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Camp of 4th Vt. Vols. Near Aquia Creek, Va. Jan'y. 25th 1863.
My dear Mother:
Thy letter, with Thomas' was received, today. The mistake in the Check, was a fault of our Paymaster's, which can be rectified at our next payday, with no loss to me, but the [underline]delay[/underline]. For this I am sorry, as I supposed that, ere now, the money was doing Thos. some good. I am glad to hear you are all so well & hope to hear the same, very often. Mary must pattern after [underline]me[/underline], more, & [underline]shirk[/underline], if so would get well & keep so at all. I guess the Dr. would "excuse her from duty," a few days more, if she would ask him to do it: let her try him! I am free once more & do not wish to be otherwise soon, even if not guilty. As you heard, we were on the move, on the nineteenth. You will know the result, before this reaches Vt. but some of the particulars, I will relate. As I wrote we were under marching orders, several days, before then & expected to go somewhere soon. On that day we [underline]did[/underline] start. The sky was lowering & stormy weather seemed certain.
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The ground was frozen hard & the roads were good, in consequence of it. At ten o'clock A.M. we started, towards the river, once more, going north of Falmouth, this time. Having been in Camp so long our feet were not so rough as if more used to marches &, besides, most of the boys had heavy boots,"from [underline]home[/underline]"; very differrent from the pliable soles of "Uncle Sam." Notwithstanding this, we were "marveled" over the grozen ground, twelve miles, or more, before dark. Several Expresss Boxes came on the Eightteenth; one for Sergeant Newton, full of good things, so we three, of this tent were not troubled with [underline]light[/underline] loads. At night, we encamped, in pine woods, near the river, where we hurriedly pitched our tents & ate supper; (doughnuts, whitebread, butter, cheese, sausage, tea & C.) & went to bed. It soon began to rain, and did not stop for near three days. On the twentieth we lay in camp, till noon, when we were orderd to "pack up" & marched about one & one half miles, where "Form Divisions; on first Division, right in front" "Order Arms," "Stack Arms." "Unsling Knapsakcs," followed in rapid succession & we were taken to where a train of Pontoons was fast stuck, in the mud, [?] a Burnside.
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Here we worked till dark, drawing those same boats through some two feet of mud three fourths of a mile. Then back to camp, for the night, in the rain, once more. Twenty first, orders at noon to pack up & be ready to start for the old camp at a moments notice. We did so & after standing with our Knapsacks on for half an hour or more, the order was countermanded & we stayed there, one night more & at daylight on the twentysecond, through the mud we came, to the same old camp & if I was ever lame, it was, the next morning, after. The sun did not not shine on is from the time we started from camp, till we got within three ms. of here, again. Some say it was ominous; it seemed so: was it? I do not know, [underline]sure[/underline]. Things now seem to indicate a stay here, for some little time & I [underline]hope[/underline] so, [/underline]too[/underline].
No lives were lost, as I know of, but we were near enough to see that if we had tried to cross, they were ready for us to come. Those who saw the other side, said the lines of battle extended as far as they could see with Batteries planted on all available posiitons. An order was read to us, from Burnside, the morning we started saying it was believed "The auspicious moment had at last arrived, to win [underine]the[/underline] decisive victory."l
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Providence prevented our crossing for some [underline]wise[/underline] purpose, [underline]I[/underline] believe. I got a letter from McAllastor, dated the 14th saying he was doing nicely & hoped to be on crutches to-day. This, if true, will be almost remarkable. As we are likely to be here some time now I should like some more things, in the provisionary line sent out, as I do not care to be without them & to buy them here would ruin any one, who gets no more than I do. I would like another cheese, if you have one to spare; any-where from twelve to twenty pounds of butter; as much sausage as thee may have to send, if thee can pack it, (perhaps, as thee sometimes has, for the Spring use) so it will keep till here, & things will come directly, now I think. Other things, I will not specify, unless it be, a few [underline]eggs[/underline], if you have plenty of them. Clothing, I do not require more of, now. If sent, please have the box very strong & put on the cover, with screws & leather hinges with some leather handles at the ends to handle it by, as it will not be so apt to receive rough usage, if fixed so, I think. You need not send, at all if not convenient. I will now close this, with much love, & many hopes of hearing, soon from home & from thee.
Thine
W. B. Stevens.
To R. B. Stevens
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P.S. (No. 1) We have just come from Dress Parade & I have thought of some more almost indispensable articles, which I would like sent. Sodae, Saleratus (is that spelled aright?) & Cream Tartar, the [sutlers?] can only bring to us, at the risk of losing their whole load, as a penalty. I would like two lbs. of the first or second & enough of the third to match it, in the mixing. I would also like a half ream of good Commercial Note paper with stout, white Envelopes enough to go with it & a half ream of small sized, fine ruled Letter paper, with good Buff envelopes, accordingly; paper is so high here, it pays.
W. B. Stevens
