Will Hancock get new drawers?

Saturday, April 26, 1862  On picket duty

Something must be happening, given the advanced atate of agitation in camp. One might think that it would have something to do with the recent surrender of Fort Pulaski and I suppose that that is possible. It does not feel right.

We are given to understand, by rumor and not by any proofs, that the Yankee fleet has appeared near New Orleans with the objective of siezing that great Southern port city. Perhaps this was the next logical step after grabbing Savannah in the North's insidious objective of victory by strangulation. If the Cresent City should turn blue by this method, there would be no more major Southern ports left save Charleston. Charleston would then bear the combined guns of the enemy fleet. How long can she stand? How long can our Confederacy stand without her?

Although there has come no official word from our commanders on the subject, all indications are, given the visual evidence, that a major move is being prepared. If true, where will we go? There are several possibilities. We could retreat further into the interior, we could re-capture Fort Pulaski or just re-inforce Savannah to prevent additional transgressions by the Yankees.

Normally, I am not a betting fellow but Hancock and I have concluded a wager. He says that we are going to Virginia to help Joe Johnston defend Richmond from McClellan. I say that since we are closer to Beauregard, we will be sent to him in Mississippi. Perhaps he will fling us towards Nashville. I have bet a pair of drawers and Hancock has put up a shirt.

It is rumored that some of the Georgia regiments stationed here have had their new British Enfields taken from them and replaced with older models such as what I have, the 1842 Springfield. Those Enfields must go somewhere to someone for some reason. As I own my own musket and have become attached to it, I would not like to give it up but the idea of obtaining one of those new Enfields is appealing. The caliber may be smaller, .577 against .69 but I like the idea of having a rifle instead of a smoothbore. One can kill Yankees at a much greater distance.

Will Hancock get new drawers? Will I get a new shirt? The next few days may tell.