Sunday, 30th–We lay in camp here at Waterford all day and I wrote a letter to John Moore. I was on picket last night, but was relieved this morning. There was some skirmishing and cannonading out on the Tallahatchie river today. Several troops passed here going out to the front. The land in this part of the country is very rough and very poor. The soil is sandy and is easily worked.

Sunday, 30th. Had to make out morning report and field report and details. Was kept quite busy all day. In the evening wrote to Fannie A.

NOVEMBER 30th.—It is said there is more concern manifested in the government here on the indications that the States mean to organize armies of non-conscripts for their own defense, than for any demonstration of the enemy. The election of Graham Confederate States Senator in North Carolina, and of H. V. Johnson in Georgia, causes some uneasiness. These men were not original secessionists, and have been the objects of aversion, if not of proscription, by the men who secured position in the Confederate States Government. Nevertheless, they are able men, and as true to Southern independence as any. But they are opposed to despotic usurpation—and their election seems like a rebuke and condemnation of military usurpation.

From all sections of the Confederacy complaints are coming in that the military agents of the bureaus are oppressing the people; and the belief is expressed by many, that a sentiment is prevailing inimical to the government itself.

29th.—Nothing of importance from the army. The people of Fredericksburg suffering greatly from the sudden move. I know a family, accustomed to every luxury at home, now in a damp basement-room in Richmond. The mother and three young daughters cooking, washing, etc.; the father, a merchant, is sick and cut off from business, friends, and every thing else. Another family, consisting of mother and four daughters, in one room, supported by the work of one of the daughters who has an office in the Note-Signing Department. To keep starvation from the house is all that they can do; their supplies in Fredericksburg can’t be brought to them—no transportation. I cannot mention the numbers who are similarly situated; the country is filled with them. Country houses, as usual, show a marvellous degree of elasticity. A small house accommodating any number who may apply; pallets spread on the floor; every sofa and couch sheeted for visitors of whom they never heard before. If the city people would do more in that way, there would be less suffering. Every cottage in this village is full; and now families are looking with wistful eyes at the ball-room belonging to the hotel, which, it seems to me, might be partitioned off to accommodate several families. The billiard-rooms are taken, it is said, though not yet occupied. But how everybody is to be supported is a difficult question to decide. Luxuries have been given up long ago, by many persons. Coffee is $4 per pound, and good tea from $18 to $20; butter ranges from $1.50 to $2 per pound; lard 50 cents; corn $15 per barrel; and wheat $4.50 per bushel. We can’t get a muslin dress for less than $6 or $8 per yard; calico $1.15, etc. This last is no great hardship, for we will all resort to homespun. We are knitting our own stockings, and regret that we did not learn to spin and weave. The North Carolina homespun is exceedingly pretty, and makes a genteel dress; the only difficulty is in the dye; the colours are pretty, but we have not learned the art of setting the wood colours; but we are improving in that art too, and when the first dye fades, we can dip them again in the dye.

Saturday, 29th–We started this morning at 6 o’clock and arrived at Holly Springs at 10 o’clock. We remained there about two hours and then moved on to Waterford, eight miles distant, where we went into camp. We drove the rebels before us nearly all day and there was some skirmishing. The fighting in the streets of Waterford was sharp and the buildings were burned. There was heavy cannonading in the front late in the day. There are thousands of negroes, women and children, of all shades of color gathered at Holly Springs. The roads by which we marched were lined with them. The best of the negro men have been taken South by the rebels to work on their fortifications.

Saturday, 29th. Other brigades returned to Cane Hill, where we had been retained as reserve. Our brigade was ordered back to Rhea’s Mills. Moved back and camped north of the mill. Got the mail from the train just arrived. Six letters, two from Fannie, 3 from home and 1 from Will. Happy boy. Several papers.

NOVEMBER 29th.—–The Quartermaster-General publishes a notice that he will receive and distribute contributions of clothing, etc. to the army, and even pay for the shirts $1 each! Shirts are selling at $12. The people will not trust him to convey the clothing to their sons and brothers, and so the army must suffer on. But he is getting in bad odor. A gentleman in Alabama writes that his agents are speculating in food: the President tells the Secretary to demand explanations, and the Secretary does so. Col. Myers fails, I think, to make the exhibit required, and it may be the worse for him.

I see by the papers that another of Gen. Winder’s police has escaped to Washington City, and is now acting as a Federal detective. And yet many similar traitors are retained in service here!

