CHRISTMAS SEASON ON CAMPAIGN-PART 13
After the Sharpsburg fight it took me a while before I wanted to really do anything. The fight had just gone out of me. Getting new pards helped a lot, since they were from the same Arkansas area as me. And we were allowed some rest while the Yankees and us licked our wounds.
But when the Yanks started moving again, we ended up moving to head them off and here we are back in the east part of Virginia trying to keep the Yanks from taking Richmond.
The marching to Culpepper took my mind off Sharpsburg and I began to feel like my old self again. Being with men that know what they are doing and will fight when told to means a lot. It makes you feel that they will protect you and that you feel an obligation to protect them. It is sort of like a handshake agreement. You will do your best and they will do their best. Even though cold and hungry I began to grin a lot, just thankful that I was a part of this bunch and still alive. I got a few wary looks when some of the men caught me grinning for no reason, but I didn’t let it bother me. I just kept on grinning when I wanted to.
Well so much for reminiscing. It is starting to get cold and we huddle closer to the fire. I have smoked down my pipe to where all the tobacco is just about gone.
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