Augusta County: Jedediah Hotchkiss to Sara A. Hotchkiss,
December 7, 1862
Summary:
Hotchkiss sends his wife a list of items he wants from home, and relates bits of news about
camp life, skirmishes, and the weather.
Sara A. Hotchkiss
Sunday Dec. 7th 1862
Camp at Guiney's Station
My Dr. Wife:
I am spending the day in camp -- as there is no church near and the going is too bad, mud
frozen so a horse cuts through, to go any distance, so I have been reading the Psalms and will
now write to you -- I find it much pleasanter in camp than I had any idea it could be, in fact
about as comfortable as a house, with a good stove -- if anything it is too warm just now,
though chilly and windy without, and I find no difficulty in writing, drawing, or anything else
I may desire -- then I enjoy the good warm biscuits that we have, with stewed peaches, coffee
sweetened with the prepared milk we got at Winchester -- in fact I have not a word of complaint
to make & if I can only keep up a moderate supply of butter & dried fruit I
shall do well -- I though the exposure would make me sick, but
instead I have been getting better ever since I came back & am now feeling exceedingly
well and think I shall fatten on light duty, soft water and hearty eating. I am sorry I am not
at home now to help to make you comfortable for the winter -- call on Mr. Wooster to do any
jobs you may want fixed up & I hope I may at least get home for a short time during the
month -- Can you spare me the little trunk -- traveling one?, and is it in good order, lock
& all -- I want it for my clothes &c -- want to get rid of one big box to make
room for my little mess box that I have written to Nelson to make for me -- give him one of the
locks in some of the book case drawers to put on it, if they will suit.
[page 2]
My Dear, I
will tell you what I want in my box -- so you can put them up in your own nice way -- as no one
else can -- 1st some 10 lbs. of butter in well
salted lumps or prints -- have it well salted and you can roll
them up in something and I can put them into one of my buckets here 2nd
then about a gallon of pickles -- they will have to be put in a stone jar -- (I told N. to get 3 for you if he could find them) 3rd
then about a peck of dried apples & peaches , half & half -- in separate bags
(buy some more peaches like these if you can -- a half bush.) 4th 2 qts
of dried corn 5th a peck of sifted corn meal -- well dried -- 6th a half peck of hominy, from Mr. Bear -- 7th A few
dried berries, if you have any to spare. 8th chink the spaces with some
very hard baked & beaten crackers that can stand keeping -- 9th
If you can as well as not, get the tin can I kept corks in, it has a cover, and fill it with
lard, for our bread, and then add, if any room, a link of sausages for Bos -- I will write to or about getting the box ready and sending it, to me, you fix
the contents -- Have Mr. Wooster dress the cloth nicely -- full it well & &c
for I must have a coat from it before long, tell him to do his best, and the big knife shall be
his as soon as I can send it -- Do you want Allen again, or what do you wish in the way of
servants -- it is time to be thinking about them -- write me and I will write to those that
have & fix it -- Keep the Osnaburg -- I want some for some camp stools as well as for
my coat -- use what you want
All is quiet here -- we drove out the gun boats the other day -- & peppered them well -- the Yanks are thick on one side of the river & we on the other -- The pickets have a talk now & then. One of the Y's asked one of ours if Jackson had resigned -- he [unclear: answered] yes. Why? sd. the other. Because Banks, his Q.M. Gen. had failed to supply him lately with stores, was our picket's reply & &c. Kenney has "biles" again -- is flat of his back reading -- The weather has been cold & bad, but looks better today. Shall I send for the Examiner again, or would you prefer some other paper -- the [unclear: time] ends with the year -- I hope not to impose so many labors in another letter, it is too bad to put so many things on you, but we must all bear & endure many things in this horrid war -- only the Lord grant that it may speedily end and peace and liberty again be ours -- Write to me soon -- very soon & I will remember to write often -- Kiss the children -- I will remember & write to Nelly before long - May God bless & keep you all in his merciful care --
Your Aff -- husband
Jed. Hotchkiss