The Governor of North Carolina writes the President that his State intends to organize an army of 10,000 men for its own defense, besides her sixty regiments in the Confederate States service; and asks if the Confederate States Government can furnish any arms, etc. The President sends this to the Secretary of War, for his advice. He wants to know Mr. Seddon’s views on the subject–a delicate and embarrassing predicament for the new Secretary, truly! He must know that the President frowns on all military organizations not under his own control, and that he counteracted all Gen. Floyd’s efforts to raise a division under State authority. Beware, Mr. Seddon! The President is a little particular concerning his prerogatives; and by the advice you now give, you stand or fall. What is North Carolina to the Empire? You tread on dangerous ground. Forget your old State-Rights doctrine, or off goes your head.

Nov. 25—Bro. Allen sends me in buggy, and I see my family once more. All well. Thank God! Fever from vaccination makes me delirious during night. Had not seen family since July 31. In going home from the army I met Lieut. E. Ruark, of Co. C. on his way home at Smithville, on sick furlough. We sat together for many, many miles, and parted at Wilmington. He went home and died of smallpox, spreading it and killing his mother and others. Narrow escape for me and mine. Neither of us thought of the danger.

Nov. 29—Preach at Bladen Springs.

November. The most important event was our first Thanksgiving in camp. Passed very pleasantly. A good dinner, with games of foot and base-ball. The day closing with dress parade. Many visitors from Baltimore and some from Connecticut. The weather during November was very fine for camp life. Barracks were built for winter quarters to take the place of tents.

Friday, 28th.—Marched to Manchester to-day through very poor country. Camped at Duck River.

(Note: picture is of an unidentified Confederate soldier.)

Friday, 28th–We packed our knapsacks ready to be sent to La Grange, and striking our tents started at 6 o’clock. We marched eighteen miles and went into camp for the night. Our cavalry drove some five hundred rebels out of Holly Springs this morning. The entire army is on the move and is in command of General Grant. It is reported that we are to effect a junction with General Sherman’s army in the rear of Vicksburg.

Friday, 28th. Started out at 5 as advance, but soon were ordered back, as rear guard. Division moved by another road. While at Rhea’s Mills we could hear the cannon roar. How aggravating. Moved on to Cane Hill. Learned that quite a battle had taken place there and on the mountain beyond. Went to a house and got some provisions. Built fires and rested, after some fresh pork and meal cakes.

NOVEMBER 28th.—All is quiet on the Rappahannock; the enemy reported to be extending his line up the river some twenty miles, intending to find a passage. He might have come over last week but for a ruse of Gen. Lee, who appeared near Fredericksburg twenty-four hours in advance of the army. His presence deceived Burnside, who took it for granted that our general was at the head of his army!

M. Paul carried the day yesterday, in the Confederate Court, in the matter of $2,000,000 worth of tobacco, which, under pretense of its belonging to French citizens (though bought by Belmont, of New York, an alien enemy), is rescued from sequestration. In other words, the recognition of M. Paul as Consul, and the validity of his demands, deprives the Confederate Government of two millions; and really acknowledges the exequatur of the United States, as M. Paul is not Consul to the Confederate States but to the United States. This looks like submission; and a great fee has been realized by somebody. If the enemy were to take Richmond, this tobacco would be destroyed by the military.

Gen. Joseph E. Johnston is assigned to the command of the army of the West.

To-day we have a dispatch from Gov. Pettus, saying authority to pass cotton through the lines of the army, and for salt to have ingress, must be given immediately. The President directs the Secretary to transmit orders to the generals to that effect. He says the cotton is to go to France without touching any port in the possession of the enemy.

28 [November]

       The weather cold thankful we are where we can get wood the price here is $2.50 for a cord. There is great difficulty in getting change, fortunately this morning I got a $20 bill changed, by purchasing $4 worth of Meal.—

       Two poor women recently came here to beg. I was not able to give them meal, for I find it hard to get it for my own family, and had no change: but this morning when I was in the Village I passed one of them & gave her 25¢ having felt badly at refusing her all aid, when she applyed to me at the door.—

       John has been made first Lieutenant which pleases him very much, no more pay but a better position.—

       Elizabeth goes to dine with her Aunt every Saturday, to spend the day with Eliza, who is very much out of health.—

       Miss Clemy Legg sent a message to Elizabeth requesting her to come and see her, yesterday afternoon Gabriella & herself went to return Miss Butler’s visit, her Mother teaches at the District School, was a Miss Stone, is a widow,—and then went to see Miss Legg.—

       Mrs Legg told the Wilkinses that her daughter found Elizabeth perfectly charming and enjoyed the Saturdays when they practised for Sunday. E. leads the choir. She really sings very well indeed—she has improved herself wonderfully.—

Thursday, 27th–I signed the allotment roll for my father to draw $10.00 of my pay at home. The division received orders to be ready to march tomorrow morning. We are to pack our extra clothing in our knapsacks, which are to be stored at La Grange. Our tents are to be taken with us, the quartermaster delivering them to us every night so that we will not have to lie out in all kinds of weather.

