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Camp 45th Ala Regt Thatchers Ferry August 16th 1863
Dear Folks at home
It has been a long while since I got a letter from home
I guess you have written but I do not get the letters in this out of the way
place. When I last wrote to you I had strong hopes of getting a chance to come
home for a short while - I am sorry to have to say that the order granting
furloughs of indulgence has been suspended for an indefinite period;
Our situation here is much better than it has been for a long while
Our regiment is temporarily divided - Seven companies at Igo's Ferry and
three including mine at this place Thatchers Ferry. Our duty is to guard the
ferries seize all the flats and batteaux on the river and arrest deserters and
all others that should be in the army. We have a good deal of work to
do - but from the fact that we are away from the body of the army we
can get as many vegetables and other goodies such as milk chickens &c as
we want. I also get an occasional mess of fresh fish. The men are
making baskets and are beginning to catch them pretty fast. two of
my men brought in 14 large catfish weighing in all 25 or 30 lbs
this morning I wish you had just two of them. They would last you
a day or two. I think if we stay here we can have fish all the while
This is the wildest country I ever saw to be as densely populated
as it is – nearly or fully half of the men subject to conscription have
run away over the river to the Yankees and a great many that are
here are not to be trusted. Our battalion sends out a patrol squad
nearly every night whose duty it is to bring deserters conscripts an[d]
suspicious characters in – it is an unpleasant duty, and they frequentl[y]
get powerful scoldings and abuse from the women for rousing them [up?]
I have never had to go patrolling yet and I hope I won't have it
to do for I don't love to be abused by a crying woman who is trying to
screen her husband or son from the penalties of the law
I have been on one scouting expedition in the day time and caught two
deserters, and saw more barefooted, tobacco chewing women than a few
Nearly all the women go barefooted and chew tobacco and there are
lots of them – My health is about as good as it ever was and I
think if I continue to get vegetables and other goodies I shall get fat soon
I see that the furloughs of the Vicksburg prisoners have been curtailed
and consequently Nick cannot stay at home as long as we all thought
I am sorry for it for I did hope that I could see him before he went
back. I have never learned what articles were lost in Mr[s?] -
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Clial's[?] trunk. I did not see Mrs Worthy at all during her visit
here. I regretted it very much. I expected that she would come to our
camp and I suppose she would if she had staid as long as she intended
Old man McMurry came in day before yesterday and brought me
word that you were all well with that exception I have not heard
from you all since Unkle Lockhart left.
I think you had better begin to make arrangements toward engaging
meat for next year. a little later and a great many will be trying
to do the same thing and consequently it will be much more difficult
Have you done any thing toward buying land?
Unkle Lockharts visits have been the means of a great deal of good
Much more than I thought The morals of my company have improved
greatly – I never see any gambling among our boys now, and
there are only two or three that swear – before his visits
both the above evils were common. I wish he could visit
us more frequently. I hear it rumored this morning that we
may move in a day or two to Grays Station. I do not know where
Grays Station is, nor how much confidence to put in the report I have
only one objection to the place and that is the difficulty of -
getting the mails regularly, and I think if we were to stay here
long our mail arrangements would be improved
Do not fail to write frequently and tell me how Ma and Sister
are doing every time God bless you all and our little children
Yours Truly G.W. Cherry
Jimmy Lockhart and Patillo & William Calvert are well
and the boys generally are in good spirits
