1862 December 1 Camp Sigel Germantown

                       Dec 1st 1862
Camp Sigel Germantown
               Dear Phebe
                          Your letter
of the 26th has come to hand
and I take this opportunity to
answer it.  We have been res
ting since our march to this
place and surely enough we
needed it.  A march in winter
over Virginia roads is no boys
play be assured as the hundreds
that gave out can testify Even
German endurance was not
enough for it. Do you think
you have any idea of Virginia
roads in winter?  Let me
enlighten you a little.  The soil
is soft clay and when it rains
instead of soaking down through
it mixes with clay and forms
a kind of mush about as
thick as hasty pudding: when
you step on this beautiful

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preparation your feet will
go down all the way from
6 inches to 3 feet according
to circumstances and when
you pull your feet out of
this mud it does not leave
you but sticks in thick
layers until you will
have albout 10 pounds of pure
clay mud sticking to your
feet and legs your troubles
are not ended here by
any means: this clay har
dens very quick and when
it is dry you cannot brush
it off.  it must be scraped
off with a knife. You will
very readily percive[sic] that to
march through this mud
from morning till night
is somewhat exhausting: I
remmember when going
across Bull run Battle

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field at one place my feet
settled down so that at every
step I would pull my boots
nearly off my feet.  The skin
was all worn off my heels and
ancles but I got along much
better than many others: quite
a number were made lame
and some have not yet got
over it and yet others who
never will. This war is using
up men at a fearful rate
young men are made old
men: in a very short time
hard marches poor food wet
clothes to sleep in with the
cold damp ground beneath
draws hard upon the constitu
tion of the strongest  I have got
up 3 times in a night to warm
myself by the camp fire being
so cold that I could not
sleep and if I could it would
not be well as it is very
dangerous to lay on the ground
when one is so cold.  I am

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sorry I have written any
thing about this and I have
a good mind not to send
it to you.  I suppose you will
worry and cry about it
now don't be foolish or
weak in this matter we
have great hardships to
endure; let us endure
them as becomes men
and christians in the
full faith that he who
rules all things will
carry us safely through
and finally bring us out
conquerors through him
who is able to save us all
Let us not indulge in
unmanly repineings
about the hardships which
have to endure but let us
rather remmember our
country for which we

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suffer let us remmember
that it is for the oppressed
of this land and all lands
for which we fight let
us remmember to that it
is for unborn millions
also for which we fight
whose destiny for time is
to be settled by this war
It is enough I think to
lead anyone to forget him
self and exclaim let me
suffer but let the cause
of freedom prevail.  The
question of our leaving
the regiment is settled
by taking another com
pany so we shall not
go this time: We have
got another trouble
however which is worse
yet.  Capt Rogers is
going to leave us and

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we feel blue enough
he has been promoted to
the rank of Major   and
is going into the 73 Ohio
which is in this Brigade
I am glad for his good
fortune but am sory to
part with him his equal
is not easily to be found
Col Maggi is feeling badly
about as has always depend
ed upon for battallion drill
at which he is probaly the
Cols superior: You write
me that Henry Parks has
got home we heard that
he had started I have
no opunion[sic] to offer about
him some think he was
not very sick but I do not
know.  he was homesick
thats certain and perhaps
it was as well for him

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to go home Joseph Blake
is I think a sick man
and will I think get
his di[s]charge he cannot
stand the hardships of
a campaign and it is of
no use for him to try
I think James Glover
will have to give it up
he does not stand the
climate at all well
and he is now on the
sick list.  I  have written
a good deal and must
stop You were very
thoughtful in sending
me some paper envelopes
&c they come very handy
as I am about out I could
not carry the paper that
Sanfor sent me and it
had to go with the rest
of my things.  I carry

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nothing now but my
clothes and my Bible with
the exception of a towel
and a little piece of soap
every ounce tells when you
are marching It is roll
call good by Josiah

Send me some
journals

Josiah Perry,  Co. K, 33 Massachusetts

MSS 2215