Poe Archive

August 26, 1863
Camp near Stevinson, Alabama

Dear wife this morning I feel good and feel like talking and as I can not do that I will write. When we get good news it makes me feel good in the first place. Dispatches came last night that our men are in Chatinuga. The rebs skedaddled. After standing 5 hours shelling we are 36 miles from their, so we had none of the play. I suppose the next stand will be Atlanta, Georgy. Another thing to feel good over is my breakfast and prospect for dinner. A part of our company and Co. F went out Foragen (foraging) yesterday. They had 2 waggons along. They went up little Coon Valey. I tell you they came in loaded at night with peaches, potatoes, chickens, hogs, pigs, corn, beans, honey, and 2 sheap. At ever tent corner is tied a chicken, goose, or pig. I have ate peaches until I can't holde anymore. Now I will give you a description of my breakfast. It is so seldom we get anything good that I feel like letting all the world kno it. To begin with I had coffee, good light cakes. Them cost 5 cts. a piece. I had fresh poark, honey, cheese, pickels, and pie, such was my meal and for Dinner I will have green beans and poark boilt.

I have not much to write that is new only one thing, I saw and talked with a woman yesterday. It was to town and as I came out I overtook 2 wimmen with a pass to go through our picket line. They were afraid and asked me to go along so as my road was the same. I kept with them until we came in our line. One of them was hunting her husband. He was a prisoner in our lines but when she came there he had been released and goan home. I pityed her. She cried and said her children wer suffering for food and clothes. Her man was conscripted in February last. She said they were poor folks but the rebs graged him away and the soldiers took every thing she had. She said she had $100 greenback at home and was sorry she had not brought it along. When she learned we had coffee I told her if she would come to my camp I would give her enough to make her and children a cup but she could not pass out that way and it was too far around and so hot. She said the rebs said the yankees was coming, burning everything, killing wimmen and children but she could not leave. How different it is; she said they are kinder than the Rebel soldiers. I admit that some of our boys are too bad. They steal the last from a woman yesterday. The woman was churning. She sold buttermilk to a soldier, he was waiting for it. Some others came up picked up the churn and walked off with it. Such I don't approve of.

I most forgot, our old chaplain has come to the regiment, Mr. Kenady. He has not been with us since last fall. He has been detailed at the hospitals. We have made a church and had meeting. There is meeting every night in some regiments of our brigade. I must close. Tell Phebe Boyer I hante got that letter Andrew said she was going to write. If you keep improoveing on your writing I will soon knock under. I will close and go finish out the clothing receits. No more now but remain as ever,

Charles Morfoot
T. E. Morfoot

I will send Ida a hymnbook some day.

*Some punctuation and paragraph breaks added to facilitate reading.