4 Months before Gettysburg

"...O Roby I cannot bear the thought of never seeing you again..."

 

This four page letter written over several days makes mention of the upcoming Campaign but mostly is a heartfelt, conversational letter between Philip and Roby:

"Camp near White Oak Church

March 28th 1863

My Dearest Roby

It is with pleasure that I now write you again. I received yours of the 22nd last night and a good letter it was too.  I assure you I wish every soldier in the US Army could have a nice little wife & Boy at home to write such sweet letters, then they would know what happiness was."

(I'll admit to chuckling about the "nice little wife" bit...)

"I am very sorry to learn that my dear boy has got so spunky but I hope he will not get spoiled, I have great [several words are written here and crossed out] confidence in fathers judgement in bringing him up but if my life is spared in 6 or 8 months I hope to come home to stay ~ O Roby I can not bear the thought of never seeing you again.  I earnestly hope I shall come through this next campaign safe and sound & without a scratch ~ but it is agoing to be a terrible one.  There are certain indications that shows that we are agoing to see hard times within a few days ~ I never before saw such tremendous preparations for a great pitched Battle as there is at present, you may expect great things from the Army of the Potomac in a few days and I dont think we are agoing to get whipped either (Old Fighting Joe) is not the man to get whipped if it takes the life of every man he has under his command[.] where the move is to made I dont know as the plans are all kept secret but I heard yesterday the 1st Army Corps left for down on our river Left that is down the river.  We have not got marching orders yet but I think we will get them soon..."

I'll stop here today because of time constraints but after Thanksgiving, I'll be back to finish it up!  Please read my previous posts from last year for Thanksgiving in 1863 or '64.

Until next time...