Nov. 29th 1862
My Dear Father
I have not received a letter from
you since we got to this place. And one of
the company, who has entered a substitute,
leaves tomorrow & I take the opportunity
to send a letter. Every thing is quiet. I never got
to Fredbg., not being allowed to go. But some
of our company muster up a sufficient
excuse to take them there occasionally – they
say the enemy’s pickets stand in full view
on the other side of the river, which is
here about two hundred yards & ours on
this side. The town looks almost as if
it was deserted. The citizens are returning
slowly to town. The shelling of the cars,
which I wrote to you of, scared one lady to
death. She was however sick before.
You inquired if the army was much
destitute. I can not give a satisfactory
answer. Longstreet’s whole corps is here – but
I have seen only a few save those who
are in our brigade. Of these a good
many are without shoes. They do not
appear to be much in need of other
clothes – unless they would like to wash
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and change clothes; then I suppose they have
no change. Socks I fear are not used
much. Tents are not used – but flys –you
saw one fly around Richmond. Indeed
the infantry have none of these – I
suppose they could be procured, but
the infantry could not transport them
& would lose them on the first move. The
authorities seem to be more anxious than
heretofore to furnish them & are supply-
ing some – but not enough - hitherto she[?]
has[?] been very negligent in that de-
partment as well as in the commis-
sary – this latter does not improve – all
a soldier draws is meat, flower & a little
salt. A Colonel of a Mississippi regi-
ment said a few days since that
there were two hundred men in his reg-
iment without shoes – I did not believe
him. He also said they had subscribed
1500 dollars for purchasing them privately.
If mother has any homespun flannel
a very good over shirt could be made out
of it if she could dye it. Brown or a lead
culler or any dark culler would do. Please
ask her to make such a shirt, for an
outer shirt, if it is convenient to dye
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it. But do not let her give herself any
trouble – I will not probably want them for
some time but when convenient if she will
make those articles. I will call for them
when I want them.
There were two crops of wheat about
in Culpeper where I went along-
The farmers not having the means
to get it out of the straw – conse-
quently, I suppose, we could not
bring it & had to leave it behind.
Sunday 30th
My Dear Father
Night caught me last
night before I could finish it writing.
Mr. Bradly starts immediately so I can
write no more. The mail came
just now, but no letter for me from
home. Our cook is sick, & I
am cook to day. We bought a
turkey yesterday for 2 dollars
& I must devise some way of
cooking it. None of our
cooking utensils are large enough
except a camp boiler & it has
been suggested to boil it.
Farewell Dear Father
W. H. Perry, Jr.
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There is nothing new this mor-
ning. Give my best love to Mother, George & all.
Does Lan’s health improve?
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