1862 December 9 Moss Neck, Caroline Co., Va.

                                        Moss Neck, Caroline Co Va
                                           Tuesday, Decr 9th 1862-

Dear Mother,
                       My promise to write as soon as I returned
to Camp, has not been fulfilled because the weather has
been so cold that writing has been out of the question.
Today--albeit the ground is covered with snow--is
bright and beautiful, and the temperature quite plea-
sant.
  After bidding you "good bye" last Wednesday morning I had
a pleasant trip to Hanover C.H. I attended to my business
there and then borrowed a horse and rode over to Dr
Price's where a couple of hours were spent very pleasant
ly in the company of his interesting family-
Wed. night I spent at the Hotel at the C.H. & soon the
next morning I came on the cars to the Junction.  There
I had to wait several  hours: The wished for freight
train came at last and slowly transported me to
Guiney's Depot.  Having seen my goods disembarked
and properly stored, I began to look around for a place
to spend the night, and soon bethought me of a place
where with Alf. I had stopped during the session of
the Goshen Sess several years since.  Shouldering

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my saddlebags & was soon at the home of Mr. H. Buckner
White, where I was cordially received and hospi=
tably treated.  Like most of the people in this country
he is preparing to move further south. The negroes
"en masse" are being sent Dixieward.
Friday morning proved to be cold & rainy.  Happily I
found at Guiney's a wagon (uncovered) belonging to
the brigade.  In this I came as far as this camp
and finding that the Regt was on picket, I spent the
night with Maj Waite.
The next morning the ground was covered with
snow & sleet yet I walked six miles to where
the Regt was encamped (near Port Royal).  I found
that Sam smith had gone to Hamiltons 2 days before
with my horse & I had missed him.
We came up from picket Sunday & will go again to=
morrow.  Tell Mary to write to Miss Fannie at
Hamilton-I see no prospect now for a fight here as
the Yanks are said to have retired toward the Potomac
Bet and myself are in fine order. Write to me soon,
and have my boots half soled.
                                             Your Loving Son
                                                   Charley

Charles Elisha Taylor, 1842-1915, Co. F. 10th Virginia Cavalry, late a Baptist minister and President of Wake Forest

MSS 3091