Here I am sitting on a log
by the fire having just finished my Thanks-
giving dinner of salt-horse & hard tack
while you I doubt not have just finish-
ed yours of turkey, plum pudding and mince
pie etc, Well I reckon I feel just as well
as you. My appetite is satisfied & that
is all you can say. So what is the dif-
ference what a fellow eats for din-
ner, five minutes afterwards.

I am "onguard" today at Gen. Cald-
well’s headquarters. I have three
Corporals & so have nothing to do but
keep the time for the reliefs. It is a
very pleasant day, the regt is having
a holiday. I wrote to Mother last week.
last Saturday we marched half a mile

into the woods [---?] got a tip top place
wood & water handy. I went to see
the 11^th & 12^th Regts yesterday. they are
about 1½ miles from here. Saw [----?]
Norris of the 12^th & all the Raymond boys
in the 11^th except Lewis [-----?]. They are
all getting along well but I guess feel
pretty homesick. I suppose they thought
soldiering was boys play. I can’t pity
them much. They got well paid in advance.
Let them earn their money now, Capt Gillan
was sent to Washington from Warrenton,
sick. Lt Geo. N. Shepard was over to see me
today. He looks rather thin. I suppose you
will want to know what we are doing
here. I don’t know. I thought when Burn-
side took command that we should
have sharp quick work. But affairs
seem to progress—or rather stand still
in the same old way. We are some [---?]
miles back from the river. Our batteries

are in position near[?]. Don’t know
whether we are digging trenches or not;
The raining season is approaching & we
are 60 miles from Richmond. Have been
for a week & I guess are likely to be for
some time to come. I begin to think
that all the money, blood & time of a
year will be thrown away & some mis-
erable compromise hatched up.
Billi[?] let the South go, then had them
come back, like they have been
thoroughly licked & brought to submission
& then [---?] instead of granting them
more privileges. The army is getting to
be very well satisfied with McClellan’s
removal. I for one am. No one hears
anything said about him now.
Still I believe him to be the greatest
General in the country & his failure
to carry on this war successfully runs
from no lack of capacity or skill but

I believe he did not want to conquer
& subdue the South, but to have this
war linger along till both Sections
were worm out-& a settlement made
which would be favorable to the South
& her price,& this Union served.
And I reckon he has been successful.
I don’t know as anything will be
gained by this change of commanders.
I am beginning to be disgusted with
the whole thing.

I believe it does make a little dif-
ference what a fellow eats for dinner
just as I finished the last paragraph
Capt Cross sent me an invitation to
take dinner with the other Sergeants in his
tent. We had potatoes, ham, roast beef,
rice pudding and with all
the extras. I must say I feel better
& perhaps feel a little more amiable
towards the Government , the Gens. & all
mankind.

My paper is about used up & I guess
your patience too, so I will close.
Give my love to all.
I suppose you are at Rye now
shall dinner [---?] did not think
of it till this moment-
Write soon you will have plenty of
time now,