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Highland County, Virginia
At this time Dedrick seemed to be feeling pretty good about his camp saying "I am well at present and I am getting as fat as a pig!". Recently on the 27th there was a lot of rain and they had to carry all of their things about 150 yards up a hill in knee deep water until they were able to set up camp at the top. Now that that's over though I think he would agree with me that they are doing fairly well and he hopes it stays that way. -
Pocahontas County, West Virginia
Dedrick is still doing well right now but sadly quite a few of his friends are not doing so good. Recently there were cannons shot at his camp so him and his men all got in a line of battle and prepared for a fight. Luckily though after a few hours there was no battle so they all returned to camp safe and probably pretty hungry! -
Pocahontas County, West Virginia
In this letter he mainly tells about how everybody is doing and most are doing well. Recently they have had a lot of bad weather. Mostly just snow and rain but they're getting a lot of it and it is very cold. He had to stand post for a few hours and I don't think he liked it due to the cold weather. Now they are in a cabin though so the cold shouldn't be too much of an issue. All together he is pretty happy. -
Alleghany Mountain, Camp Tip Top, Pocahontas County, West Virginia
He has been told that there will most likely be a battle soon and that everybody needs to be ready. He doesn't say much more other than how everyone is doing and that he is trying to keep practicing religion. He says it is very hard to get the time to practice religion and he is sorry that he hasn't much. Probably the most important news to him is that they might be going home soon and everybody is talking about it. -
Alleghany Camp Tip Top
Not much has happened recently. There is quite a few sick people but most seem to be getting better. They have to walk 5 miles every morning and evening and they've been at work "on a regular detail." so he hasn't had much time to write. Seems like he's had a pretty boring week if you ask me. -
Camp Alleghany
Everyone seems to have recovered from any sickness and they all hope it stays that way. Dedrick has been told that he might get a furlough soon so that he can go see his family as well as some other married men. Once again not much has happened but I think everyone would rather that then getting into a fight and most liekly dying. Probably the highlight of his week is that they are building a stable for the horses. -
Camp Alleghany
For the past few days Dedrick hasn't been feeling well but he thinks he is getting better. They are still hard at work on the horse stables but he doesn't think they will finish any time soon. He hasn't been on guard for more than a month but he seems happy about it because of the recent weather. -
Camp Alleghany
Recently he received a letter from his father saying that everyone was doing well and that he visited Dedricks wife and kids the day before. He said he was brought to tears when he left and Willie cried after him because Dedrick is at war and may never see him on again. Dedrick is doing well now and the camp has been very pleasant for the past few days. -
Camp Shenandoah, Augusta County, Virginia
They have left Camp Alleghany and after stopping at a few places to rest they are now on Shenandoah Mountain. His uncle has been very sick and he doesn't know when he will get better. He doesn't know how long they will be at Camp Shenandoah but if they stay there for long he wants them to visit him for a little while. -
Camp near Port Republic, Virginia
Recently there was a big battle between them and the "yankees". Before this battle there was a mini battle between just his regiment and a few yankees but nothing really happened. A few days later is when the big battle happened but this time there was more yankees and some more southern regiments to help them. There was around 52 prisoners taken by his regiment but only two were killed. About 75 people were killed or wounded on their side but they don't know how many yankees. -
Camp near James River
Most of this letter is illegible but from what you can read him and his friends are all doing fine.He saw his father recently and he is doing well also. -
Spotsylvania County, Virginia
They had one of the hardest battles they've ever had recently. They had around 20,000 poeple killed, wounded, or missing but they don't know what the yankees lost. Dedrick is doing well luckily even after all of this but he is very hungry. They haven't been getting much food recently and what they do get is not very good. -
Camp Near Hamilton's Crossing
Dedrick is not doing very well right now. He has been having bad pains throughout his whole body and was barely able to sit up and write. They are getting better rations of food now and it is enough to keep them satisfied. -
Camp near Culpeper Courthouse
They left their old camp around midnight and are very sore from walking. He is feeling a lot better now and hopes he stays that way. He said he has good news but never said what it was.
