1862 December 31 camp opposite Fredericksburg

                   Camp opposite Fredericksburg
                                   No 1     Dec 31st ‘62
Dear Sister Helen,
                             It is raining this
afternoon and I shouldent wonder
if our rainy season had finally
commenced for it rained most
all of yesterday and our Regiment
is out on picket and a cold-
rainy time they will have but
I am very cosily quartered in
the Col’s tent  have got a nice
fire and 2 beds  2 camp stools &
a good writing desk so that I
can’t ask for anything better in
this God Forsaken country.  The –

Chaplain and Orderly Phil live in
the tent with me so that I have
pleanty of company and good
but D. Henry is going to Washington
soon on leave of absence as he is
sick and much reduced with a
diareah he went with Col Wright
to W – but only had a short pass
and had to come back although
hardly able and I guess Phillip
will go with him so that I shall
be left all alone..  Col  I hear is
home now and I fear will not
be able to return at the end of
20 days – if I were in his place
I should’ent be..  I got a letter
from Geo a day or two ago and
he said that Elbe was home
and I wish I were there too to
make out the number   hope you
will have some nice times – I
should like very much to hear
some of your rare music –

suppose you will have a nice
social time this evening, New
Years eve,
Geo of course will hang
up his stockings as he hasen’t
out grown that yet.  I hung up
mine Christmas night but there
was nothing but a hole in one
of them in the morning -..
     but my clothes are in pretty good
condition yet  I drew a pair of
knit shirts the other day of the
Q.M. and managed to confiscate
a pair of stockings so that I
am well supplied at present..
     Oh you don’t know how much
I have missed your pan cakes
this winter  but we had some
for the first time this morning
Our Mess cook is getting things
fixed so that we have a few
delicaces now..  Our Regt rec’d
quite a nice donation the other
evening just at dusk some –

wagons drove up to camp and
unloaded 23 barrels of apples –
turnips – potatoes etc which were
the best things that could have
been sent to us for the boys have
not seen a vegetable of any kind
since we left Fairfax and were
really suffering for the want of them
Of course Head Quarters took their
share so that we have pleanty of
apples now..   I am looking now every
day for my boxes for some have
arrived and if mine don’t come
before Chaplain goes to Washington
I shall try to have him see to them..
          We received marching orders
Monday evening and were quite
excited and busy getting ready but
fortunately they were countermanded
in about an hour after we got them
but I should not be at all surprised
if we did have to march very soon
will probably go back towards –
Aquia Creek and lay by for the
Winter – but whether or no – direct
your letters as usual to Washington

[This letter concludes in the top margin on page one.]
or if you want the thing
in full –
     15th Regt. C. V.
     2nd Brigade   3rd Division
     9th Army Corp
     Army of the Potomac
  Give my love to all
the folks – tell Geo
to be patient and
percevering [sic] and I
will write him soon
I have nothing to say
to Chas.  He is “played
out”
     Your brother
                 Jim

James H. Howard, 15th Connecticut

[transcript by Mary Roy Dawson Edwards]

MSS 12668