1863 Mar 30
Camps Gordon
March 30, 1863
Mrs. Nancy J. Harden
My dear companion,
I received your kind and very welcome letter this morning and was glad to hear from you all. This leaves me well at this time, hoping these lines may reach and find you all well and doing well.
I received the box and was glad of it.
I am glad you have sold the mule for I do not believe I can get off at all soon.
If you need any money, tell Uncle John to pay it to you. If you do not need it, you can do what you please. Ask you Pa’s advice and he will tell you what to do for the best. I am not at home; if I was, I might know what to do, but I am not and I may never be there.
The word came here this evening that 50,000 Yankees have landed near Charleston, South Carolina and we expect to be called to go soon, that is, in a day or two. We will hear in the morning whether it is so. I hope it is not, for I don’t want to get into a fight. The boys are in high spirits and anxious for the fray.
We have cold, bad weather down here now. We have rain and wind severe yesterday.
I was Corporal of the Guard and it rained all day so that we had to wade through mud and water shoe-mouth deep to post the pickets. And last night after the moon went down, I could not see a sentinel five steps from me all the way. I could tell where he was when he would halt me and demand the countersign.
This morning I went to town and I found butter to be worth $1.50 per pound, tobacco from $2 to 10 per pound and everything is as high in proportion.
I am glad to hear that Pa and Tom Cook is coming down here. I think they can make it profitable and they will not know the expenses.
If they come, send me one suit of clothes. I have got shirts enough at present. I have drawn some clothes: a uniform and a shirt and drawers and a cap. I mean send me two pair of cotton pants. You may keep my hat until I write again. I have a cap and my old hat which is not quite worn out.
As we have to go out this morning on review, I shall have to finish my letter before I have time to write to Susan, Carry, and Bettie. But I will try to drop a word now to them all at once and try to do better next time.
As this is the thirty-first of March, I am well this day.
Misses C. C. & S. R. Harden, Bettie Jones.
Dear Sisters,
I received your kind letters and was glad to hear from you all and that you was well. You must not marry until you get a chance no how.
We have some of the best gardens down here you ever saw. Corn is ten inches high, some of it. English peas as high as my head and everything is nice in this country.
You must all write to me again. I intend to write to Sarah and Sammy before long.
There are some nice young men here, and then there is some hogs. This is a great place to find out men.
I want to see you all and as soon as I can get a furlough, I am coming home. So, I was glad that you write to me. That big letter done me more good than anything I know of.
So, I will close. Good-bye.
Yours, etc.
W. H. Harden