Year: 1863

ers in the way of from this part of the army.
Weexpected to be in motion week ago. but for
tunatey were not required Gen. STUARTs cavalry
succeeded nobly in driving back the invader across
the upper Rappahannock, between Culpepper c. II.
and what is known Kellys Ford. We heard the
cannonading nearly all day, and that evening received
orders to be ready to move at any moment but were
not required to do So We still in winter quarters
and from the appearance of the weather at present.
are likely to remain in sta quo until some time in
April The enemy is still in 'front.' and will at
tempt another advance soon as the weather permits
him to move. Under the continued blessing and pro-
lection OF Divine Providence and the skill of the aolest
and best general-and generals-of modern times,
this army which has always triumphed, ard has the
prestige of many victories the very same foe
expects again to give the nsolent intruder another
chastsement severe and decided than any other
heretofore administered The army is in better fight


ing condition to-day than it has almost ever been and
the men lively and hearty and are ready if not
anxious for the fray. What madness and folly has
possessed the mind of the Yankee nation, is abun-
dainty shown in their intense hate of and desire to
subjugate the South, in all their efforts to do which
they have sgnally failed. Truly "whom the gods
wish to destroy they first make mad"


War is terrible scourge but it is sometimes alb
solutely necesssary-n the present instance wholly
unnecessary the part of cruel INVADERS but so
far as we are concerned religious and holy duty.
My impression is, that the whole strength of the vile
and corrupt dynasty at Washington will be mustered
against this year, and if we successful in dri-
wing back the of fanatcism and corruption roll
ling towards u.s. success and independence will
be fact accomplished in few months On
9th hon tbo
mitted to penetrate country any further there is
no telling how long the will last. How impor-
tant that every man who has soul in his body and
to strike for "God and his native land"
should be at his post Now or NEVER is the fearful
motto. Should we fail now, all may be lost-ie lost
once lost forever.


All furloughs extending beyond the lst of April are
disapproved, and heavy baggage, etc. is ordered
to the rear. The army of Northern Virginia will be
thoroughly moblized and ready for the opening cam
pagn, which will be very active and important one
in every particular.


think the religious tone of the army has somewhat
improved yet there IS great for additional i'm.
provement. The soldiers geek after tracts and other
religious reading with great eagerness and the aten-
dance on public worship is very good. revival of
religion has been in progress at Fredericksburg for
some weeks, and trust the good work will continue
to 60 until all brought under the saving inau-
ence of the Gospel. What would soldiers life be
without the blessed Gospel of the Grace of God p
emphaticaly "a world without sum-" have recently
passed over the battlefield at this place. and have
witnessed the terrible cruelty and carnage of war;
Dead bodies of the enemy, scarce half buried are
visible; hands and feet protruding through the thin
covering of earth frequently seen and tho most
shocking spectacle of "man's inhumanity to man. is
obvious in the wicked treatment which the enemy's
deao have received at the hands of their own friends M
What sad commentary is this the present unnat-
ural and nhuman war, waged by merciless and cruel
foe against those who have never wronged them :?
And this the treatment which the tyrant bestows
even upon his own miserable subjects Not even
buried with show of decency but left like dogs to rot
upon the ground where they have met an inglorious
end.


Near one of the beautiful cemeteries of the c;tv
stands an unfinished monument to the mother of
Washington 1t is built up to the height of nearly
twenty feet The shaft is lying near by Just as it
came from the quarry in its crude state lacking the
artizans skill to shape and perfect the spire 'Ts
strange that this monument has never been finished,
and that the mother the great Vrgnian and South
erner has been allowed to rest in comparative OBJ
scurity. I remember several years ago to have
read an interesting story connected with the unfinished
monument, and its present condition was attributed
to the caprice of coquette The story is long one,
and although distinctly remember its authoress and
leading outlines vet time and space forbds tho Of