Augusta County: Henry H. Dedrick to Mary E. A. Dedrick,
September 29, 1861
Summary:
Dedrick writes about a devastating rain storm and about a march to the top of Allegheny
Mountain. He also mentions that he has plenty to eat.
Mary E. A. Dedrick
September the 29th, 1861
Hyland Co. VA
Dear Wife
it is with pleasure that I take my pen in hand to inform you that I am well at present and I am getting as fat! as a pig. I have had my health better since I have been here than I have had since I have been in camp and I hope when these few lines comes to hand they may find you and Willa in the same state of health and all the rest of you.
I received your most affectionate letter on the 27 of Sep. And Dear Lissa you don't know how glad I was to hear from you all and that you all was well. We have had a big rain here, it fell on the 27. I tell you that we had a terrible time of it, the water was very high. We had to move in a hurry, we had to wade through water over knee deep and we had to carry all of our things out about one hundred and fifty yards out on a hill and when we got all of the things carried out it was dark and then we had our tents to put up after dark. I tell you we had a wet time of it.
Dear Lissa you wanted to know what we had to eat. We have plenty of good beef and some bacon and flour, sugar and coffee and rice. We have plenty to eat we get some butter at times as we can get it, and as to the sleeping part some times we have a very good place to sleep and some times we haft to sleep on the ground wet or dry.
September the 30th . Dear Wife-- while I have a little more time I will write a few more lines to you to let you know that we haft to march to the top of Alleghany Mountain. We will go to [unclear: Heyners] tonight. I make so many mistakes you must excuse me for I am so much bothered I can't write. Dear Lissa I thought I would not send this I made so many mistakes in it, and then I thought that I send it any how, I will save writing by it. I thought I would wait a few days after I write this before I would write any more