Thursday, 27th. Up at 3 A. M. and ready to march at sunrise. Went as advance of whole division. I had charge of advance, 20 men. Moved south till within a mile of Rhea’s Mills. Fed ourselves and horses at Gin. and went on. The scouts were in advance most of the time, saw no enemy. Got some nice apples at a house. Went into camp on the hill and went out as picket on the road to the south. Slept without fires.

HEADQUARTERS FOURTH BRIGADE.
November 27, 1862.

My Dear Mother:

I received your letter yesterday, and also one from brother by Mr. Gorman. I was very glad to hear from you, as I had not received any news from home in some time. He handed me the gloves also, which you sent by him. Nothing ever came in better time in the world. I had been trying my best to get a pair of some kind ever since cold weather set in, but could not, gloves such as you sent me sell for $3.00 in this country, and everything else in proportion. The last letter that I wrote home, sent to Richmond by Capt. John Grimes to be mailed, was from our Camp near Strasburg, Va. We left there on Friday, the 21st, and arrived here on Tuesday evening, the 25th, making a march of over one hundred miles in four days. It is the best marching that we have ever done, it’s because we are going towards home, I reckon, that the men did so well. There are hundreds of them barefooted and ice on the ground all day. General Hill issued an order yesterday requiring all the barefooted men to make sandals of raw hides with the hair on the inside. It answers the purpose very well. It’s a wonder the idea had not been thought of sooner, before the men suffered so much. Gorman says that Pat Simms will be here to-day with the things for the Regiment. I hope he will be, for I need my boots very badly, also my pants. I shall draw a pair of pants from the Regimental clothing, also a pair of shoes. I bought me a Yankee overcoat, a very comfortable one, for $12.50, a better coat than our men draw at more money. We are now on our way to Hanover Junction, some fifty miles off. We have stopped here to transport our sick on the cars ahead of us, though we have been here going on two days, a longer time than would be required for that purpose. We have no idea how long we will stay here. From what you write about your exchanging farms, I think you made a very good bargain. I wish I could be with you to help you fix it up. The boys are all well as could be expected. Virgil Stevens looks thin from diarrhoea. Tom Stith looks as fat as a pig. Buck Hansill is the same old “Buck,” though Marshbourns, that is Sam, is well and tough, Jim I don’t recollect having seen for some time. I really don’t know whether he is in the company or not. I did write to you and intended to send it by Ed Gordon, but he left just before I carried my letters up to the Company to give him. The next time any one leaves Wilson for the Company, please send me some kind of tonic bitters. I need something of the kind.

Give my love to all, and believe me as ever,

Your affectionate son,
WALTER.

Letters from two brothers who served in the 4th North Carolina Infantry during the Civil War are available in a number of sources online.  Unfortunately, the brothers are misidentified in some places as Walter Lee and George Lee when their names were actually Walter Battle and George Battle. See The Battle Brothers for more information on the misidentification.

NOVEMBER 27th—Some of the late Secretary’s friends are hinting that affairs will go amiss now, as if he would have prevented any disaster! Who gave up Norfolk? That was a calamitous blunder! Letters from North Carolina are distressing enough. They say, but for the influence of Gov. Vance, the legislature would favor reconstruction!

Gen. Marshall writes lugubriously. He says his men are all barefoot.

Gen. Magruder writes that Pemberton has only 20,000 men, and should have 50,000 more at once—else the Mississippi Valley will be lost, and the cause ruined. He thinks there should be a concentration of troops there immediately, no matter how much other places might suffer; the enemy beaten, and the Mississippi secured at all hazards. If not, Mobile is lost, and perhaps Montgomery, as well as Vicksburg, Holly Springs, etc.

One of our paroled men from Washington writes the President that, on the 6th instant, Burnside had but seventy regiments and the President seemed to credit it! The idea of Burnside advancing with seventy regiments is absurd. But how many absurd ideas have been entertained by the government, and have influenced it! Nous verrons.

