1862 December 26 Cumberland C.H.

            Cumberland C.H. Dec. 26th
My Dear Father
                      On Thursday last young
Fitzgerald of the riflemen (who formerly
lived in E O Hunton's Apothecary Store)
and myself reached this place,
which is to be our head quarters
for the next thirty days at least.
We had intended if possible to
get board at some gentleman's
private house, at a convenient
distance from this place but
first putting up at the hotel we
soon persuaded our selves that
we cold not well find than here
better accommodations and better
society than with our old land-
lord, who has a very nice fam-
ily consisting in part of two daughters
who sing and play very prettily

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on the piano & with whom board
two or three ladies from Washing
ton, refugees, among them a Miss
Selden whose acquaintance I had
made last Spring, in Petersburg at
Alexr Dunman''s.  Last night
Figzgerald having returned to Peters
burg for instructions, the young ladies
insisted on my going with them to
a frolic at a neighbors house.
Having nothing else to do I was
not at all loth to go. So I went &
had a very pleasant time.
  We have not yet commenced
our operations as enrolling officers,
except so far as to post up a few
of our notices. We expect to begin
as soon as Fitzgerald returns.  From
what I can learn we will not
have much to do, as there are

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comparatively only a few conscripts
in the county and the county is a
small one.  Our work will probably be
at an end by the middle of February.
  My leg continues to improve.  It is
only occasionally that it feels at all
uncomfortable.  when my Present detail
is out I have no doubt I will be in
proper condition to return to my regi
ment.  But I can but indulge
hope from present prospects that
our difficulties will be in some way
of settlement & there will be no
need for those of us not now in
the field to return to our commands.
The Yankees seem more depressed at
their recent defeat than at any
other they have before suffered & admitted.
they admit too officially a larger
loss than in any other, 15,000

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U suppose you have received your
rifle & other articles sent by Col C[?]
ford.  If the wagons return again
I will be obliged to you to ask Mother
to send [word lined through] Uncle Jno for me my
velvet vest left at Rockwood when
I was last there.  However this does not
make very much difference as I hope
to be able to come up myself soon.
With love to all, Mother the girls
& the little boys and hoping this will
find you well
                I remain your Aff Son
                               Geo. S. Bernard
P.S.  P.O. Cumberland C.H.  Tell Mary Ann
to write to me. G.S.B.

George Smith Bernard, 12thVirginia Infantry; survived the war, later a member of the Virginia House of Delegates

MSS 7745