CAMP. COX’S BRIGADE, NEAR PETERSBURG, VA.,
February 14, 1865.
My Dear Mother:
I would have written on receipt of your letter and box, which you sent me, but the troops were off at the time and there was no means of mailing a letter. Our division was ordered down on the extreme right last Sunday a week ago, to meet the Yankees at Hatcher’s Run. Our division was not engaged; the other two divisions of our corps did some fighting before we got there. The troops were gone about a week, and they suffered considerably from the cold. It was snowing and sleeting when they left. I missed the pleasure of that trip. I have been permanently detailed at brigade headquarters in charge of a guard, to guard quartermaster’s stores, and things generally among the wagon yards. I have three in charge, and all I have to do is to see that they do their duty. We have our quarters separate, and nothing to do but keep up one post at night. We have no other duty whatever to do, not even to answer to roll call. Capt. Jones, our A. A. General, who gave me the detail, told me to select my own men, so I took one from our company, so that I might have an agreeable bedfellow and messmate. George Winstead is his name. Wiley Winstead’s brother. I am just as comfortably fixed now as I could wish to be out here. I shall miss all the trips the troops will have to make during the winter, such as picket duty, and all raids to head off the “Yankees” unless we break up this camp entirely. Our brigade goes on picket this morning, Saturday. I am very much obliged to you for the box of provisions.
I expect there is a movement on hand now, as there is an order to issue three days’ rations to the men. Marching orders do not trouble me so much now, as the guard is always apt to guard the forage, etc., which is left in camp. I think of home every time I take out my little ball of butter to eat with a roasted potato at night before bed time. George Winstead got a few potatoes from home the same day my box came. I generally spend most of my time reading whatever I am able to borrow. I wish I could get something that would be more useful to me than novels. I hope Blake got my shawl home all safe. Give my love to all the family. Dossey has just been in to see me on his way back to camp. He has been to Petersburg on business for Gaston. He is very well.
Your sincere and 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.