1861 September 1 Gearmantown Va

My Dear Creek

As Mr Sherrard starts for home in the morning
I avail myself of the opportunity of writing you by him,
I received yours of the 25th inst yesterday, and was very happy
to hear that you were all well when it left, I am sorry that
I have not been able to write you as often as usual lately, since
we moved here, the mails have been very iregular, we being
about 14 miles from Manassas Junction, and owing to
the great ammount of rainy weather we have had
lately the roads have been almost impassable so
that we have not had the same opportunity of mailing
them, but we have now got the cars runing within
four miles of us, at Fairfax Station and can get them
mailed every day which is a great conveniance to us,
this however is the third or fourth letter (I dont recollect
which) I have written you since Stoneman started, one of them
I sent by Col. Taylor of Pendleton, the others I mailed, I
also wrote one to Jink and sent by mail, I hope you have
got them all by this as I know you are anxious to hear
from me, I can tell this by myself for when the mail
comes to camp I cant help going to see if their is not one
from you for me, although I may have olny got one
the day before, you dont know how eagerly I read your
letters, over and over and when they are several days old
I will read them again, and when we are ordered to

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March in hope of meeting the enemy it always makes
me cry to have to tear them all up, we all make a rule of
this for fear any of them might fall into the hands of
the Yankees, and give them information which ought to [be]
kept from them, but for this I would bring them all back
home with me, I believe I wrote you in my last that I
had recieved the bundle, which you sent by warren it got
here some days before him, he being detained at Culpeper
as he says on account of sickness and a sore thumb
which he got mashed coming on, I am very sorry to say
that he is still the same old man yet, he has scarcely
drawn a sober breath since he came back here, where he
gets Liquor I cant tell, I thought the untimely death
of his brother and the dreadful Battle he has come
through would have made a different impression on
him but it is not the case, and, I am afraid there is
no hope for him, do not make this public about
Anderson as it might tend to hurt the feelings of
Jam's Widow.
Their is nothing of interest going on here at present every thing
is quiet, the health of the Regt. is any thing but good yes,
you need have no apprehension of my taking measels as
I have had them, and small pox, both, should little
Maggie take them, you must be very careful of her, for it
would kill me if anything was to happen her, I must close
as I have to go to duty all night and will not be back to camp
before morning, Adieu dear Creek May heavens richest
Blessings rest on you, think of your affectionate Husband
William

[William Anderson, 4th Regiment South Carolina Volunteers (Palmetto Sharpshooters)

MSS 10366