Chronological History of the American Civil War

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which looks much better if it does not sound any better. Well Uncle Sam can pay all these things--he is rich you know making millions of paper currency everyday which is discounted in New York at 33 per cents by Wall Street brokers. Perhaps they are Democratic and entered into a league or conspiracy to send the Government of the present administration and bring the old Democratic party into rule again. I turn to the last page to scribble but a few lines more of nonsense. Everything is very high here. It costs us money to live here. Tea $2.00 per lb; Butter 40 cents; cheese 25 cents; pork 20 flour 8 pr bbl, potato $1.00 pr bushel and (King Cotton 50 cents per lb) dried apples 25 cents and other things in proportion. Our men draw plenty of rations in flour and hard bread, bacon (delicious morsel) coffee and tea, sugar, rice, hominy, salt, vinegar, soap, candles with occasionally a day’s ration of fresh beef. In the last three months, our Company have sold nearly $100 extra rations, but we account for that in blackberries, peaches, apples and potatoes that they have managed to get in some Secesh's orchard or garden or perhaps have ventured near a henhouse or sheep pasture or perhaps an ugly hog has crossed their path and causes them to commit deeds of violence. Such luxuries are getting scarce and they will now have to subsist what they get from U.S. (Uncle Sam). We have not been paid since July 1st. We are mustered every two months. I made out our pay rolls on the first of Sept and shall have to make them out again in two or three days with four (4) months’ pay. We are beginning to want change. Our forces here are to receive new clothing in a few days; this will be our winter suit. Also new tents…our old ones are beginning to leak having been used one year. When we get fixed up, we shall be prepared to follow the enemy or camp here all winter just as our leaders say. We have had very warm weather this summer or at least it has seemed so to me, but we have cool nights. On the 27th we had snow to whiten the ground and it has been very cold nights since blankets being eagerly sought for by all. We have 4 darky cooks in our Company paid by Government…great – stout – fellows would be good for you on your farm. But hold on paper is getting scarce. Let me hear from you. I will finish this letter by adding another slip and giving you a brief account of a rich planter. He owned 150 negroes and had 700 acres of cotton, 25 or 30 mules besides several horses. Our Government (strange to say) sent officers with men to visit him. Took several hundred bushels of corn, his mules and horses, marched his negroes into camp and left him to pick his large field of cotton alone. He came into camp to get his slaves to go back and help him, he is making very fair promises but nary one chose to go, and his crop of cotton which would yield him at least 350 bales and worth $250.00 per bale, was left to waste. This is the way lots of them are feeling this war in this country. If they were not so desperate and reckless they would give up and call themselves all beat out. Houses are torn down to make bunks for soldiers, fences are burned up to cook and keep the soldiers warm; cornfields are cleared to keep the horses; forests are felled to prevent and obstruct the advance of the enemy; handsome lawns are dug up to build entrenchments; streets are blockaded; homes are ordered vacated for Hospitals, Commissaries and Quartermaster stores. Business stores and shops are shut up except for suiters and army traders. Schoolhouses are vacant or occupied for hospitals. Churches and Church bells are silent, but the graveyard is a busy place especially for a few days after the fight. But most of the Love to all, Hervey