CAMP THREE MILES NORTH OF PETERSBURG,
Christmas Day, Dec. 25, ’64.
My Dear Mother:
I intended to have written the day after getting here, but it rained all day and the coldest kind of a rain too. The next day we received orders to move. We had almost completed our winter quarters and the boys hated to leave very much. We did not think at the time we should ever come back again, though some men from each company was left in camp to take care of the things. I was the one from our company left.
Last Thursday about sunset the division left and camped in a mile or two of Drury’s Bluff, some ten miles from here. Last night about 9 o’clock they returned. We shall complete our quarters in two or three days now. To-day being Sunday and Xmas too, the boys think we should rest. It is the gloomiest Xmas that I ever saw. We not only miss the extras which we have had heretofore, but we have not got as much meat or bread as we can eat. The Xmas dinner promised to Lee’s army, I see in the papers, has been postponed until New Year’s day. I doubt then whether we get any as we are not in the intrenchments, though I think we deserve it as much as they do. We have done as much hard fighting and as for the marching we have done all. The boys were all very glad to see us. Gen. Grimes happened to ride by as I arrived and was pulling my things off. He stopped and had quite a long chat, he seemed right glad to see me back. Col. Venable, one of Gen. Lee’s staff, told Gen. Grimes, who is in command of the division now, to make his men as comfortable as possible, that we would in all probability remain here all the winter, unless something turned up unforeseen at present. I am in hopes it may be so, for I think our division needs rest if any troops in the army do. I understand we came here to relieve some of the troops in the fortification, but as they had made themselves comfortable, they would not be relieved. They preferred to remain in the works on the front line. I think they are sensible too, for I expect they will have us running all around, just as we did the past two or three days, all winter. I almost wish we had been sent South instead of Hoke’s division. In passing through Raleigh I staid all night at the “Way-Side-Inn.” Next morning in rolling up my blankets I forgot to put my socks in and came off and left them. I never hated anything so bad in my life. Just think they were the only extra pieces of clothing I took along, and then should lose them. If McBride has not left before you receive this please send me another pair. If you have any extra butter at the time just wrap a rag around a small ball and get him to bring that along. It is the best way to send it in cold weather. He will have to walk about a mile from where the cars stop to our camp. The cars stop two miles this side of Petersburg, for fear of being shelled. Blake has gone to Petersburg today on a pass. He is looking very well. I called to see uncle Richard while in Raleigh, the only relative I saw. Raleigh has sadly changed in four years. Give my love to all the family.
Your affectionate son,
WALTER.
Letters from two brothers who served in the 4th North Carolina Infantry during the Civil War are available in a number of sources online. Unfortunately, the brothers are misidentified in some places as Walter Lee and George Lee when their names were actually Walter Battle and George Battle. See The Battle Brothers for more information on the misidentification.