Poe Archive

Bridgeport, Alabama
Novem. 20, 1863

Kind and affectionate wife, this evening I take my pen to write to you again. I am stout and harty and hope you are the same. I am still here in our Foart guarding the Pontoon. This has been a lively week. The Vixburgh Army is passing through here. There has been one continual stream of men and waggons day and night and still they come. If Brag (General Bragg) don't get wiped out now I am mistaken. It is the largest army getting together that has ever has been in the United States. I believe this will bring this war to a speedy close. Oh if we could have had these men at Chickamagua many more of the 101st woud be with us in stead of roting on the field of Chickamauga Creek but such are the fortunes of war.

Well I will change the subject. Well today we got the green backs this afternoon. I paid my debts and tried to get some bread for supper but could not so I bought tobacco, 1 plug for $1.00 and Whitefish 50 cts, a penknife $1.00 and I must buy a coffee pot as mine is give out. That will cost $1.50, a frying pan $1.00 as the thing I have is done for. I pluged up the holes but they burn out and the greas catches fire so you see it costs to keep house here. Well I send you forty five dollars, you can get it at Gormly's Bank. The paymaster takes the money, gives a check on the Department at Louisville. They wire one on Gormly's Bank. Our Chaplain, Kenady, is going along to attend to it and going to Bucyrus. He will bring it along if you could see him, he can tell how we get along. We do very well now. We have all comfortable shantys. Our grub is hardtack and sowbelly, coffee and shugar. We have sugar and coffee enough but our tack don't hold out when we have no other rations, but now we have money I won't starve. While my money holds out, I mite have sent more but I have to buy so much and at such high rates, I was affraid of starveing again. I don't think we will leave this place soon but one can't tell. There is only one Brigade here and some must be here to gard the Railroad Bridge and Pontoon. The wether has been warm and nice the last 2 weeks. Today it is cloudy and tonight raining. I expect a wet time now. The coldest it has been yet was hard frost. The mud froze a little. My house is warm enough. I have sent Mary Boyer a letter. You can read it. Some days I feel full of develment when I have enough to eat and nothing to do but your letters don't come very regular. I can't tell why none of the rest do better. Perhaps they don't kno where we are yet at the army Post Ofice.

I sent to you asking for fishooks and lines. I will again for fear you did not get the letter. I want a pack of lines 1 or 2 hundread feet, small size brick line and put up with them 15 or 20 large hooks. The largest you can get. I will close. Direct next to me, Co. C 101st Regiment O. V. I. V. I A,
Stevenson, Alabama.

That is all, goodby again.
C. Morfoot
To E. Morfoot

*Some spelling and punctuation added to facilitate reading.