1861 Oct[ober] 8 Germantown, Va

My Dear Creek

I have just received your
kind letter of the 1st inst and hasten
to reply, as I have a chance of sending
it to Honapath by hand.

I am sorry to hear that Maggie has
been sick. I hope by this she is quite well
again, there is no truth in the report
about our Regiment being in another
fight and being all cut to pieces, we
have been in no fight since the 21st July
and dont know when we may be in
another, I am astonished at your not
getting more letters from me, as I have
sent you several by hand lately, as well
as by mail, I sent you one by Josh Holland
yesterday Sunday which you will get
in due time as he will not delay I also sent
you one by Ben Sloan which I hope you
have recieved, I ave been getting yours
very regularly, this last week I have had

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three from you, continue to write me
as often as you can, as nothing gives me
so much pleasure as a letter from home.
We had one of the most tremendous
rains last night I ever saw, a great many
of our tents were blowed down, and others
got all of their bedding wet, they not
having their tents properly stitched, the
water just poured through them in large streams
I had the good luck to have mine as well
as the companys fixed right and none of
us suffered much by it, it is still cloudy
today and the wind blowing a perfect
gale, I hear a good many cannon firing
today and yesterday we have not heard
what is the meaning of it but suppose
it to be our Batteries firing on the ships
on the Patomac, Our Regiment has
this minute recieved orders to march
to the front,--for Picket-duty again
this is a duty we do not much like, so we
will have to be without tents for three
nights, and it begins to get a little cold
here now, and there is every prospect of us
having a wet time of it, as we had last time

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we were out; we are still in daily expectation
of another great Battle in some direction
it is generally supposed however that it
will not take place at this point -as
the Enemy found this rather a hard way
of getting to Richmond before and will
try no doubt if he cannot find another
road, but I think all other roads will
prove as fatal to them as this one did as
our Generals has not left a single point
unguarded, and our brave troops having
so much confidence in them, will make
it an impossibility for them to get past
us.
I should like to write you more but
have not time,

My Kindest Regards to all.

Farewell Dear Creek till I return from
duty, when I will write you again

Your affectionate
Husband
William

William Anderson Captain of Co. J, 4th Regiment South Carolina Volunteers [Palmetto Sharpshooters]

MSS 10366