27 November

       Mr Grimball returned from Camden with the box of silver which we now have up here and has gone to Charleston where he intends offering his services for Military duty in the Reserves, Captain Lesegne. He is under 65 & the Governor and Council have called out all men under 65 and of 16 to do Military duty. I have received 3 letters from him he was when last writing at the Bluff on a visit to Papa and the abandoned Plantation with the 13 old negroes left there. Our own soldiers are most destructive in their visits to houses left, and entered ours and helped themselves to what they liked. When this war does end the poor Planters on the Coast will be found in a miserable plight. Berkley offered Mr Grimball his stock to purchase a place to put the negroes on which he declined but it was very kind of B. He had just passed through another attack of fever.—A. & W. are at Fort Sumter, Lewis on Sulivan’s Island. John writes to Ella from Mobile that he has some pleasant ladies to visit there, and that the Navy is held in great repute since Admiral Buchanan came there which state of things he is enjoying.—

       The time & the war goes on and we hope in spite of every thing there will soon be a peace. At present not a ray of the quarter from which it will spring but the triumph of the Democratic party at the North, and the little success they have yet arrived at South: the Removal of McClellan is too in our favor. Burnside is represented as a man of Military education but urged on by the Abolition party at the North may be induced to hazard a battle which we think he will loose. The Lord is over all and in his hands we are, to destroy or to save.—

Wednesday, 26th–Nothing of importance. The boys had the laugh on our commanding general this afternoon when we were returning from drill; he was riding at the head of the division and when crossing the creek at a rocky ford he was thrown from his horse. The boys declared that the horse was O. K., but that perhaps the real cause of his ducking was Southern rum.

“RICHMOND, Nov. 26th 1862.

        ” . . . Genl. Johnston¹ got his orders only day before yesterday. He is to have command of the three armies of Bragg, Kirby Smith and Pemberton, but not West of the Mississippi, as I understand. He expects to get off on Saturday, and his wife goes with him.”

1. General Joseph  E. Johnston had been injured at the Battle of Seven Pines in late May 1862. Johnston was struck in the right shoulder by a bullet, immediately followed by a shell fragment hitting him in the chest. He fell unconscious from his horse with a broken right shoulder blade and two broken ribs. (Wikipedia, accessed 6/16/2020)

Wednesday, 26th. Capt. Welch came up with 15 men and Capt. Greenough with 50 men, increasing our force to 180. At daylight moved on south. Passed through Cane Hill and followed the Division train, which we supposed the rebs were after. Officers feared that they had run into the rebel camp at Dutch Mills. Found them on 3 or 4 miles. Went on with them 3 or 4 miles, then went on alone till within a mile of the mills. Then Major and Capt. Greenough went on alone and discovered two regiments in direction of Cane Hill moving north at a trot. We turned back by untraveled roads and reached camp at 9 P. M.

NOVEMBER 26th.—No fighting on the Rappahannock yet, that I hear of; and it is said the enemy are moving farther down the river. Can they mean to cross? Nothing more is heard of Gen. Corcoran, with his Irish bogtrotters, on the Peninsula.

The government has realized 50,000 pounds of leather from two counties in Eastern North Carolina, in danger of falling into the hands of the enemy. This convinces me that there is abundance of leather in the South, if it were properly distributed. It is held, like everything else, by speculators, for extortioners’ profits. The government might remedy the evils, and remove the distresses of the people; but instead of doing so, the bureaus aggravate them by capricious seizures, and tyrannical restrictions on transportation. Letters are coining in from every quarter complaining of the despotic acts of government agents.

Mr. J. Foulkes writes another letter to the department on his cotton scheme. He says it must be embraced now or never, as the enemy will soon make such dispositions as would prevent his getting supplies through their lines. The Commissary-General approves, and the late Secretary approved; but what will the new one do? The President is non-committal.

What a blunder France and England made in hesitating to espouse our cause! They might have had any commercial advantages.

November 25.—Just from the depot. The cars have gone to Richmond, filled with non-combatants from Fredericksburg—ladies, with their children, many of whom know not where to go. They will get to Richmond after dark, and many propose staying in the cars this cold night, and seeking a resting-place to-morrow. The feeling of desolation among them is dreadful. Oh, how I wish that I had even one room to offer! The bombardment has not commenced, but General Lee requested last night that the women and children who had not gone should go without delay. This seems to portend hot work.