settled by writing, an overwhelming force at Vicksburg and New Orleans would be a good basis for negotiation.
So the cares of life have begun to fasten on you so soon! Don’t know what to do with yourselves, eh? Oh, don’t you wish you were soldiers, and then you wouldn’t have to know. All you would have to do would be to do as you were told.
I should think if the Adkins place was for sale it would be cheap. Some of the Virginia farms remind me of that. A house in the middle of a goose pasture. Well, now, how do I know but you have bought it, and here I am ridiculing your homestead? Well, I stop it. “Nuff Ced.”
