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.
