Manley Stacey Civil War Letters
December 17, 1863 – The last letter
Camp on Dumpling Mount
Dec 17th 11 AM
Dear Father
I received your letter of the 12th. last night, so today will answer it.
There was 120, out of this Brigade Taken Prisoners, that I know to be true, It is now understood that this is to be our Winter Quarters. Genl Warren, told our Brig Genl, so yesterday, So now we can feel settled. For the past few Days it had been very fine, & we did not know, but Lee, would Advance on us. I wish He would, as we have a Splendid Natural Position here,
You ask Me if I have a Blanket Yet, I have, & had on the Campaign, without it I should have Frozen, We have nothing but Shelter Tents, but have them stockaded, so they answer very well. But for all that, it is some trouble to keep warm in them.
I think if you can send the Watch, to Mr Millards, that I could get a chance to send there for it. I do not know why you could not send it by Mail. Watches are sent that way, from New York, safely. I got the pencil you sent, and shall soon want another.
I never want to see Grant, in comand of the Army of the Potomac. Mead suits the Boys. Capt Holmes, went all through this last Campaign, with us, & is still with us, Capt Holmes, is not going to Resign until Spring, and is going to stay here with us. This will put off, all Promotions until this is done. He will Probably Resign when we Advance next Spring. I do not like this, it is not right [our] using the Boys right, by any means. [He] can do no duty, but just lays around.
If you want to come down here, I do not think You would have any more trouble getting Transportation, than you did to [Centreville]. There is something to see here, it is different from Centreville.
They are now granting Furloughs in the Regt, col Lusk has gone Home, MacDugal, is Home on a Sick keave. Major is in Comand we have easy times now, everything has to go just [so]. Lt Green, is quite Sick, in the Hospital, he is going Home on a Sick leave. Lusk has been trying to get him to Resign, and he wants to Put another Lt in. This will cause a Row in Co. D.
We have now 17 men in the Co to Draw Rations for, 6 non Comiss, 1 Drummer & Capt, Waited, leaving 9 men for Duty. This is pretty small. But for all that we do not want any Recruits, for then we would have to Drill, all the time, We want them for the Springs Campaign, however, & plenty at that. I am glad to get the Papers, though we occasionally get the Daily Papers here
I suppose you have Jeffs Message, what do you think of it
Hoping to hear from you soon
Manley
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