Augusta County: Thomas M. Smiley to His Sister, January 4, 1863
Summary:
Discusses Stuart's movement around the enemy, Christmas fare in camp, cost of food in camp,
and the brigade's losses in 1862.
Sister
Jan 4th 1863
Camp Winder
Dear Sister
I received your letter yesterday dated the thirty first & now hasten to answer it. I
am well with the exception of a cold which is nothing new. There is no news of importance
except that there was a slight stir in camp yesterday in consequence of a rumored advance of
the enemy but it appears to have subsided now General Stuart has made another dash around the
enemy & returned without the loss of a man. He captured five hundred
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prisoners, two hundred wagons, and destroyed five days rations for the Yankees.
Christmas & New Years day passed off quietly with us. We had a great variety on the
table for our christmas dinner[deleted: s] the breakfast consisted of beeff steak & bread, dinner was bread & Roast Beef,
& supper out of what was left [deleted: for] at breakfast. To give you an
idea of what we have to pay for little extras I will mention the price of a few articles.
Apples are selling at from $1.50 to two dollars a dozen, Ginger Bread 3 cakes for a dollar,
Butter two dollars a pound, sausage 1.50 per pound, dried apple pies that are baked in camp
bring 75 cts and a dollar & every
thing else is in proportion. There was but few of the men that could afford to get
drunk this
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Christmas as Whiskey is selling at fifteen dollars a quart. During the last year we lost
out of our brigade 1220 men in killed & wounded no mention being made of those that
died from disease the loss in our regiment was 400 almost one
third of the whole amount We marched over 1500 miles encountering the snows &
ice of Winter in the mountains of Morgan and hampshire. The miasma of summer in the swamps of
Henrico & Hanover Our bridgade numbers but 1200 muskets at the beginning of the present
year. If I can obtain a copy of the order I will send it to you which contains a history of the
past years campaign in few words. We are now fixed upp
prety well having a little tent fixed upp
& a chimney in it in which we do our cooking
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Tom
