1862 January 10 Camp near Cross Roads Morgan Co

Dear Sister. As it has been almost
three weeks since I wrote to you
I will try and write a few lines
to you this morning to let you
know that I am well and getting
along pretty well considering the
hardships we have had to go
through with since the commen
cement of the present year
We left Camp Stephenson on New
year's day and since that[sic] we
have been almost constantly
on the march and when
night come we had to lay
down without our tents in
the snow and rain We marched
to Bath the county seat of morgan
and were five days in getting
there. The first snow we have
seen this winter fell on us
the third night while we
were laying on the side of
one of Morgan's Numerous mountains

[page 2]
And after that we marched on
a solid sheet of ice the wagons
runing on the road packed down
the snow and it got so icy
a person could hardly stand
on his feet the horses falling
down wagons sliding off the
road and breaking to pieces
there was several men
slipped down and broke their
legs and arms there was a
great many horses killed
and crippled not so many
in our brigade but in those
that came from Western
Virginia they are weak
and poor and can not stand
much hardship we drove the
enemy ut of Bath took 24
prisoners killed and wounded
8 or ten took their commissary
stores &c we got about 6-or
8000 dollars worth of property
our success would have been
much greater had it not

[page 3]
been for some militia we
had along with us 2 regiments
of them run from some 25
yankees and their general in
the first place disobeyed
orders throwing the whole
plan wrong he has been
placed under arrest by Gen
Jackson. If the Militia had
done right we would have
captured the whole fortce
force baggage and every thing
they had and made a complete
disaster to the enemy We
are camped at the cross roads
where we can go to four
different places we do not
know when we are going to
some thinks we are going to
romney and some to Martins-
burg--while others suppose
we are going to Winchester
we will probably take winter
quarters when we get back
if the weather is very rough

[page 4]
you say to let you
know whether I want a pair
of over socks I do not know
that I want them as I have
not wore the other ones
any yet my boots are
most too tight with them on
Tell pa that he need not
be uneasy about my
enlisting for the war as I
have not had any idea of it
yet there is a bill up in
Congress now for the purpose
of keeping the twelve
months volunteers in service
during the whole war but
I do not know whether it has passed or not our
regiment are all wanting to
go home when their term
expires as they do not like
their officers but I must
close as my paper is out
Write soon nothing more at
present but remain your brother
T M Smiley

Thomas M. Smiley, Company D, 5th Virginia Infantry

MSS 1807