Augusta County: John Newton Pearce to Lizzie Brown,
December 21, 1863
Summary:
Pearce describes army life, comparing the lack of freedom to that of antebellum
slavery and telling of camp life.
Dec 21st 1863
Camp Chaffies Damn
Dear Miss Lizzie
I set down to write you a few lines to let you know that i am well i dont know that this letter will be acceptable but if you
think this is worth the time of answering i will be very glad to here from you i would take a great pleasure in reading
your letters i wish this cruel war was over so we could all come home again and
enjoy ourselves once more but i would like might well to be at home Christmas So
i could come to Staunton i think i could enjoy myself first rate in Staunton but
there is no chance of my getting away from here a soldier is worse than a negro
used to be we have to get a whole sheet of paper full of writing before we can
get home
[page 2]
and it is such a lazy life not praising myself for i am a
little touched with it myself i have been very hard at work all day getting
timber to build a house you must excuse this short letter but i will try and do
better next time it is very cold here at this time but we enjoy ourselves first
rate we have good quarters and plenty of wood there is not much news here to
write if you think this is worth answering i would like to hear from you in a
short time so good night
from
John N. Pearce
Here is My Address
John N. Pearce
Co. A, 19th
Va.
Regt
Herntons Brigade
Richmond V
a
