Stevensburg Va
	     February 16th /64

Dear Nell.
	    Although I answered
Isoms last letter only Sunday
I have now seated myself to scribble
off a few lines in reply to your short
note received on Sunday. If I
thought it would do any good I.d
blow you higher than “Gilderoy's
kite.” But then I suppose you have
‘nt the least idea how aggravating
it is to look a week for a letter from
some one at home and when it
comes. to find that it contains a
dozen lines or more. Why. I have
sometimes read such letters from
others and then threw them in 
to the fire. and tried awful hard
to forget to answer them. So beware

     There is nothing new and
I am almost glad of it for I can
have some excuse for not writing
you a long letter.. The weather has
changed some since I wrote Isom
and yesterday we had a comfort 
able little snow storm. and today
the wind is blowing a perfect. [cane?]
in a hurry. and ourold tent roof
flaps and cracks like a stage
drivers whip and everything in
side rolls and tumbles. pitches and
      n
bou^ds. like a “Billy Goat” hitched
to a post.. One of my men went
to army headquarters this morn
ing and said he had to stick
his “Gaffting Irons.” alias spurs in
to keep from being blown away
entirely. It is quite cold into
the bargain. and if the wind
goes down before night I predict
a mighty cold night..

     I expected it all night
before last when I heard the
order to prepare for inspection
yesterday. and you see I was'nt
much disappointed. Gen. Pleas
anton. commander of the Cav.
Corps. reviewed our division yes.
terday.. It is now reported
that Gen Pleasanton. is to take
command of the cavalry and
take Stoneman's place in
Washington. while Gen. Averill
succeeds him in command
of the corps..
     You said you did not think
“Old Kill” looked hardly com
petent to command our divi
sion.. He may not look so.
but his career of the past sum
mer and the confidence his
men have in him would in
dicate that he was. He is some
what slack in his dress.

and there is not the least
evidence of “style” in anything
about him.. He thinks no more 
of talking with a private than 
an officer. and when not in
dress costume no one one would
          		    he
take him for what it is..
   I met him the other day on
foot and alone dressed in a
full civilian suit. and that
of a very old pattern.. His
pants were very tight fitting
ones and his legs looked
like a couple of mullen
stalks protruding from a big
		    stump
cabbage. with the root sticking
from the upper end of it.
     I saw Custer's photograph
a few days since and if I
can I shall get some of them
to send home. We are look
ing for the “little Poodle” and 
his new wife here in a few days

	It seems that the
ball has commenced rolling
in Michigan again. and I am 
glad to see that it is not in
vain. Letters from home. tell me
that. [illegible in original] Lee. Jim Lee. Ed. [illegeible in original]
John Graham and Hank Batch
elor have enlisted. If a few
more I could name would
follow suit. I should think
it all right. I am “giving in”
a bit in what I have before said
about your entering the army.
I am as much opposed to it
as ever.. But there are those at
home who have nothing to keep
them at home whom I should
be glad to see come. The more
men we have at the opening of the
Spring campaign the sooner. this war
will be ended.

     It seems that the old
12th is now at home. I should
enjoy a few days at home
now quite well I beleive
and almost begin to wish
that our regt might have a
chance to reenlist. for I beleive
I could manage some way
to get home even if I did 
not re enlist..
     Over Four Hundred new
recruits and conscripts for our
brigade mainly for the 5th &
6th regts. arrived here about
an hour ago. When the 1st
Mich gets back wh we shall
have a brigade numbering
about 4000 men. The 1st
Mich and 1st Va will take
the field. in the Spring near
ly 1200 strong each.
     It is said that Gen. Meade
who has been in Philadelphia

     for some time past. sick.
    arrived at Brandy Station
with his wife and two daugh
ters last night.
     I had a letter from Will
Kelley a few nights since. He was
at Chattanooga where he wrote
but expected to go to Loudon the
next day. He has been away
from the Hd Quarters since they
moved to reinforce Burnside
at Knoxville. He said he had
heard that their regt had re enlisted
but that he had not and should
not. He wanted to know your
address as he had not heard
from you in a long time.. His
address is now the same except
the 4th instead of 20th Army Corps.
     Mother has not written
me in a long time. and I
am getting almost out of
patience with every one.


     Can you tell me what
has become of Newt Stephens
         not
I have ^ heard from him in 
two or three months
     Well I shall have to
quit writing my hands
are so cold and numb
that I can scarcely hold
my pen. Now if you ll
do better next time Ill
say no more about. it
but let it go.
     Write soon. and give
my love to all the girls
	Devotedly Yours
		Edwin