Letter from Orlando L. French to Lydia French

fits such as were common with me at one time giddiness + blindness followed by a killing sick head ache nothing dangerous but as the chivalry sat "powerful uncomfortable - at ten A.M. then being under orders to change camp the Col gave me permit to go to the city + make myself as comfortable as I could the surgeon ordered me into the hospital but I did not go but took lodgings at a hotel where I remained until nearly night to day when I returned to camp Dec 4th Nothing occurred to day except that we recieved orders to allow no citizen or straggling soldier arround our camp but arrest them + set them to work on our fortifications + it being Sunday thousands of citizens were strolling arround to see what they could + ran right in to a trap + before night we had very fine works It afforded our boys a great deal of sport to see those nice old fellows from town dig in the ditches who ahd probably never handled a spade nefore in their lives Dec 5th the Regt was detailed for picket today + remained out 24 hours no demonstrations Dec 6 " Peace + quietness prevails in our front but to our right + near or on the river some heavy fighting had taken place today that the Johnneys have been whipped again is all we have heard

540

Dec 12th

I have not had time to finish this letter, + now we have orders to be ready to move at a moments notice + as the mail is just going out I will add a word + send it there is going to be a big fight or a foot race but we will not be the ones to run this time If we do not go tomorrow I will write you again I havent said anything in this that I wanted to but I am as ever your loving Husband

O L French