Franklin County: Samuel W. North to his brother,
November 20, 1862
Summary:
North describes General McClellan's and General Porter's
farewells to the troops. He also talks about marching on muddy roads and about a
disease afflicting horses and mules.
Brother
November 20th 1862
Camp of the 126th
Dear Brother -
I received yours of the [unclear: 6th] but have not
had time to write since as we have been marching for the last week or so. on the
10th we were drawn up in line to [illeg.]
[deleted: take] hear General
Mclellans farewell it was short and he rode along
the lines with his hat off we saluted him at a present arms then gave him three
cheers. on the 12th we had General
Porter's farewell he too rode past with his hat off
and as he shook hands with General Tyler the tears came
into his eyes we marched through Warrenton on the 17th
there are some very fine buildings there passed through Warrenton Junction we
have been marching pretty hard for the last few days it has been sunny for the
last two days and it is raining now the roads are miserable some places the wheels sink into the hubs some places the axels scrape the mud
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the teams often stall and have to double team it. it is a miserable place
on horses and mules there is some kind of a disease got amongst them it is from
the shelled corn they get too much of that kind of strong feed and not enough of
hay some say it is a contagious disease their feet and mouths get sore some of
their feet get fairly rotten and some of them come off so I hear I saw a great
many with sore feet and saw a great many condemned ones driven back it is supposed they will be taken to washington and sold.
tell mother I drew two pairs of government stockings and a pair of new shoes
which I will carry with me till my boots [deleted: are given] give out
that won't be long. We are [added: camped] within six miles of Fredericksburg Va this is a poor country that is, the land is poor but it
is level around most of the houses there are lots of
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shanties for
their darkies. the farms and fields are very large. the winter is very bad. I
wrote two letters to Mother one at Snickers Gap & the other at White
Plains did she get them. we have no regular mails but just get our letters once
in a few days. Direct your letters to Washington. it would be useless to write
any general news as you have a better chance to get them than I have. if you
have a chance to send with anyone coming here you may send my boots but if not
do not send them there will be very little chance of my getting them I drew
shoes and leggings which will keep my feet comfortable. When you write tell me
all the news from home and town tell me everything that happens as anything from home
will interest me. We are in the first Brigade of the third Division of the fifth Army Corps under the command of General Hooker
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so you can tell by the papers
where we are Hooker has command of two corps, the Second and fifth. write soon
& direct to Washington.
from you Bro
S.W. North
#3 21st On half rations today teams are gone for rations but the roads are bad & the teams are poor. We hope they will be here tonight the boys some of them traded coffee for flour it is worth $25.00 for bushel the same in Richmond. Sam Alaman got [deleted: an o] Richmond-Examiner it quotes flour at $25 to $27 & other things in proportion it is Jubilant over the elections in the north. If you have any confederate money you may send it to me as it will pass here for provisions among the farmers.
I thing Charly had a pocket map of the U.S. or of Virginia if you have a chance send me it if it is not about maybe you can find part of an old atlas I want Virginia or a map of the South. Direct to Washington. S. W. N.
S.W.N.
