December 18th, 1862

Dec. 18th, 1862

Dear Wife,

I wrote the first part of this 3 days ago, we were then near Dumfries and I expected to mail it there, but when in five miles of there we were ordered back to Fairfax Station where we are resting today.

We have marched eight days over the worst roads you ever saw but I have stood the march well. We are well but Cook and Beckwith. Cook has a bad cold and sore throat, Beckwith is lame. 22 of our Co. were left at Harpers Ferry.

You must depend upon the papers for news from us for we have no chance to write or send and we don’t know where we are going or when we shall stop. We have not been in any battle and I don’t think we shall be very soon. We don’t get any news from Burnside, I fear he has been whipped.¹ You know better about that than I do.

C.B.