Camp Picher Jan 28th 1863
Dear Sister yours containing the 2 stamps
came to hand but not untill I wrote about
moving or that we expected to go into another
fight We did move we where adresed by gen Burnside
and told that we where again about to atact
the enemy that the resent briliant acheavements
of our armys in NC” & Tenn” had so distracted
and divided the enemy that the auspisious
Moment had now come to strick the deth
blow to rebelion and call upon the men to
fight as they had done before and success
should be ours, this was prety words but
it did not go in where we live and when
whe where called upon to cheer
it put me in mind of George Hamlin calling
for cheers for what one stump speaker said
in front of Libys store if you do not know
how they chered ask some one that was there
I would ben biter not to have caled for them
but our Lieutenant Conl” see that it
was done bad so he called for three cheers
for the Union wich was given with a good
grase and the boys said they would cheer
for the Union any time but would not
cheer any man untill suces had crowned
their efforts, We started and went
up the Raphanuk about 6 miles
we came to a halt about 80 PM in a
[?????????] it Began to rain
show records any [p?]itch tents
[page 2]
but should not be alowed but one fire
to a Company and a very small one to that
Now to the sages of Windham this will look
like shrude strategy but to us soldiers that
had to shiver in the cold with the knowledge
that the rebs knew of our plans a week before we started
it look simply silly We groped our way in the
dark and got mudy water enough to
make coffee and eat our hard bread
and lay down to sleep Perhaps you may think
one would have some sober thaughts laying
down with the knowledge that you where
going where bulets buss like swarms of
bees but such is not the case our
thaught and troubles are all confined
to the present and all are ocupied
in trying to over come present troubles
We where called in the morning and ordered
to be ready to start by daylight I got up
and sucseeded in geting a fire by the time
we where orderd to strike tents no coffee made
and no nothing done as far as breakfast was
conserned it had rained hard all night
evry thing wet, now if I could be
in the same state of mind when I am in
batle that I was in at this moment
It would take more than Reb to drive me
a great ways, I simply cooked my pork and
coffee and eat it then packed up
took down the tent and was ready
to start we set in the drisling rain
about two hours when orders com to
pich tents and make our Larry
[page 3]
as posible We where alowed fires and did get along
very well the next day I with others were detailed
to go after bread and coffee the teems could
not get to us s[o] we went about 3 thre miles
to them got some bread marched back and
found the whole division gorn and we where
ordered to folow We had luged our bread three miles
through the mud ben three miles after it then
got to go about ten miles with our napsacks
to our old camp it was then about half past two
We started and such skedadling you never saw
here was part of evry regiment of our brigade
comanded by one of Gen Berys aids he went
at the head of the colum about 1 mile
when he had about 21 men he halted and
rode back and swore some but others could
swear back so he be gan to [???]
says he boys you have had a hard time I know
but I am not to blame Gen Berny is giving
hell for not geting you along faster
Now if you wil only keep in your own
regiment is all I will ask and I will
not march you hard. this had good
efect and the boys went along well
we went through woods and across feels
saw cannon and horses pilled up in the
mud men lying down besid fires that
had nearly gorn out exausted many look
as if they would never march much more
many will die where they lay and be
recorded as deserters but never mind
it makes but litle diferance what they
show records any one
[page 4]
We marched on through mud and wet
and arived at our old camp about 8 PM
or rather there was 3 out of 15 of our company
got in the rest came in the next day I found
shelter for the night in one of the tents crew
that came in with the regiment had a good
fire got well dry and warm and rested
well come out all bright head level
and Body sound, Thus endid this perfomance
I could wrote more could told told the
story in these words. the rebs where to be
taken and rebelion crushed but owing to
the bad state of the weather the performance
was postponed this may not satisfy the
audiance but the stock company of this
show where very well satisfied to drop the
curtain with out performing what
was on the bills on one pontoon
boat some when had writen with chalk
Burnside stuck in the mud, who would
not be a great man, the weather is now
warm and fair, and I believe I am in as good
health as I ever was, I have sent mother
a leter with 4$ a ring for Alace we where
paid 2 months pay day after we got back
hoping this will find you all well
and hapy I close and may the powers
that be direct this show so that
it will be a benefet to the country
and restore pease and prosperyty
to an unfortuneate and unhapy
people give my best respects to all the people
M.P. Larry