Friday, November 13, 1863 - Stevenson, Alabama

#39

Stevenson Ala Friday Eve

Nov th13 1863

Dear Wife

I now take this opportunity to pen a few lines to you in answer to your last two letters that I have received one was wrote Oct th25 and the other Nov 1th Also found in the one of Nov th11 Epistle from Cousin E.V.C. Which I shall answer as soon as I can get time. Was glad to get your letters and to hear that you ware all well they boath found me well and still remain the same to night and I hope when these few lines reach you they will find you and all of the children enjoying the same great blessing I should have answered one of your letters before if I could have got time but can not get time to write or do anything else for myself in the day time not even time to wash my shirt & drawers for the last two weeks. Since I wrote to you last I have been to Decherd Tenn and was gon one week when I got back to Stevenson I found one of your letters there waiting for me to read, This week we the Pioneers are putting up log huts for Winter Quarters but perhaps by the time they are done we shall have to leave and go somewhare else but I hope not for after we get them done I am in hopes to have a little more time to myself so that I can keep clean and if I receive a letter that I can get time to answer it in due season, The Rebs are coming into our lines some about every day I saw about twenty go past my Qaters to day they had just com in from the Mountains they ware going to enlist into our army there was one Women with them, There is a Darkey Encampment within a stone throw of my tent. Old and young Male and Female and they hold Meetings on the Sabbath and every Wednesday Eve. It sounds the most like home of any thing I have heard since I left Connecticut I tell you they enter into the praying and singing with a will regular old Methodist fashion. I like to hear them for it reminds me of home and the loved ones there and of the privilages they are premitted to enjoy I think if I was at home now I could take solid comfort in attending Church with my little family I have altogether diferant views in regard to such matters than what I used to have before I left home For you know that is used to be rather of a hard job for me to git out to church but now I think it would be quite a treat if I could be at home and have the privilege of attending church with my family once more in the Old Methodist house in Moodus; Well Georgia I must write a few words to you or I am afraid you will neglect to write to me you want to know what I have to live on if it is Pork & hard Tack Hard tack & Pork I can answer that with out much trouble it is pretty much the same old thing over & over again onley in rather smaller quantites we have been getting only half rations a part of the time since we have been down here. I am afraid that your Mother is doing wrong in Letting you go so far away from home alone and attend Huskins at that it was certainly something that I should not approved of if I had been at home I have just looked over your letter to see if there was anything in it that I had not answered you want to know if it is pleasant down in Tenn. I dont hapen to be in that State now, It is very pleasant here now and has been for the last week although we have had some pretty cold weather I should think for the time of year down in Alabama three nights this week it has froze Ice quite thick that is what I call cool for the suny South Lucinda you tell Joseps if he dont write to me soon that I will appear to him the shape of a harrow I wrote to him last Winter and have never received. . . . . . . . .

I will send you a Cotton bud one that I picked from the stalk my self

this sheat full my love to you all From your Old man

A.C. Smith