The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 18??-19??, 1910-12-06

III
OFFICER would hire him.
One OF our men deserted to the
iankees a night or two ago. l.ere
IS no o~iticulty in gee~.g 90 he Yanks
II one is 50 disposed. Any dark night
tand they are all dark up here) a
eloss1ng can be effected at any of the
Ioros on the Rapidau, Germana,
Motions, Summerville. or kaccoon
ioros. These fords are all within four
miles OF our camp. / hope to be able
10 collect the remaining SIS before
a great while. Ct haven't any money
myself, or don't know when 1 will
have any, as I am somewhat in debt,
or would pay the monev myself.
Il am very much Obliged to you for
the smoking tobacco, n hope he will
ma an opportunity Of sending it, as
we are ent rely out. 1 tore my cloth
shirt the other day in such a way that
l couldn't wear it as a shirt. SO /
nave manufactured a very respectable
vest from the pieces. Possibly Or.
Warren's messenger may bring the
package you wish to send. Please send
with the tobacco and vest, a sl1ein
or two OF silk.
Have the packages I have sent at
different tines arrived? The packages
sent by Mr.. Baugh containing some
old leather, etc, was Of no great value.
but would like to know if it arrived.
-'O NoSS PoNno6SS SCul tCA udSS dSO Dy
express, was valuable, containing a
new hat, new coat. leather for shoes,
blacking. etc. Ask mother will she
please alter the black Jacket should It
arrive; it is too high In the neck, too
long in the sleeves, and too large gem
orally. Put some Of those bright bnt-
tons like those formerly on Jim's
military Jacket. I believe there are
five or six at home. Let the Jacket
be made to fit Jim, and it will look
very well on me. Also, please ask
mother if she can't trade my govern
ment gray jacket (the one I drew
lei / was at home) for a piece Of
ounty made cloth to max a pair
of pants. I should some
county-man would make me a piece
cloth for the Jacket, ! will need pair
pants before a great while. If
county won't give cloth for a new
acket r. this little hoy. maybe Can't.
Doub, a. 0. M. would exchange. The
government price is $12 for jackets
overcoat Just now. My gloves VIII
last some weeks yet. I am much
Obliged for striped socks, but don't
reed them now. I am glad to hear
John Poylan succeeded. :"
Speaking Of the above letter Capt.
West had this to say:
Near the upper part Of the Rapi-
udH the StTeam IS swift, and On the
banks we'd a beautiful young grl
named Ann; and she was fast. The
stream was originally named after her
-Rap1d-Ann-it is now spelled Rapi-
dan. During the winter described
n that letter Our boys made skates of
broken sabers and skated for a mile
on the Rapidann, frozen a foot thick.
Ihey made ppes out of mountain ivy,
rhododendron and the mouth piece Of
COW horn; some were very nicely
made, the only tool a pocket knife"
In another letter, written on the
back Of a leaf torn out of a book. with
a map Of a military camp plans shown,
Captain West says:
This drawing is from a book, but
it is exactly the plan of our encanlp-
ment. BY taking a map of Virginia.
you can easily see our position. In
case the enemy make a landing or
attempt to land in the n~eighborhood,
we VII be supported by Prior regf-
ment and Pender's regiment. We are
five miles from James river. Some of
u men rode to the river yesterday.
and could see the enemy encamped
at Newport News. Bill Pell has 7usr
come in with a lot Of melons I'll
stop and eat about two and finish this
nicely written letter afterwards. I
tent with Ross Newsom Pell and Sid
ney Dunn"
On another scrap of paper, this time
pink, Captain West wrote home as
follows:
Three little girls rode nv our
camp three or four times. Finally T
Jumped into the cart and rode away.
Kissed them all and jumped ont. How
was l to know that they were all
crown ladies. and Of the r. p. W
You see It is a difficult matter f.,
tell a gal from 2 woman In a go-carf
Pe1l sends love to his Lady
all hands"
y ......... Cheap
GEa-1-E-UT