First Lieutenant Andrew G. Henderson to his Family, December 22, 1863

Stevenson, Alabama

December 22, 1863

My Dear Ones,

Our regiment reached here yesterday evening having started from our camp at Bridgeport yesterday morning. The distance is only 12 miles and the regiment got into camp by 2 P.M., but some of our teams did not get in until 2 this morning on account of the bad roads. The team that my blankets were in, however, did get in by 10½ so that I had a pretty good night's sleep. We all slept in the open air, of course, without any tents, and this morning the ground was frozen so that it would carry heavily loaded teams. In Iowa, you would think such usage would kill one, but here we do not think anything of it. I slept very comfortable.

We are now on our road back to Larkinsville, Jackson County, Alabama, where I presume we shall winter. It is 25 miles from here and is quite a pleasant place. We will start again, I presume, tomorrow morning.

My health is first rate and my appetite such as I would be ashamed of if I was at home. We have plenty to eat and little to do, and I am afraid I shall be very lazy when I get home. Some days ago, Lt. Amos started for Maquoketa, and he will give you particulars of our situation &c. I want to get another letter from you very much. I do not want you to play another trick on me by not writing for two weeks. Don't you do it again!

I write this letter in Capt. W. A. Warren's office in this town. He is Post Quartermaster here and Frank Bettis is his head clerk. They are both old acquaintances from Bellevue. Col. Jenkins is in the office with me at the present time. His health is first rate.

I hope you will have a pleasant Christmas and New Year's. God bless you, my dear ones. May God watch over and protect you. Let me know whether Santa Claus visits the children on Christmas Eve or not.

My respects to all enquiring friends. Who is dead or married lately? Write as often as you possibly can.

Your affectionate husband and father,

A. G. Henderson

P.S. Have you sold any of them gold pens and pencil holders yet?

A. G. H.

SOURCE: This letter was up for auction on Ebay, accessed August 9, 2014.