The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-04-18

be out doors today. I have concludedg to write you q reply for the want ox something else to do. do not mean to say that if were not unweil would not answer 1t af all, but merely intend to convey the Idea that have
 written 90 many letters home the past
 two weeks that I apprehend am
 getting to be somewhat of bore.
 am sick with cold. and my old com
 plsint but am much better now. I
 feared the worst ssfew days ago. but.
 thanks to . good constituticn. am
 able to travel around again as usual in good weather. have come to the conclusion that I am a pretty bold fellow and brave fellow, or would never trust my carcass on such pair of legs as now unfortunately pos sess. am ieaner than have been in
 . long time, and If you have ever read Cervante's description of Don ouixote you have my photograph. My general health has been good nearly all the
 time. but somehow or somehow else. I don't fatten very rapidly. As soon as winter is over 1 suppose I will re- gain what I have lost in flesh, or hll six feet of Virginia ground. one. Don't think from this that am at all in serious condition. for am in as good
 health as ever was, only can't get
 fat. as could wish.
 The snow now lies to the depth or one foot on the ground. and such q time never saw in my life. About two hours ago the 5th. 12th. 6th ana 2sth Alabama Regiments came over and took position on a hill in front of our quarters--ail under the com mand of their field officers. and defed the srd to snow ball battle, which was readily accepted on our part
 Both sides deployed skirmishers as
 usual in regular battle, and after hard snow bait nght, the srd had to succurnb, hoist the white dag and submit to conditions. They have all
 banded together now and gone to try to frail out the brigade of General Col quitt I could only look out of my
 door and see the fun. but must con- fess that % far as my observation ex- tended. could net see anything very funny about the affair. The ground being hard-frozen. the snow will prob- ably lie on the surface for weeks. and as the soil here is red clay. 1t will be a long time before we will have any mill itary operations of importance. The Yanks the day before the snow fell had trap, as they thought, nicely fxed to give us an unmerciful whaling at this place.
 It scene from what the Northern pa- pers state (they thought at the time that the plan was so near its execution 1t would do no harm to let the ''cat
 out of the bag'o that the grand d. vision of Franklin was to cross the river ten miles above Fredericksburg for the purpose of gaining our rear sumner and Fighting Joe Hooker" as the Yankees love to call him. were to pontoon the Rappahanock in our immediate vicinity and attack us in front and on the hank. This nicely
 concectsd plan was spoiled by the weather, and if 1t had not been. Gen. eraI Lee, the sly old fox. would. as he was as well posted in regard to the movements of the army of Burnside as that redoubtabls individual was htm- self. We are so sorry that the weather prevented the expected fight as we would undoubtedly have given the .Yanks' the worst whaling it ever was the evil fortune of that rascaiiy | race to receive. We have the position on. them here, the General to lead. and the boys to execute any command they may give, and. moreover. a more con ffdent sat of mortals was never seen In any age or country. We are prob ably now doomed to inaction for a series of weeks, and. in my opinion, l the war will be prolonged that much longer. You again ask me If | am Tn need of clothing. wrote ma some time ago that was much in need oi
 a pair of pants and jacket, and that
 want has not yet been supplied. n she can make them, they can be sent by 1 Jule Rast when he returns. The pants she made we when was at home dio not last long. but I have to wear them Inow for want of something better.
 The three last letters had from you
 stated that Miss Sallie had just spent
 three weeks with you. Am I to un-
 derstand that she visited you three { times and spent as many weeks with 1 you on each occasion7 As she is tol- 1 erebiy good-looking and reputed to have e reasonable share of plunder, and as I will come out of the war about as rich as I entered 1t, would like to manage to get her to say yes
 when ask her to marry me.
 John Eisberry. . fellow soldier and messmate of mine, Is now on e visit
 home on furlough. He will go to see ' his uncle. who resides near Ash Creek ] Church. and. if possible, will visitt
 CoIiirene and Mir. East's. Any little