Hall’s Hill, Feb. 5, 1862.
Dear Father, — I have now got my tent all fixed except the floor, which will be put down as soon as I can get the lumber. The mud inside having mostly dried up, I have placed pine twigs on the ground and am getting on quite comfortably. I have just bought me a camp-stove, my former one being a borrowed article, and have fixed me a table, hat-tree (so-called at home), and a place to put my saddle. Of course these articles of furniture are somewhat rudely constructed and would not bear comparison with any of your tenant’s manufacture, but still they answer my purpose as well as any mahogany articles would. My hat-tree is a young savin tree, with the branches cut off short, and the tree fastened to one of my tent-poles. The table is made of the top of my saddlebox placed upon three sticks driven into the ground and crossed so as to form an inverted tripod. It is somewhat shaky as the top is not yet fastened on, it being convenient at times to remove it to make more room. It is wonderful how many conveniences one can always find about him, if he only has to do so. I find no difficulty in keeping my tent warm, except at night, when it gets somewhat chilly after the fire has gone out.
I suppose it will interest you to learn how I spend my time. We are quite fashionable in our hours. Breakfast is upon the table about 9 o’clock. There is nothing to be done before that time. Then on a pleasant day there is some brigade drill, which begins at 10 and lasts till about one. After that I ride round to the different camps and see my friends. Then we dine at 4.30, having only two meals a day. For breakfast we have some kind of meat and bread, coffee and tea. For dinner, meat, at times soup, and at times pudding, and always coffee. To-day General Martindale had a brigade drill, and I went with him to learn my duties as far as possible. They consist in carrying orders to the different colonels. The day was a splendid one overhead and pretty fair under foot, as the ground was frozen last night. The drill was quite a success as far as the infantry and artillery were concerned, but I cannot say as much for the cavalry, though the squadron we had was quite an inferior one. The infantry were all in line, with pieces of artillery (Martin’s) between the regiments. The cavalry were ordered to charge down the line, and such a sight I never saw before. No two men were in line, and the ridiculous appearance these small bands of stragglers made excited every one’s laughter. I was within twenty feet of the cannon when they were fired, and was surprised to find that my horse did not move an inch. The musketry fire did not seem to disturb him either, and so far I am entirely pleased with him, except that he interferes behind. I have him shod differently, and hope it will remedy the trouble. If it does not, I shall have to get him an interfering strap. This drill is the first I have been to, and when General Porter returns I suppose he will assign me some other duties beside attending drills.
My time has been well taken up fixing my tent, and will be for a day or two. In the evening I write letters or read the newspapers which we receive every morning. I get a New York paper here the morning after it is published. They are brought here by boys from Washington who have regular passes allowing them to come. . . .
General Porter will not be here till to-morrow morning. . . .
I find camp life agrees with me and I with it. I like it very much indeed. . . .
