DIY History | Transcribe | Civil War Diaries and Letters | Andrew F. Davis papers, 1862

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18_1862-11-29-Page 02

We get the daily papers regular evry moring also mail matter evry forenoon but my letters have been very Scarce for the last few days as I have only received one within the last 10 days and that was from Mother, and dated Nov 24th.  She had just returned from her Visit to, Lees Himlicks & Vans and report all well.  I have been putting off writing a day or two in hopes of getting a letter from you, but I received orders a few minutes Since that I had to go on picket at noon and will not get back before tomorrow, therefore I will write a Short letter before I go. 
There is nothing but the dull rotine of camp life to write about, as we get no passes to go to the city or any where els therefore it is hard to think of any thing to write particularly as I have wrote 2 or 3 Since receiving any from you. 
The camp was enlivened yesterday a few minutes by quite a ludicrous Scene, which was laughable to some but not So to the hero of the Scene.  A Negro who was cooking for Dan. Roice Adjutant of the 40th Ind. become too familiar with his (Dans) pockets and Stole his money. They brought him before Col. Blake and he ordered him to be Stripped to his Shirt and drawers.  he then formed his Regt in two ranks about 20 feet apart, thus forming a lane.  He then gathered up 12 other nigs and provided each with a long beech gad, and then Started Mr Nig thief through the lane with the other nigs after him, and the faster he run the less he got whipped.  He had to run the track Six time and at the end of that time he was about tired out and quite nicely flogged, for if you want a nigger well whipped put another nigger at the job.  He was then Sent to the City to work on Fortifications

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We get the daily papers regular evry moring also mail matter evry forenoon but my letters have been very Scarce for the last few days as I have only received one within the last 10 days and that was from Mother, and dated Nov 24th. She had just returned from her Visit to, Lees Himlicks & Vans and report all well. I have been putting off writing a day or two in hopes of getting a letter from you, but I received orders a few minutes Since that I had to go on picket at noon and will not get back before tomorrow, therefore I will write a Short letter before I go. There is nothing but the dull rotine of camp life to write about, as we get no passes to go to the city or any where els therefore it is hard to think of any thing to write particularly as I have wrote 2 or 3 Since receiving any from you. The camp was enlivened yesterday a few minutes by quite a ludicrous Scene, which was laughable to some but not So to the hero of the Scene. A Negro who was cooking for Dan. Roice Adjutant of the 40th Ind. become too familiar with his (Dans) pockets and Stole his money. They brought him before Col. Blake and he ordered him to be Stripped to his Shirt and drawers. he then formed his Regt in two ranks about 20 feet apart, thus forming a lane. He then gathered up 12 other nigs and provided each with a long beech gad, and then Started Mr Nig thief through the lane with the other nigs after him, and the faster he run the less he got whipped. He had to run the track Six time and at the end of that time he was about tired out and quite nicely flogged, for if you want a nigger well whipped put another nigger at the job. He was then Sent to the City to work on Fortifications