Providence Lake La, March 15th, 1863Sarah Ann,
I have just finished writing a few lines to Rebecca. It is my fourth letter to her since receiving any from her. I suppose she has been kept so busy waiting on Hugh that she had no time for anything else. If it is raining in your city like it is here, you cannot go to Jonesburg today. You will have to stay at home like me, and write letters to me. I have written very few letters lately. I got out of the way of writing and we have been drilling so much lately that there is no time for writing. We drill Co. each morning, and Battalion Reg drill two hours in the evening and sometimes Brigade drill (four Regs by Ransom). I do not mind drilling Co. or Battation drill, but I abhor Brigade drill. It is so useless and takes so long to do one move. It is an unnecessary drill. The fact is we have drilled enough, excepting a little to keep us in practice. Col. Nevius offered five dollars to the Co. that would go through the manuel of arms and drill the best. We did not intend drilling for it, in fact, Doane does not try for such things, and we cannot drill under him near as much as McKee, but we had to go out and try it, and Doane did his very best and the men did splendid. We was surprised at ourselves, and everybody was surprised at us, for they did not expect us to drill under Doane. Col said he sees no difference between A and C. So he gave $5 to each. We did not care for the five dollars, but we are from Egypt, and is talked about and was while we was on drill. It is throwed up to us in a good many ways, and we wanted to show them we could drill as hard as Northern Miss. and we did it. If McKee had been here, we would a beat everything bad.
Enlistment details:
Doane, George
©2006 C.S. Parkinson