1861 September 15 Germantown Virgnia

My Dear Creek

As I am on guard duty tonight and
not allowed to go to sleep I will try and write you a
few lines and if I am not interupted to much perhaps
I may get it to the length of a letter
when I wrote you the other day we had recieved orders
to hold ourselves ready for the march, I told you I could
not tell you than where we were going, I have since found
out the object of it The troops in advance of us reported
that a considerable number of the enemy had taken
up an advanced position on this side of the Potomac
and thought they threatened an attack upon our
advanced columns and that they (our friends) were going to attack
them before they had time to concentrate a large
force and for us to be ready to support them should
they need it, they accordingly attacked the yankees
that very evening and drove them back killing
several and taking 7 Prisoners (one of them an officer)
we did not loose any on our side some slightly wounded
but not dangerous, so they did not need our assistance
and we are still here yet, as quiet as can be no excitement
of any kind going on, our yankee friends seem to be
afraid to come out and meet us again in an open
fight, since the scare they got on the 21st of July,

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I have been looking for a letter from you for a day or two
but as you mentioned in your last about sending it by
Mr Davis, I have not been disapointed at not getting it by
mail, but I am wearying very much for Davis to come on
with it; I thought perhaps I would send this by Lieut C. M.
Brown of my company, who is coming home but as it may
be a day or two before he gets of yet, i will send it by mail and
you will get it sooner perhaps, for I know you want to hear
from me after writing to you about our being on marching
orders, for I have no doubt but what you have magnified
it into a gig fight, and nearly all of us killed by this
time, which you will be happy to hear is not the case.
I will send by Eliab Brown two summer Coats and one pair
of Pants, which I will not have any more use for till warm
weather comes in again, and I have no room for them in my
trunk, one of the coats, is a light grey coulor, it is the one
I wore the day of the great Battle, so you see I do not wear any
uniform coat when I have to fight, General Evans told us
(officers) to take them all of as their was to much contrast
between us and the men when we had them on, and that
the enemy would pick us out for their marks to shoot at,
which was a very wise precaution on his part, and I have
no doubt was the means of saving a good many of our lives,
but when I get my Blue Jeans it will be the same of the
mens and their will be no need of my changing, I want
you to take good care of the old coat, as I intend keeping
it as a relic of the Battle of Manassas plains,
The Health of the Regiment is still about the same as when

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I wrote you last, Billy Holland has been in Hospital a few days
with something like a Billious attack, but is getting better again
Mrs. Campbells brother is also better, and back to camp again,
Euen Norris is very low, they have been expecting him to die
for several days but the docter told me he was some better
today, and that he still entertained hope of his recovery,
he is sick of Typhoid fever, Brother William still keeps his
health and is fatter than you ever saw him
Write to me soon Dear Creek, you dont know how much
good it does me to get a letter from you, when I get one from
you, I go out in the woods by myself, and read it over and over
and then think about you and Dear little Maggie, till I almost
fancy my self at home, oh how I long to press you both to my
bosom again, and feel your warm breath upon my cheek, I
never felt till I left our happy home, what it was to be
Husband and Father, but this will teach me to appreciate
more highly the great Blessing that Heaven has conferred
upon me, in giving me a Dear Wife that makes my home
a happy one, and a place where I can find comfort and
peace, from the cares and toils of the world, Do not think
me Dear Cree, desponding, by writing to you in this strain,
for I feel that I am performing a sacrad duty to you and
my adopted contry in fighting for her rights and liberties,
and the hope of seeing our posterity enjoying the great
Blessings for which I am now Battling encourages me to go on
the good work already begun, trusting that that the God of
Battles will guide us to a safe haven, and grant us a
safe and speedy return to enjoy the peace and comfort of our

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much loved Home; to which we all long to return, for,
absence makes the heart grow fonder.
I get along finely with my men here, I believe th3y all
respect me very highly, there is not one of them ever has
disobeyed a command I have given him, since we were
in service, but all seem to be anxious to please me, I feel
Proud at having such a gallant and agreeable set f
Gentlemen in my company, they are looked up to by the
whole Regiment, and I have less trouble in managing my
company, than any other Captain in the Regiment, I dont
care what I tell them to do, they do it with cheerfulness
and seem to vie with each other who to do his duty best,
in this way I believe we have gained the esteem of the
whole Regiment, if I have an enemy in it, I dont know it,
which is very gratifying to me, and I know it will also be
to you, for I know your heart is with me,
But I must close for my duties calls me away from my
tent I have already overstayed my time
Goodnight Dear Creek May Angels visit you in your
Peaceful slumbers, and soothe your troubled mind,
Kiss Little Darling Maggie for me when you awake
and and[sic] exept the same from her for me
Your Devoted
William

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

MSS 10366