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Regiment: 2nd Wisconsin Infantry
Battles Mentioned:
Historical Figures:
Outposts of Army of
Potomac. Dec 12th 1.61
Dear Sister
I now seat myself
in the woods (on Picket guard)
for the purpose of writing you
a few lines to let you know
that it is well with me here
and I hope this will find you
all enjoying good health
I am going to try and tell you
how Picket duty is done, in the
first place we had to march about
ten miles to get to eh lines
between the Union & Rebbel
pickets and then we had to go
about two miles to the left
to connect our line with
those of Blenkers Brigade.
our lines now run from Harpers
Ferry to the bend in the river
about ten miles below Alexandria
a distance of about fifty miles.
the posts is about 100 yards
apart, and each post has from
three to six men. the men
are not alowed to leave their
post, or to sleep, during the
twenty four hours they are on
duty. it is about a mile to the
reserve which is allways kept
there, and in case of an attact by
the Rebbels skirmishers, we
at the posts are to fire and
retreat untill we reach the
reserve and so it is kept up
untill the line of pickets are
all driven in under cover of
our big guns. which are allways
in readyness in case of such
an event, every thing is quiet
along the lines as far as heard
from this morning
we are visited every two hours
by a party on patroll duty
to see iff every thing is well.
and we are visited by the
Col. two or three times in
the twenty four hours we
are on duty. there is two
men detailed to make
coffee and carry it round
to the men on post. and
we have cold meat and bread
in our haversacks, so we dont
live so bad after all. and
there we set and watch all
night long and when mor
=ning comes we make a big
fire and set down by it and
tell stories all day long
and sometimes we get leaf to
go out into Dixie a short
distance to see the country
Dec 16th
Camp Tillinghast
I commenced this about a
week ago and kept putting it
off untill I received yours of the
13th and now I am going to
finish it although there is no
news. I still continue to have my
share of good health for which
I am very thankfull and I am
allways glad to hear that you and
all the rest of the folks are enj
=oying a liberal share of the same.
for give me health before riches.
I have received a letter from All
and one from Nan since I wrote
you last..All came very near
getting a seargents bearth
in the Cavalry but his luck
like all the rest of the family,
happens to be bad luck, we had a
brigade drill this afternoon. it is
a very tiresome drill, but it is all
well enough in time of war I suppose
I have not much more room and so
must draw to a close but not untill
I wish you all a Merry Christmas
and a happy New Year, from George
