Noble, Josephine Letters (1863-1864)

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Camp near Orenge Court House Va Sept. 12th /63 

Miss Dossie 

I received a letter 
from Capt Billie McMillion last evening. So you will doubtless under- 
stand me by writing to you. Sure you will be surprised at first but 
when you think, all will be O.K. that is all rite, if you do not 
understand what O.K. means. 
Miss Dossie you will find 
out one thing about me. and that is, I am a bad scribe & a very 
poor letter writer. Excuse me for I generally write just what I can 
think of & all I know & that is but little. You are a complete 
stranger to me & I address you as if I had always known you, 
but pardon me for I am a Soldier & we both live in 
Dixie. You did not make any promises, but just as well. 
I consider it a promis. You said if I did not write or come 
to see you, you would fall in love with some one who makes 
frequent calls. Well you must understand that a Soldier cannot 
leave the Army with his consent only & it is very seldom any 
soldier can get the consent of his superiors unless he is half dead 
Well you see that I have written to you. And the promis is now 
you have to love me. What other way can you term it. 
Well I guess you will have your own way about it, so it is hardly 


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necessary to say anything more on that subject at present. 
We have a fine time in camp now, nothing to do and 
plenty to eat, such as it is. I wish you would send me some 
thing good to eat "in a letter." but do not send too much for 
I might eat too much. Guess you think I am one fool 
but you do not think so, if you knew the position I am in you 
would excuse me. The flies is biting me all the time, and a 
very dark cloud is rising & I am trying to hurry & the 
flies is biting me so often it takes nearly all my time to 
knock them off. 
I took a pleasure walk this morning 
up the road & got some nice Cherrys but they come very near 
making me sick, so I did not enjoy them as I expected. 
I was so fortunate last summer as to get a furlough. 
I got home on the 12th of June & remained there until 
the 29th of July. I had a very nice time. I got to my Regt 
on the 6th day of August & ever since that time we have 
had preaching in 10th Ala Regt nearly every day & night I 
never witnessed such meeting before. There has been some 
fifty or sixty baptised, & a large nomber joined the 
church to day. 
Billie is at home now, he is having a 
very nice time on his Crutches he has been at a wedding in Elyton. 
One of my old Sweethearts was married to Mr. Hall. 


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We had a grand Review yesterday. Gen R. E. Lee reviewed 
Gen. A. P. Hills Corps. It was a grand afair. I wish you could 
have been out to see us. I never saw so many Ladies as 
was out. They enjoy it better than we soldiers did for we had so 
much marching to do. 
I do not think we will have any more fighting here soon. 
Some of our troops have been leaving here for Chattanooga Tenn 
I think they will have a hard fought battle soon down there 
from what I can find out. I feel for those troops down 
there I know how I feel when I go in battle. I have 
been in Seven battles, six in Virginia & one in Mary- 
land. I was wounded slightly once at the battle of Manas- 
sas No 2. 
Miss Dossie I will close for it has commenced 
raining. Pleas excuse mistakes &c for I know they are many 
I hope I will hear from you soon Nothing can pleas me better 
than a letter. Direct your letter to, Sergt. Hugh L Deason 
Co B. 10th Ala Regt. Care of Adjt Genls Office Richmond Va. 
I am Miss Dossie your Obt Servt, 
H. L. Deason 
Richmond 
Richmond 
Va. 

Sergt Hugh L Deason 
Co B 10th Ala Reg 
Care of Adjt General Office 
Richmond Va