Camp 6^th Ala Regt 
Nov 16^th 1863

My Dear Sister Matilda, I have a few leisure moments & although I ought to devote them to Sally my own loved Sally, As I promised to write to you I will steal this opportunity & write to you But, you must not expect a very long letter or a very interesting one because I have nothing at all but the dull monotony of camp to communicate. But I will try to manufacture something in order to encourage you to write to me. My health is very good. Our troops are generally in good health & fine spirits. The winter has set in good earnest though at present it’s warm & cloudy & looks like we will have rain in great abundance before long. Many of our soldiers are needing Blankets & every other kind of clothing especially shoes & pants. Some are well clad & provided for the coming winters snow & cold blast of wind & rain so common in this country during the months of Dec., Jany, Feb, & Mar. We are also tight run some times for rations. Some 10 days ago many of us went from 24 to 36 hours without anything to eat at all. Tis then we hear grumbling. But as a general thing our troops are very cheerful & contented & you  would be astonished to see how readily & willingly they execute all necessary orders or how submissive they are to the will of their Comd Officers. They wade through mud & water & frequently march all day & singing & seem to be as jolly as if they were in a Ball room. But Sister although this is the case many of us are literally wearing away in the Army. I know it to be the case with me. I cannot walk with that elastic step I did before the war broke out. I frequently stumble & fall down now in walking over uneven places in the road or through the woods & over bushes. I never remember to have fallen to the ground in my life till I entered the service. I have heard many complain of the same thing. All express their feelings to be like those that very old men have described & of which you have heard Father for instance speak. To use a common expression many feel war worn & weather beaten. But we are all as strong & as healthy as we ever were. We only feel clumsy & stiffened by exposure. You heard our late surprise by the Yankees. We skedaddled before them as fast as they did before us a month ago. We are now at Morton’s Ford on the Rappahannock River. The Enemy is on the opposite side of the river. We are strongly fortified. I do not think that we will have a general engagement at this place. We had a skirmish 2 days ago. 4 or 5 of our Regt were wounded from our Company. We are entirely out of doors. Some have very small tents & some stretch a Blanket to shelter them from the weather. I have a Blanket on some rails under which I & Mr. Talley & Benny Truman sleep. I have been relieved of my command of another Company & am now with the Rifles again. I had command of Co. A 4 months. I believe I gave gen’l satisfaction both to the Company & my Regimental officers I was not on the skirmish spoken of above, I was put in Command of a Company sent below the Morton’s Ford to guard  another ford as it was thought the enemy would send a scouting party across at this place. But they never came nearer than a quarter of a mile of me consequently I had no engagement with the enemy at the place I was commanding. I believe I have the confidence of all my superior officers. Our Major told me a few days ago that if a corps of sharpshooters were formed

in our Regt. I should command it. I would then have an opportunity of getting all that I merit. For instance should I merit promotion I would get it. As it is I am as high as I can go in my Company. But you do not understand these things & I do not care to write about it so I will take some other subject. What do you & the other people at home think of our Chances of success now. I am inclined to think that most of our people are becoming despondent. And there is one thing that goes to prove this fact. Letters written to soldiers in the Army prove this. If these war worn weather beaten half fed & half clad soldiers who goes through all the dangers & hardships of this war without murmuring is still willing to go through the same & never give up why should those at home living upon the fat of the land disparagingly utter a word of complaint. Tis true that we have had some desertion in our Army. As I said above, intercepted letters from friends at home have proven that they were advised to go home & leave the Army. If we are not successful in gaining our independence the fault will be with the people who are out of the Army & not the Soldiers. All are wanting for the war to close but they do not think they are prolonging it to an indefinite length when they discourage the soldiers to do his duty in the Army & on the field I love a good soldier with even a brother’s love. He is my friend. He is the friend of my Father, my Mother, my Brother, my Sister, my Wife, my Children. To save them from ruin & degradation. He lays aside every pleasure, home & all its endearing influences are forsaken for the sake of the homes of our children & wife & does it not look hard that they should suffer such heavy penalties for deserting when those at home

who become despondent from cowardice & personal interest write desponding letters persuading them that our cause is unjust & that to desert the army is God’s service. But enough of this A great day of retribution will come some time & some one will have to answer for the sins of others sin this respect. Religion is not the all absorbing thing now as it was some time since But this is probably owing to our having to move about so much. Perhaps when we get still again if we ever do all will be right. I feel determined by the grace & goodness of God to try to live the life of a Christian but I have many trials & temptations known to know one but myself. Pray for me dear sister that I may be faithful to the end. Mr. Tally received a letter from Sister this mourning. We look for Wm. Claughton and Father every day now. Your friends all send their regards. Give my Love to all. Kiss Sallie and the little ones for me. Write soon. Your letters are very welcome visitors. Tell sister Lavinia I would like to get a letter her. Could write something more but must close as I am getting a cold & must make a fire.

Your Brother T.S. Taylor
1^st Lt. Compy G 6^thAla. Regt.
To Miss Matilda Taylor

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