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Chaffin’s Bluff Batteries Febr[uar]y 17th, 1863

My darling Wife: -

I wish you could see me now, how snugly I have fixed myself, to shut out everything which is passing around, while I spend a short time in writing to you. Our bunks are fixed on each side of the fire- place, one above the other like shelves, but as wide and comfortable as beds, and with sufficient room between the upper & lower ones to prevent anything of the cramped, con- fined feeling which one generally has in an under bed. On the left of the fire-place, Sam G & I sleep on the bottom bunk & Joe T. & Joe H. on the top one. We have fixed up an “A’ tent, over the whole bunk, so that when we wish, we can let it down & iso- late ourselves entirely, as much so as if we are in a regular tent regularly raised out of doors. This makes our bunks not only more private, but much warmer; as it shuts out all the many currents of cold air, which constantly poor into our room though in- numerable holes which we are too lazy to stop. Joe H. has put, in the [?]-end of the house one large window glass, which lights up his bunk when the tent is down. Well, I am now curled up on the top shelf, at the window-glass, the tent let down closely all around me so that I can neither see nor be seen, writing

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on the tray of my trunk. I intend putting soon a glass over the head of my bunk, & then I can, whenever I wish, have a small private apartment, well lighted up. It is raining closely out of doors, & the boys are amusing them- selves, some by playing drafts, some by reading, & some by writing – so that all are unusually still & quiet. Some are whittling pipes – you would be surprised to see what a variety of beautiful & fancy pipes Joe H. or Jim Davis & other members of the Company cut out of the Ivy-wood, im- itating acorns, flowers, cups clasped by a hand, like Mr. Baskerville’s cedar cup, etc etc. Joe H. has been offered $15 or 20 for one he has made, but he refuses to sell them, & makes them only for friends. Some of the com- pany make a good deal of money by selling them. I have been passing off my spare time for the last month studying [underscored] Well’s Natural Philosophy, & thinking [underscored] of my dear ones at Home – doing much more thinking [underscored] than studying [underscored]. Tom Daniel left us yesterday – had changed very little, only looked a little as if he had dissipated too much. Told over a good many of the same old anecdotes, with a few new ones sprinkled here & there, talked all the time, & played “[Li’l] Liza Jane,” when ever he got hold of a Banjo. He had gotten an appointment as Ass[istan]t Surgeon, & been or- dered to R[ich]mond to be examined by the

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board of physicians before being commissioned. If he fails on his examination, which I fear is very probable, he will be returned to ranks, or be merely detailed as act[ing] Surgeon. Poor Tom! I felt so sorry for him, I could hard- ly enjoy his company. He says “Tell Sis[ter] M[artha] he is much handsomer than he was, & has on a fine stack of anecdotes.” He kept a crowd around him all the time he was in camp, & a good many followed him to Drury’s Bluff, to see him take the boat. I have just gotten a letter from Pattie, saying she had just written to you. I suppose she told you of Ma’s sickness. She spoke of Bro[ther] Dick & his company as in King William, & about to move to Culpep[p]er C[ourt] House. All well & in fine spirits. We had quite an exciting [scene?] in camp last night. They are giving the men short furloughs. The Capt[ain] selected out the eight or nine married men who have been home [struck-through] from home longest, & gave them furloughs so that four could go at a time. He divided the rest into two class- es – the first class including the married men & those [‘& those’ struck-through] who have been home recently, & the single men who have not been home for some time – and the second class in- cluding all the rest. There are 63 in the first class & about 30 in the second. I am in the first class of 63. We will draw for our times after the whole of the first

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class have been furloughed the second will draw. Last night the first class drew for the first time. They managed it thus – 63 grains of corn were put in a [?] sock, among them were four yellow grains – those who go the yellow grains, go this [struck-through] next week. When they come back there will be only 59 grains in the bag, & we will draw again for the yellow grains. Perkins has agreed to let me have his furlough, if he draws before I do; but there are so many to draw, I am afraid all furloughs will be stopped before I am fortunate enough to draw a yellow grain. I failed to get one last night, as did all of my mess ( Abe, Daniel, Sam, & Perkins) who were entitled to draw. This system seems to keep up the hope & excitement of the men, & makes them, I think, more contented & happy. Oh, Darling, if you only could know how anxiously my heart throbbed while the drawing was going on, you could have some idea of my anxiety to be with you. Now you are get- ting well & fattening up & walking about again, I feel more anxious than ever to see you. And I wish [more?] now to be with you too, because I know you are troubled by [Eliza’s?] sickness, & the indisposition of the children, & the many little things which are going on wrong at home, & which are calculated to vex and annoy you too much [‘too much’ underscored]