CHRISTMAS SEASON ON CAMPAIGN-PART 3 Anyw

CHRISTMAS SEASON ON CAMPAIGN-PART 3

Anyway back to the weather, starting the last of October we were marched from around Martinsburg, VA over the Blue Ridge to around Culpepper, VA. The weather was beginning to get colder and up in the Blue Ridge it was downright coolish. Our feet were chaffed from the new shoes some of us had been issued. Mine were a bit too large, but my feet were tough enough that no bad blisters came of it.

Only one of my mess mates is from our original four. One was killed at Sharpsburg and the other one got the cough so bad he could hardly get any breath. He was transferred to the invalid corps. Bill Jester and Phil Reynolds joined Jim Hill and me, Littleton Duke, better known as Shorty Duke, as mess mates. Bill and Phil lost two of their mess mates at Sharpsburg also. We all knew each other and we just sort of fell in together after Sharpsburg.

Well, bless the Yanks’ black hearts. We were looking forward to winter quarters in the Shenandoah Valley and a lot of rest, but the Damn Yankees are on the move again. And we have been marching for what seems like two weeks to stop them from going toward Richmond.