November, 1863

                                      
Nov 1. Another Sabbath & the 1st day of 
Nov. spent in moving camps and erecting
tents for the winter. Never worked harder 
before today on the Sabbath in fixing
my tent.

Nov 2. Finished fixing our tent and am 
now very comfortably situated. Signed
our pay rolls. Drew very good overcoats 
from the Qr. Masters dept. 

Nov 3. Wrote a letter this morning. Drew 
two months wages from our Qr. Master
this evening. Sending off pay received 
for two months service. Recd a letter
from home this afternoon.

Nov 4. Went over to the division commissary 
in the fore noon and got some peas from a 
friend. Bought some apples from the sutler 
of the 55th Va. Reg. department.

Nov 5. On camp guard at the guard house. 
Every gun in camp ____ ______ put over
______. Keep from being troubled. Wrote 
a letter to my sister.

Nov 6. Relieved from guard this morning. 
Stacked our arms again and guard put on 
them. Wrote several letters. No news in 
camp except that the yankees are
giving trouble at Fredricksburg.

Nov 7. Received orders about 10 OClock 
A.M. to cook one days rations to go on
picket. Sent on picket at 2 OC P.M. 
at Wilfords ford on the Hazel river and
relieved for the 4_ Va. regiment.

Nov 8. Taken off picket at 2 OClock 
A.M. & went to our camp & found all the
troops gone ____ and overtook them 
forming up in line of battle 3 miles north
of Culpepper C.H. Had a little fight with 
the enemy. Our brigade not engaged.

Nov 9. Fell back from Culpepper C. H. 
last night, ___ Roberson ___.  & cook one
days rations ___ all night. ____very cold 
& disagreeable. Continued our march to 
Rapahannock, recrossed to occupy our old 
camps. Snowed a little in afternoon.

Nov 10. Very cool and windy to day. Cut 
some wood to burn. Made a brush arbor
to keep off wind from our fire. Can see 
a shower of snow on the Blue Ridge
mountains.

Nov 11. Moved our camps to within one 
mile of Orange C. H. and are now encamped
in a very ____ place indeed. Very cloudy 
in the afternoon and looks very much
like snow.

Nov 12. Very pretty weather for this time 
of year. I fear it will bring on a fight. 
Had beef  _____ for dinner.

Nov 13. Orders this morning to cook two 
days rations & be ready to move. Cooked
two days rations and staid in camp all 
day without moving. Recd a letter from
home.

Nov 14. Have not moved yet. Orders still 
to have two days rations cooked. Hear
some cannonading at a distance. Wrote 
two letters. Had a very hard shower of
rain late in the afternoon.

Nov 15. Had another hard rain again this 
morning and then cleared off very pretty. 
Had service at 10 OC. A.M. Orders in P.M. 
to get ready to move out on moments 
warning and then was countermanded.

Nov 16. This is my birthday which makes me 
twenty one years old. Where will I be one 
year from this time. Possible in eternity. 
Paid off ____ pay rolls to-day.

Nov 17. No news of any importance in camps 
to day. Drew two months wages from the Qr. 
Masters this afternoon. Wrote a letter to 
my sister, Lancaster county Virginia.

Nov 18. Orders to build ____ to our tents 
and fireplaces for them. _____ Aldie
acquaintence in regard  to the movement of 
the enemy again. Dont feel very well this 
afternoon.

Nov 19. On camp guard to-day. Most 
beautiful weather but rather warm for the
season. Feel very unwell all day to-day.

Nov 20. Quite unwell to-day. Cleaned our 
camp and rubbed our guns. Ready for
inspection tomorrow.

Nov 21. Rained all day & inspection did 
not come off. Very disagreeable all day
long. A part of our reg. gone on pickett 
this afternoon and they have had very
bad time indeed.

Nov 22. Clear and cool this Sabbath 
morning but the ground is quite___ & damp.
Wrote a letter to my mother. Feel quiet 
unwell this afternoon.

Nov 23. Had frost this morning. To be ready 
for brigade inspection at 1 OClocl
P.M. Had inspection of arms. On pickett 
and _______ & I was left ____ on camp guard.

Nov 24. Rained some this evening. Had some 
sweet & irish potatoes issued to us from 
the commissary dept. The right wing of our 
reg., the 47th Va. relieved from picket 
late this afternoon.

Nov 25. Detailed to go on fatigue duty 
& ______ helped  _____fortify ____ lines
at the Rapidann river. Returned to camp 
in P.M. Coming camp duty div. comm. ____.

Nov 26. Had inspection of arms and our 
brigade on train guard. [next entire
sentence illegible].

Nov 27. Had marching orders last night 
and we left our camp before daylight &
marched down the plank road toward 
Fredricksburg & met with the enemy near
Drainsville school & had a little skirmish.

Nov 28. Marched to & fro and up & down the 
lines & threw up two lines of breastworks 
& it was raining nearly all day long. One 
day ____very disagreeable indeed.

Nov 29. Another Sabbath day spent in 
throwing up breast works and rebuilding
them. Very cold and disagreeable indeed. 
No fighting along the lines to-day.

Nov 30. Our brigade on the outside line 
and I am on skirmish to-day, Despite
heavy cannonading and _____, skirmishing 
went on about 2 hours in the forenoon.