Friday, January 6, 2012

1862 January 6

I wonder what you are doing my
darling this cold weather, the winter
seems to have set in in earnest, last
night was a cold freezing night, they
were getting ice here yesterday, and
by tomorrow they say it will be six
inches thick, I hope you will
get your ice house full as soon
as possible, and not let the chance
slip, I want you to give me some
ice cream next summer when
I come to see you, it has been
cold all day, has not thawed in
the sunshine, the Potomac, I
understand, is frozen over, though
not hard enough in the current
I suppose to bear, Genl Hill ex=
pects to be attacked very shortly, he
issued orders today putting us all
upon the alert, he is making pre=
parations for a vigorous defence

[page 2]
he thinks the enemy may advance
at any moment, at the signal gun
we are directed to form in line
of battle, and by the gleam of the
rocket we will be informed of the
point of attack, and there we are
ordered to repair in haste to meet
the enemy and fight him, I am
very doubtful though whether
there will be any advance or any
battle here this winter, there
have been indications of an
advance by the enemy, but I doubt
whether they really have any
such intention, I don't know
what they may do if the River
freezes hard enough to cross with
artillery, let him come when
he will he will meet with a
hot reception, and if he gains a
foothold here he will have to do
more hard fighting than he has
ever done yet, we have four of

[page 3]
the best Regiments here in the
service, we are badly off for artil=
lery though, but Henl Hill has
sent for more, I don't know whether
he will get it or not, but I hope he
will, we have nothing but this
Richmond Howitzer battery, and
we have no confidence in it, I have
no idea the enemy will ever get
to Leesburg, at least not shortly
since I commenced writing to
night it has set in to snowing,
and it is falling now thick and
fast, and if it continues until
morning, will be pretty deep,
I think that will effectually
destroy all hopes of the enemy's com=
ing, if he ever had any serious
intention of doing so, which I
am very much disposed to doubt,
I believe I wrote you word that the
orders in relation to granting furlough
had been countermanded and in hopes
they will be renewed after a while, but if so

[page 4]
I cant tell when, I suppose it will
depend on circumstances, I trust it
may be so, I had a thousand times rather
see you at home my darling, and then
if necessary you could come back
with me, but this is altogether un=
certain, if however it should be im=
possible for me to get home I suppose
you will have to come here, though I
don't like the thought of your taking
such a trip in the winter, and then
it would not be like being with you
at home, but I can't go all the winter
without seeing you my darling,that
is an impossibility I think, if I thought
I was obliged to do so I believe I should
give up in despair,--Sam came
to Leesburg today, and just now
came out to camp in a rather a bad
condition, he brought me a letter though
and for that I was rejoiced to see him,
I thought it was strange your letters
should be so slow coming, I have recd
but one, by mail, for nearly two weeks,
I have heard nothing of Nat Vandergrift
and didn't know until you mentioned
it that he had started, the boys are
all well except little John who is
complaining right smartly, he went
into town last night complaining of
a sore throat,and I heard this evening
that he had been in bed to day, we have
two men who were very ill during the
last week and I was very worried about

[remainder of letter from Edwin R. Page to Olivia Alexander page missing]

MSS 8937

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