To Corp. Jim Marshall
44th Georgia Vol. Inf., Co. C.
Winter Quarters

Cousin Jim,

Oh, What a Glorious Day this is ! The newspapers are full of the news that our Congress has Finally agreed to lower the conscription age to 17 !

 

My days with the Home Guard are soon coming to an end. Captain  Bagby and about 30 of us were down to Dunkirk the other day to send scouts over to King & Queen County, but the Yankees had never crossed the Pamunkey so we disbanded.

 

The cold has not given up, and I took such a fall on the ice that I can scarcely walk, am very lame, but expect to get better each day. I spend much of day anticipating my  coming service to our Country. Charles Watkins came by  and has a saddle for sale, but I didn’t like it and he was asking $60.00 for it. Mrs Eliza Simpkins has told me she will make me a pair of pantaloons, and I plan to go up to Mr. Boulware’s soon to try to buy his horse. He said he will not sell, but I am determined to ride.

 

Wednesday I am going to Stephensville to get a letter of introduction to Lt. Col. Mosby from Mr. Halbach, I expect certainly to start up with him in a week or two.

 

Mother is making every preparation to get Brother and myself ready to leave. Fred has been home on leave from the 26th Va. a few days. He had my overcoat lined with oilcloth. I will just carry two shirts, two pairs of drawers and one suit of outer clothes and the overcoat.

 

I must soon get accustomed to addressing Fred as Lieutenant, and you as Corporal, and I must say I look so forward to it.

 

There are so many that I need to see and say goodbye to. I imagine that I will be spending dinner in a different dining room each night for the next few weeks !

 

Your Cousin, Benjamin Fleet ( soon to be Private Fleet )