1862 May 1 Camp Near Yorktown Va.

Camp Near Yorktown Va
May 1st 1862

My Dear Creek

As I have a few hours to stay
in camp I will embrace the oppertunity [sic]
of letting you know that I am still alive
and well, as I have no doubt your are all
fancying us in a big fight every day, but
we have escaped thus far without getting into
one, we can see plenty of the yankees, from
our entrenchments, some of our men were
within a hundred yards of them one night
bud did not fire on them as they were strictly
forbidden to do so, we only wanted to try
and ascertain their numbers at that
point, which we succeeded in doing pretty
well. none of our Regt have been hurt
since we have been in the trenches, although
the enemy shell us every day more or less

[page 2]
but none of them have taken effect on us
having all passed over our heads, in fact if
we can only keep our men attentive to their
duty there is no danger as were well covered by
the trenches and we can see the flash of their
cannon some time before the shells reaches
us and all we have to do is to fall down till
they pass over us, we will have to stay
forty eight hours longer in the trenches
and than we will get a rest for awhile,
but our men are all better satisfied in the
trenches than in camp as we always know
better what is going on, whereas in camp we
are always uneasy, whenever we have guns
firing, as there is no telling whether the yanks
intend giving us battle here or not.
I do not think that it is the intention of
our Generals to attack them at this place
but if they attack us, they will find
plenty to do before they get clear of us
again, this army has whipped them

[page 3]
every time we have met them and we
are all very confident we can do it again,
our dependence being in the same kind
Providence who hath hitherto given us the
victory.
I recieved a letter from you today which was wrote
on the 8th of April enclosing one for Billy and Jim
it has been a long time on the way, but is
nevertheless welcome as it is very cheering at
any time to hear from home. write to me often
as there is great uncertainty of half of you
letters ever reaching me, I will try and write you
ev[e]ry day or two, till times get a little quieter
as I know you are all anxious to hear from us.
William is quite well, and getting along finely
tell Jink or Jim to write us often and keep
me posted, Give my Kindest Regards to
all the Family.  Kiss our little darling for
me and except for yourself the constant
pray[e]rs and affection of you devoted
 William

William Anderson of the Palmetto Sharpshooters was elected Major of the 4th South Carolina Infantry on April 16


MSS 10366