Since the actions of earlier this month, the situation has quietedly settled in. We look at them. They look at us. On occasion, they throw a shell at us but little destruction is caused. It could be that they are not even shooting at us but someone else and the Yankees' aim is bad. Otherwise, I cannot explain why other areas of our lines should be the recipients of so much artillery fire and us so little.
This is a most unhealthy place. Many of us are sick with the ague or the flux. While some have answered sick call, others have tried as best they can to carry on. They are afraid that they will be confined to the hospital and will miss the next big shoot like they missed the last one at Seven Pines. I, myself, am feeling the effects of something but if I deny it, it will go away in time to start shooting Yankees.
Our squad has finally pulled some picket duty. We are surrounded by mosquitos who seem to be in a state of permanant and unchanging hunger. We have names for them, none of which I will write here. If we look very hard on a clear morning, we can see the pickets of the enemy some distance away. Duncan wated to shoot one of them but Castles talked him out of it. Castles said that if we make them mad, they have enough artillery to blast us to Kingdom Come. Duncan lowered his musket but we could tell he was quite disappointed. The rest of us were quite relieved.
Since Seven Pines, that Lee has kept "his" army quiet. I say "his" only because he is only holding a place for our Johnston, waiting until he has recovered from his wounds and will return to command the army that is rightfully his. I will concede that Lee was quite aggressive on the second day of the battle, after Johnston's wounding but Lee was just following Johnston's battle plan and anyone can do that.
The Richmond government has supplied us wth little beyond ammunition and rations. Some few of us have been issued a bayonet scabbard or cartridge box here and there courtesy of Richmond but the most of us are self-supplied or have received packages from home. I have no home to receive anything from. This past week, both Flynn and Hancockreceived packages from home and an additional two bundles arrived, having been addressed to the Lancaster Hornets, our own Company I, in general. Lieutenant Williamson took charge of
Corporal Flynn shared some pickle relish with us. He is not a bad sort, I suppose. Someone sent him a wool sleeping cap made of yellow and red yarn. He gave it to Holton who put it on and pronounced it bully. Holton asked Flynn for the name and address of the lass who made the cap so that he might write and thank her. Flynn shot him a look that would split stone. I suspect the lass in question was related to Flynn, perhaps a daughter. Holton retreated and no more was said.
Duncan thought himself a rich fellow. He hollared when he opened his package and beheld the bounty within. First out was a new pair of shoes, complete with heel plates. He tried them on, found that they fit and gave his old shoes to Castles, whose shoes were held together with hope. Castles, in turn, gave his old shoes to the lieutenant who said he would cut them up and use the pieces to patch his own. Officers have to supply themselves with very litle support from the government and those officers who do not come from planter families are hard-pressed to procure what they need.
In short order, Duncan revealed three pairs of stockings, two pair of drawers, six handkerchiefs, one shirt and a cap. Although he was grateful for the new cloth items, he, and we for that matter, were sad that the package contained nothing to eat. Duncan said he would wear one of the drawers ankd keep the others for when the first became soiled. He did not mention what he would do with the pair he had on which caused me to think that perhaps we was not wearing any. In this army, I am not surprised at that circumstance. He gave Castles one pair of stockings to go with his "new" shoes.
Then it was the lieutenant's turn to divulge the contents of his two bundles. Both bundles came from the same source, a group of ladys from Lancaster County. There was a note , which the lieutenant read. Later, I asked him if I might borrow it for the purpose of copying it into my diary.The women do so much and get little recoginition for it. The note, penned in a most pretty hand, read:
"We Ladys of Lancaster do happily take this moment to write this small note to go with these humble packages, the contents of which are sent to you with the love and thanks of us who pray every day for your safe return to kith and kin, fireside and family. Those of us who are at home, safe in our security, far away from the battlefields, having never seen the enemy, knowing that he is much distanced from us as are you, have no concept, no clue, no inkling of what H---s you are voluntarily enduring so that we at home may be protected, living secure in the knowledge that sweet air of liberty that we breath is thanks to you".
I can write no more.
It was very honorable of Duncan to share his bounty. However, it is very sad that you do not have family to send you a package.
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