Franklin County: Thad Donely to Henry A. Bitner, January 5, 1863
January 5 1862
Camp Near Falmouth
I take this opportunity to write
you a few lines as I told you I should
when I got to the sacred soil of Old Virginia.
I came here on last Saturday 2 week had no
trouble getting through as the [unclear: weather was]
fine. We had a pleasant trip [unclear: took the]
boat at Washington for Aquia
[unclear: [illeg.]] Saturday
morning got to camp about 8 o'clock in the
evening. It is 17 miles from the landing at Aquia
to Fredericksburg. There is a RailRoad from the
creek
up. We came up on that. We are
camped about 3 miles from Fredericksburg
[unclear: [illeg.]] laying along the river yesterday. I was out on
picket. I had
a right good time. I would
just as soon be on picket as in camp
if we
could have some arrangement for sleeping. We are just
now cooking Dinner. We have
some potatoes
and parsnips that I got in a garden when out
picketing. I think it will make a fine dish.
[page 2]
We have to manage a great many way
to make hard tack and salt pork
keep
one alive. Fried crackers and crackers hammered
up and cakes made out of them is the
principal living I tell you I wish I had
some of the ciders and apples
that
are in Cumberland County. I could
do well. There
is not an apple to be had.
I seen them sell
at Aquia Creek at 7 Dollars per barrel
and retail at 3 for a Dime. The regiment is Small
at this
time. There was a good many killed
and wounded in the last
fight and since
that a great many have taken sick. Those
sick have been sent off. All here are pretty
well and the health of the men has been good
since the sick have been sent away. I have
been well much better than I could have
expected
just coming from home and going into
the hardships of camp. When I came here the
boy had just to lay Down on the ground without even a blanket some of them it was
rather hard [deleted: [illeg.]]
We have since got shelter
William Jones
John Hayes
& I bunk together have a good
mess have a hole dug in the ground about 4 feet
square and 2 feet Deep keep right warm Tell Eberly & Hoover that I am all
right and wish they
were here for for few Days not long ere it
is too hard
for white and men.[1] Tell Irven to write to me soon that I am well if you
see him
my compliments to your Brother [2]
Notes
[1]
Donely wrote this postscript
upside down on the upper margin of
the verso.
[2]
Donely wrote this postscript in the upper margin of the
recto (page 1).
