1862 January [?]

[letter written before January 11]

My Dear Mother
I do not believe I have
written to you since I received the
box you so judiciously supplied. Eve-
rey one pronounced the cake &c; the cat-
supe the best they ever saw. The
jacket could not have suited me
better. In the way of news, either
war or peace, I have nothing what-
ever to write. We are all in status
quo. You have seen an account of the
Drainsville fight. We hoped to fight
the same party, &c; put our guns in
battery to receive them. But fortune
seems determined to keep the How-
itzers out of a regular battle. You saw
the enemys version of our little expe-
dition upt to Point of Rocks. I wrote
you of it previously. they admit that
one of our guns worked well & threw
shell into their camp & say the other

[p.2]
gun fell short. So far it is true. They
add that they returned our fire, killing
our captain & four privates. We really
suffered no loss. to day the enemy
have their balloon up again recon-
noitering. I reckon they will open
their eyes when they see the fortify-
cations wh: have sprung up since
their last assinsion. the militia
have been called out & working on
them since the day before Christ-
mas. I went last Sunday to
church. Heard from Mr. Williams
one of the best sermons I ever heard.
the church was vedry tastily dressed
for Chris. A subscription for [what] the [people of]
Charleston suffered was taken. Al-
most universally responded to by those
present, but I could not tell how
liberally as they were all in "Shin
Plasters." I am still working on my
house. Six of us are making it &c; get on
very well considering that one of the six

[p.3 - Note added in top margin]
Dear Father
Please send me when next you write
five dollars, most affedtionately your son Wm. H. Perry
I have not yet drawn any thing for soldiering.

is very lazy (I think a lazy man
is the meanest thing in the world
except a private in the Confedirate army)
& an other sick since the first day.
We are ahead of any one else. Its di-
mensions are 15 feet by 14 1/2. Roof inclining
only one way &c; to be covered with planks wh:
we got in town at a very heavy price.
We are trying to get a requi-
sition for it, so as to make the govt.
pay for it. the door &c; window sash
are got from a house about 50 yds.
from the Potomac &c; deserted since
the war began. Wagons of persons
moving farther in &c; from the line
of hostilities are constantly passing
our camp & up the pike. to day
was very warm; so we took the oppor-
tunity to start the chimney. Every
one is talking, the beautiful weather
only one days rain in five or six weeks

[p. 4]
I hope you all spent a pleasant
Christmas.
Yesterdat I noticed an whshallow
mud holes in about 1 3/4 inches in
thickness. I received a letter from
Lee yesterday. She is the only person
I corrrespond with except you & father.
How do your flowersstand the winter?
I think of them very often. Have seen
no pretty one sbut once since I was here.
They were in a bouquet; wh: had several
kinds that I did not know, nor did any
one in camp whom I inquired ^'from' about
them. I sincerely hope they will lic\ve
during the winter. The hardships of
war have not, so far, destroyed
my fondness either for music or for
flowers. Lee says in her letter
that father was looking much
better. I need not say how sincerely
glad I was to hear it. Tho it is draw-
ing toward the forgidden hour
of night & my paper is out and I have
been working hard all day I do not feel
disposed to stop writing, but must obey
military discipline. Dear Mother may heaven
ever bless you. Yr son W.H. Perry, Jr.

William H. Perry, Jr., 1836-1915, Richmond Howitzers, later a lawyer.

transcribed by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards

MSS 7786-d