Camp Vermont, Va.

November 16th, 1862

Dear Parents,

Again on this Sabbath day I embrace the few leisure moments that I have in writing a few lines to you. We are all in very good health and spirits the weather just cool enough to make us feel good. I do not know that I have any special news to write but never mind, I'll do as well as I can. Our boys have just commenced cutting timber for winter quarters, though they have not done a large business at it, as six full companies and small details from some of the other companies have been out on picket for the last two days, coming in yesterday afternoon.

They manage the picket business somewhat after this fashion: The men take two days' rations, roll up their blankets, tie the ends together in such a manner as to make an endless chain and sling it over their heads. They also take with them their shelter tents. When on the picket line they are stationed on their respective posts, usually three or. each one, and one of these has to keep awake all the time. The other two can do what they please: sleep, fish, or visit. I haven't seen Uncle Joe since he came in from picket, so I don't know how he liked it, but our company had 7 out, and they said they hadn't had so much fun for a long time.

The ground on which we are now camped once formed part of a regular Virginia plantation and Old Sesesh's mansion where he still resides is not more than 100 rods from where I now sit. Before the war broke out he had over 200 acres of land that would have brought him $300 per acre, with plenty of slaves, but now his nigs have skedaddled and his land, by the tramping of thousands of soldiers has been trodden down until now in a dry state it is almost as hard as the "talcose" rock of my native hills. And Mr. Sesesh is today a "short fed" man although last spring he had accorded to him the privilege of gathering up for fuel the timber which the Union troops had cut on his own land, and had used during the winter about their winter quarters.

The Old Journal coming as it did almost fresh from the press, was a very welcome visitor. I hope we may have more such. I suppose Henry has got fairly underway with his school. I should like to know how he likes it and how he gets along with it, and all about it. I must write to Henry when I get a good chance, but if you see him you must tell him not to wait for me but to write as often as he can make it convenient. They sell butter about our camps at from 28 to 40¢ per pound and call it goods though as I have not purchased, I cannot say as to that. Cheese, 20 ¢, brown bread 30¢ for about such a loaf as you would bake in a two quart dish; good fair handsome onions 1¢ each, milk, 10¢ per quart, oysters 15 to 20¢ per pint, etc.

What are the good people of Plymouth generally about these times? Don't mourn that McClellan has been superseded, do they? By the way, we had a rumor in camp this morning that we had been put under Fremont's command, though I would never vouch for a camp story. We are now in Casey's division, Heintzelman's corps, but the report is that our colonel is trying to get out of it, fearing that he will not see much active service so long as he remains in Casey's division. I believe all the Plymouth boys are comfortably well except Abner Archer, and he is almost always out of fix some way. More next time,H.G. Day

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Contributed by Linda M. Welch, Dartmouth College, Windsor County researcher.

Return to the Index of Hezron's letters..

See also Hezron's biography, and his memoir of the Gettysburg Campaign.