Abbeville press. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1860-1869, 1863-02-20
co. &C." 18TH RECT, S. c. vOLs., J

Dear Hilxon Our Company is station.,
here to-day, to do Pickett duty on the Trinne
Road, one mile in advance Of our Brigade.
aud Six miles North of the town of Sh.Ibr-
Vile, Bedford COUNTY We are not, however.
within seven or ten miles of the enemy, all,
OF course, our time is spent without excitement t
or annoyance from the Yankees Lnst Thurs
d"y, the day wrote you my last letter, I WAS
on guard. The wind blew cold and we hud n
light ia!i OF snow. At night the weather ,urn
ed exceedingly cold The ground and water
We're frozen hard by morning. Owing to the
cold the sentinels were relieved from DOS, eve
~ hour Of the day aud n ght. T,-duy, how
ever. is moi so cold, and the ecntinels stand on
post as usual. two hours | he way the guard
dnt, Is generally arranged, only one.,hird OF
The whole number nre on post ut once. For
Instance, "ne-ihird. or the first relief will be
put on post M nine o'clock, and remain ther.
until eleven; when the second relief will relieve
the Fl ret relief, and at une o'clock the third
Will relieve the sec"nd. aud go on until the
twenty y-s"ur hours have passed. when new
guard will take the place of the old guard. 1t
Is usual TO allow portion ofthe guard to slc.p
Il while during the night. but here no member
'.f 'h- e""'h is n!I,.w..d that rrivilD.. Nn
man can appreciate thick walls. blazing fires.
warm beds and water proof roofs until I,. hns
stood guard withou, shelter or fire to prol.c,
him from the rain and cold!
As Yet We have been unable 10 see aoy signs
OF general engagement 1t is thought here,
by so"e people. that should the eucmy nd
vance. stand" will he mude nt or near She.
byvlle. and if pressed hard our forces viii,
fall bsck" as lar us TuIlahoma, in Franklin
county, twenty '-igh, miles Southeast from
Shsihyville. The enemys forces are cs,im,
teal at from seventy to eighty thousand. But
= ot.ihg certainly can be known as to the .x-
net number. AT any rate no one here doubts
that Lhe forces of the enemy are sufficient TO
give us good fight or foot race, Us til. parties
may agree upon. ! believe, however, that II
is our !u'n TO be victorious. aud theirs TO
take the advance in a run. Madam rumor saws.
that Gen. Resrncrans is quite sick at present.
Recently squad Of Wheeler's cava ry w-rs
surprised not far from here. The ndyunce
guard being negligent of their duty allowed
detachtncnt Of the eueuy's forces to cuptur.
them without giving the alarm. The Yankees
theh wentto the camp Of our men without
any impedimrnt whatever and found the off.
Ger i" command paying IF his men. The
officer with nearly all Of the money, thirty
Men and number Of horses were captured.
The remainder Of our men who were there in
order t" gain victory, retrea,ed, CARRYING
with them their ComnIissary and Quartermus-
ter stores.
Tho Abbeville Press md the Due West Tel.
eseope OF the 3U'h uit.. were received here OH
lost Thursday evening
The health ofour men. I believe 10 good. We
get Plcnty t" eat now. We draw one pound
Of -four or corn meal. half pound Of bacon or
an equivalent in beef. with rat ons of peas. rice,
sugar. molasses, salt, de-. DC. l sm we'll.
Yours respectfully. II. w.