1863 January 11 Head Quarters, Taliaferro's Brigade

Hd Qurs Taliaferros Brig
 Jany 11” 1863
My own darling
Sunday Morning.  We had a fine rain yester-
day & last night.  Sufficient I think to put an end to
all military operations in this locality for the winter.
To day is observed as a day of rest.  Every thing is
perfectly quiet and even reminds one of a Sabbath at
home.  So much for the day.
 Monday Morning. Nothing of interest occurred on yesterday
except that I recd an order which allows a furlough to two
men at a time from each company, and I am now
momentarily expecting in a lot of applications for this in-
dulgence.  I almost wish I was a private just now, for
officers have not the promise of the same indulgence, just
now I hope our turn will come shortly.  We are all
very much gratified at Genl Magruders succesful [sic] effort
at Galveston & are in fear & trembling for the report
from Vicksburg.
Tuesday.  I am making slow progress with my letter
for two reasons, nothing of much interest to write
about and then I have not had the time to write it
if I had it to say.  I have for past two days been kept
very busy sending in applications for furlough and
with an unusual amount of other work, with
some company to entertain.  Yesterday I had a visit
from two brigadiers, Taliaferro & Paxton and to

[page 2]
show you how generals as well as doctors will differ –
I had quite a conversation with them, each separately for
they were not here together, on the subject of the war.  Genl
T. thought we not only had before us another campaign
but that we were bound to have another fight here
this winter.  The other said he had not the very slightest
idea of another fight occuring [sic] on this line and was
most decidedly of the opinion that the war so far as this
army is concerned, is over, and by the way he gave
very good reasons for it too, but I must confess that
he failed to convince me of the correctness of his
opinion except so far as another fight here is con-
cerned, in that I agree with him, but I am far
from being satisfied that we will not have another
campaign.  I will agree to this, I dont think we
will have a very hard campaign  I think we will
have comparatively easy victories, unless indeed Vicks
burg should be taken, then we may truly expect to
fight hard.  But I am beginning now to think that
Vicksburg is safe & that the President will suc-
ceed in his declared purpose to hold it at all &
every hazard.  I dont know of any thing not
even the defeat of our ever victorious army here
that would have so disastrous an influence on
our cause as the loss of Vicksburg.  We will
therefore not contemplate it.
 My darling you dont know how much I want
to see you.  I dream about you almost every
night, but they are always pleasant dreams

[The following was written along the left margin of page 2.]
The mail boy has just come in for the mail & I must close.  I have
recd no letter since I commenced this.  Affectionately ETHWarren



“Hd Qurs”, heading – Head Quarters.

“Taliaferros Brig”, heading – Warren was temporarily in command of Taliaferro’s Brigade which consisted of the 47th & 48th Alabama Infantry regiments and the 10th, 23rd, & 37th VA Infantry regiments.

“My own darling”, salutation – Warren’s wife Virgina ‘Jennie’ Watson Magruder Warren.

“Genl Magruder”, line 14 – John B. Magruder, Confederate general, commanded the forces which retook the city and port of Galveston, TX, on 1 January.

“Taliaferro”, line 24 –

“Genl T.”, page 2, lines 3 & 4 – Both referred to William B. Taliaferro, Confederate general, commanded Jackson’s Division, Second Corps, Army of Northern Virginia.

“Paxton”, line 24 – Elisha F. Paxton, Confederate general, commanded the ‘Stonewall’ Brigade which consisted of the 2nd, 4th, 5th, 27th, and 33rd VA Infantry regiments.

“ETHWarren”, page 2, signature – Edward Tiffin Harrison Warren, Colonel, 10th VA Infantry.
[transcript and annotations by John P. Mann, IV]


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