(Illegible……….the first part of the letter appears Henry Machen Patrick is telling his wife Sue that he is taking the time to write to her amid all of his duties and thanks her for previous letters.) ……if not for your precious letters to cheer me camp life would be almost unbearable. While on duty particularly when exposed to danger, my mind is sufficiently engaged, but when in camp its duties are so monotonous (illegible words) very badly.
It is at those times my darling’s letters are most appreciated. We are having a very easy time now, being on picket only about two days out of eight. While in camp though, we drill one hour in the forenoon of every day & graze our horses in the afternoon.
While on picket we stand so near the Yankee pickets that we can converse with each other. Some places, the pickets are not more than fifty yards apart.
They are very friendly, often offering to exchange papers, swap Sugar & coffee for tobacco. We have very positive orders though, to have no communication with them, except by orders of our Brigade commander. On our portion of the line the pickets do not fire on each other except when there is a general advance. It is thought by some that Grant is gradually withdrawing from the front of Petersburg, and transporting his troops up the Potomac.
There is a rumor in Camp to-day, that Gens Lee & Grant have both left P. & that Beauregard & Butler were in command of the respective armies at this place. If that is so, we may soon expect to hear of a heavy battle somewhere near the Potomac. I should not be surprised that our Brigade moves in that direction, if the rumor mentioned is correct.
Speaking of my coming home, I see no prospect, except I get a furlough. That I cannot expect before the latter part of the fall or winter. I hardly think that we will be sent to No Car to recruit next winter as the first & second Regts have neither been, they will probably go if any does. Upon the whole do you not think that it would be better for me not to go home again while the war lasts, since my visit last summer caused you to loose so much & six hundred dollars is paying too dear for the whistle is it not? I should have been a better boy.
Don’t you think so? Sunday morning : 14th. Yesterday evening I was interupted to go on dress parade, therefore could not finish my letter. I now will commence again but will be disturbed again before I can complete this, to go on “inspection”. I do not think you should be as indifferent as you estimated in one of your letters, should I not be spared too return to my loved ones.
Had it been the present generation alone that we would benefit it would have been better to have submitted to the incroachments of that blind fanaticism of the north that has drafted our sunny south with mourning & caused thousands of hearthstones to be desolate.
We should remember it is not for ourselves alone we labor. Our revolutionary fathers planted the seed of liberty - nurtured the tender plants & watered it with their blood, & for what? That we, their offspring might eat of the fruits thereof.
Are we less patriotic than they? Should it be said, that the sons of such sires have become so selfish that they look only to the present enforcement of themselves & sit comfy and witness the manufacture of the chains that are being prepared for their children? I know you will say no.
I am aware that there are those who pretend to believe that this war might have been averted - that it was in the power of certain southern men to have prevented hostilities between the two sections & that those men are responsible for the evils we are now experiencing. I am one of those who do not think it
could have been consistent with Southern honor. And now my darling, should you be so unfortunate as to have to make that sacrifice you so much fear, do it with that Christian & patriotic resignation that so characterized the Spartan women.
But my dear Sue I do feel that with the prayers of my dear wife & those of my little ones living constantly presented for my safety and for my return, I shall be spared to be happy again with you and them as in days past. Our prospects are brightening.
It is thought the summer campaign is nearly ended in Va, & what has “the greatest army on the planet” accomplished? Nothing but defeat in which not less than 100,000 of their best troops have been lost. Holdon stock has gone so far below par that it is impossible to express its present status in figures. I feel really proud of the “Old North State” & rejoice to know that, that portion of her degenerated sons who have been blinded by party fanaticism & those whose political ambition has led them astray is so small.
I know that there are those who would like to have the pleasure (to them) to say that the Holdon men in the army did not have the privileg of voting as they wished. From personal observation I can speak only respecting my own Company. In that I do know there never was a fairer election held that I ever witnessed. There were twenty-eight votes polled. Vance rced 27 & Holdon rced one. No man objected to the Holdonite voting – not even a word was said to him. His name is Patterson & though a citizen of No. Ca. by birth, has lived in Boston 8 or 10 years of his life.
Holdon rced only four votes in the 3rd. I have not heard of any Regt in which any man who wished to vote for H was debarred from so doing. Vance may be 2nd choice of some, but he is my 1st choice, & could his virtues be known at home, which would be the case, were it not for the disaffected constantly preaching peace convention & instead of taking their muskets & sending leaden commissioners & death dealing delegates to the enemy’s ranks, the much desired boon would not be far distant.
Among many other good things our excellent Governer has done he has run through the blockade and sold to destitute families of soldiers 40,000 pair of cards at $5 pr pair when they could not have procured them in any other way for less than from $40 to $100 pr pair.
But enough of this one sided question. You spoke my darling about sending me some money. I do not need any now. I am oblige to you for the kind offer.
I do not use much as we get plenty to eat. I sometimes wish for fruit melons etc but they are selling so extravagantly that I am striving to practice selforenial.
Water-melens are selling for from $5 to $20 each, apples $2 two dollars per quart. We have to pay a dollar a garment for washing and profiting by past experience I now wash my own clothes. We are not allowed to carry but one jacket, 1 pr pants, which we wear, and a change only of under garments.
The latter are frequently reduced to only on suit. We are camped near a creek and at no hour of the day is this stream clear of soldiers washing.
There is a great many socks in the creek and we take our clothes on a large rock and with a stick give them what Paddy gave the drum – “h__ l of a beating.” I must now close without finishing this sheet. I have fraped (sp) every pleasant morning writing to my darling.
As I concluded the above paragraph the bugle sounded for us to “saddle up.” We are now ready to march and in the interim I will conclude.
I do not know where we are going. Rumor says to the North side of the James. I will write you when we stop. I do not think it safe to transmit money per mail – will try and send you the Examiner.
I will send this by Capt Buck, who leaves this afternoon on furlough. My love to all. Keep my little ones for me. T.R.C. is well.
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