.Njk5.OTA5

[1]

Chaffin’s Bluff Batteries May 13th, 1863

My dear Nannie: -

We are begining to get all straight again – have stopped sending off pickets – moved our siege guns back to their original places – com- menced [tr...f...ing?] our [magazines?] again; and will, in the course of a few days, be going on regularly in our old routine of a few weeks ago. I write hastily to you now, as it is my reg- ular time to write, though I will have time to write but little. Have received only one letter from you, dated 7th, in which you spoke of having sent [one?] to Townesville previously – Got a letter to-day from Bro. Will which I will enclose in this. I will write to him to invest my money in Confeder- ate bonds. I know not what else to do with it. While here I cannot think and manage my matters as I would

[2]

be able to do if at Home – Everything like business bothers and confuses me. Pickett’s Division of Longstreet’s Corps is now camped just back of Drury’s Bluff – It marched up to that place from Suffolk, & is now lying there for orders. Day before yesterday Nat Flournoy & Adam Venable came over to see me. Nat has been ap- pointed Capt of Dabney [Ca...?] [Harrison’s} old company. Abram is a Lt. in one of the Pr. Edwd Companies. Tom Morton (Joe [?] Brother) came over the same day, & spent a night with us. He was very anxious to get exchanged into this compy, & offered one of our men $400 to exchange with him, but his officers refused to allow it. Geo. [Frieley?] is a Lt. in Nat. Flournoy’s compy. A good many of our mess went over to visit the boys, & I would have gone yester- day to see Nat. but it was so hot I hated to take the walk. Abe & Daniel

[3]

Booker went, but Nat’s Rgt, & two or three others had been ordered to Rmond to take part in Gen’l Jackson’s funeral; so they didn’t see them. The soldiers were very much jaded, & were lying out in the Sun with no tents, living on hard crackers and a quarter pound [?] bacon. The boys all came back perfectly satisfied with infantry, & willing to eat our fare & under go our little hardships with no complaints. Abram Venable told me that Henry [Edwards or Edmunds?] had gotten home & was do- ing well. We have been having beau- tiful spring weather – very warm - & the wheat & clover around here look splen- did. [?] fields of wheat looking more forward & better than any I saw in carolina. I do hope that our ar- my can in a short time be better supplied with rations than they have been. Has your Pa written to Ben Mor ton to send the Gov. Agent up for our bacon? The men of our compy are

[4]

in a high state of excitement about the doings of a portion of the Yankee raid- makers, who passed through K & Q. They took horses & negroes from a great many fam- ilies represented in this compy. They shot at the fathers of some of the boys, and hacked in a very cruel manner, the father of our Lt. Ryland, with sabres, leaving the old man with several severe cuts on his head & shoulders, with one of his ribs broken, & very much bruised. They acted more shamefully & cruelly in K & Q than any where else. Oh, Darling, I wish more than ever for peace, for the quiet & happiness of home, and for the enjoyment of your presence. I dread the idea of another sum- mer from home, - of another year from those I love, & who love me, so much. But let us trust in God & hope. ---Ask your Pa to write to Bro. Will & tell him what he thinks about the proper disposition of my money – Give much, much love to all. And write to me as often [underscored] as you can. – Kiss my precious little Minnie – I am glad she remembers me & thinks of me. I love little our little Charley now just as I did when he was living, & think of him as much, or more. Answer all the questions in my last letter Your devoted husband, N.V.W.