1861 Nov[ember] 13 Centreville Virginia

My Dear Creek
You will see by this that we have
again changed our camping ground, we came here
two days ago, and are very comfortably fixed
on the top of a pretty high hill, true the wind
strikes us pretty fair and we have to take all of
that that is going, but it is nice and dry, and
we are all glad to get out o the mud once again
as the last place we were in was very gad, with it,
it being in rather a low wet place. I am very sorry
to hear that some of our men are writing home such
bad news about the health of our company, I can
assure you it is not so, true we have had a great deal
of sickness but they are all nearly well again, and
are all fit for duty but fourteen, and they write me
from the Hospital that they will be back to me in a
few days at furthest, so far from the men looking
thin and emaciated, most of them are stouter than
they were at home, and nearly all of their old clothing
is to small for them, and I am stouter myself than
every you have seen me yet, if their is a man in the
company who has fallen of, it is D. K. Breazeale who
you say is the one with myself, who have stood our cure[?]
but it is no use writing any more about this at present,
I am very busy just now superintending the building of

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Fortifications and entrenchments we are fortifying
this position very strongly and it will now be the
Manassas of our Army, right here the great struggle
will now take place between the two contending armies
where I now sit I can see at least the encampments of
Forty thousand soldiers of the confederacy and this is
not more than one half that are within ten miles of
here, so you will see that we are prepared to give the
rascles a warm reception whenever they dare to make
an attack upon us, of course we have rumors of
anticipated fight every day. Yankees advancing
on this point &c but they are all groundless as every
thing is as quiet as they have ever been since the 21st of
July. We are all sorry to hear that the enemy has
effected a landing in South Carolina, we are all
anxious now to get home and fight in our own state,
but Beauregard will not hear of it at present, he says
he wants us all here, and that their will be troops
enough sent to So Ca. to repel the invaders, I trust
it may be so, but I dont think any others would
fight--as hard, in South Carolina as South Carolinians
would, but let us hope for the best, and all may yet
be well; I will write to Papa in a day or two, when I
have a little more time and give him all the particulars
about our army hear, so I will not say any more about
it at present; as I know it would be all Greek to you
and interest you very little.
I was just about to close this letter but mail agent
has just handed your kind letter of the 7th inst.

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to me so I will answer on this page. You complain of my
having quit writing about coming home, but let me assure you
desire to get their is as great as yours is to see me their, and you
may depend, that no effort on my part, will be left untried
to get home and spend Christmas with you, if it is only for one
week. The report about a trial being made to get our
Regiment to revolunteer is not true, no such proposition
has as yet been made, and no talk of its being done
shortly. I am glad to hear that your Hogs are going to be fat-
Bacon will be very high next year and you must not sell to
much when you Kill as we may have to pay a great deal more
for it than you can get at Killing time. I am sorry to
hear that your Coffee is getting so nigh out, let me know
before you get out entirely and if their is none at Anderson
I will have you some sent from Richmond, Your are fixing
me up very nicely for the winter the night cap you sent me is the very idea
I wear it in daytime when the frost winds blow hard, under my hat, and
keeps my ears very warm, the Comfort you are kniting me will also
be very acceptable. I was just going to write you for one and the cap
you speak of will be good to wear in my tent in day time they
are getting very fashionable in camp, among our boys.
Tell my Dear little Maggie I will come on the cars sometime soon
to see her and bring her lots of pretties. Creek you dont how
bad I want to see you and her. I often wonder what like she is
now and often fancy I see her and Polly out in the old field playing
I know it would make you laugh if I were to tell you all the
smart things I think her capable of performing. Kiss the
little darling for me and tell her papa loves her and wants to see her
very badly. William is almost well of his cold and will be able

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for duty in a few days, we have not heard anymore tidings
of Jimmie yet, but I think every letter I get from home will bring the news
of his being with you. Send my other pants by Stephen as the pair
you sent me are all I have fit to wear and I have nothing to shift
with when I get wet. I do not recollect of anything else that I
need at present, Good night dear Creek, may Heaven Bless and protect you
Your affectionate husband
William

William Anderson, Captain, Co. J, 4th Regiment South Carolina Volunteers (Palmetto Sharpshooters)

MSS 10366