Camp Near Richmond Virginia
February 26, 1863

Mrs. Martha M. McKnight

Dear wife,
I again seat myself to write you a few lines to let you know that I am well at the present time hoping these lines may find you and all the connection enjoying the same great blessing, I have no good news to write to you. We have been on one of the hardest marches that ever an army underwent. We have been marching for five days we left our winter quarters one morning about daylight and the snow was falling as fast as I ever saw it in my life and it continued all day but we kept trudging along and that night it sleeted about three hours, we marched that day about 16 miles and when we halted to camp there was a great many of the men, those that was thinly clad, that was so cold that they could not chop wood to make a fire. Benny Gilberts hands was swelled as if they had been stung by a bee or hornet but we got some fence rails and chopped them up and soon had a good fire and almost every man in the regt. scorched his  clothes. I scorched my pants but we soon got warm. That evening we came to a creek and had to cross  on an old milldam some  of the men waded it and one man fell in, (Eli H. Huton) gun knapsack and all went in together. The next day we started about  sun rise and the snow was a foot deep but our regt. was in the rear of our brigade and those that went before packed the snow down so we could get along very well but it commenced raining about two o'clock and rained all that night and about day it began to sleet again and it lasted till about 2 o'clock and  about 3 we came to the river Rapidan and it took about 1 ½ hours to cross. There happened to be an old fence about ½ mile long on the other side and the officers ordered the men not to burn a rail but we paid no attention to that but we just set fire to it in spite of all orders. Colonel Bulger rode up and ordered us to put it out but we told him we was very wet and almost frozen and in stead of putting out the fire we kindled it up so he rode off again and said no more, so we all crossed the river and went on about 2 miles and camped for the night in a cluster of short leaf pines and soon had good fires and dried our clothes and blankets but no sleep. So the next morning, the third day, we started again and the rain had melted the snow and it was worse than ever. The mud and water was in places about knee deep but we kept splashing along all day and marched 18 miles and had a clear night and a light freeze next morning the fourth day (we started)  about light and the ground begin to thaw and it was as slick as soap. You ought to have seen us how we would fall in the mud, for there is no gravel in that country  to keep it from being muddy. Fifth day, we started and had to go through a low flat gladey country all day but we had a fair sunshiny day and we got along the best we could though we would have to wade the mud and water for a mile sometimes knee deep. They marched us very hard that day we came 22 miles and about 4 o'clock, just before we halted to camp one poor fellow in our regiment gave out and dropped down and died in a few minutes. His name was Teat. The Doctor thinks he died of an apoplectic fit. There was one man died the same way in the 44th Ala. the same day. It is a wonder it did not kill every one of us. That night we camped about four miles from Richmond and crossed the James River on the Manchester bridge and went down the river 3 miles below the city and camped and it snowed on us all night but next day we sent to town to the depot and got our tents and we are a doing very well now, and our commissary drawed two barrels of whiskey and gave us two gills to the man an it warmed us up and some of the boys got very tight so that night we had all sorts of activity. Some singing some playing the fife and drum and some fiddling and dancing and a few of us of the more study folks class was talking over our trip. We do not know where we will go from here but it is said that we will go to Charleston, South Carolina. There is a great talk about peace being made in a few days here in the camps but I am afraid it is all a farce. We get plenty to eat now since we came back from the Rappahannock. We have flour, bacon, crackers, and sugar plenty. The army has not all left Fredricksburg only our division, 4 brigades, our brigadier _____________  field of the 48th Ala. our division is commanded by Gen. Hood. We have elected E.B. Coggins second Lieut.  and Frank Bentley 3rd. Eb got every vote in the company but one Sam Leveret run against him the next day he run against Frank and Jordon Peters run also. Leveret got 3, Peters 2, and Frank 13. Greer Sorrells has got the smallpox me and Frank slept with him the night he took them I expect we will have them too. John Jackson  was sent to the hospital this morning. He has a severe attack of cold he is so hoarse that he can't talk only in a whisper. I drawed 1 pair of drawers  and a pair of socks and 1 pair of shoes the shoes cost me 12 dollars. I was afraid you would not send them to me in time I drawed them. You will please send them on any  how for I will soon need more for the things I got are not much account. Myself and Frank wants you and Martha when you send them to send some butter and sage and red pepper dried and ground, for there is no chance to get no such things here. The boys are all well only those I have already mentioned. Henry Cox and Thomas McLain was here the other day. They are gone on to their regiment. Colonel Jackson is gone home on furlough. Capt. Burton is in the hospital at Richmond. We left Lieut. Berry sick at Hamilton's Crossings.

Feb. 27

All well today. I have not had a letter from you in some time. The last one I got was dated the first of Feb. I would like to hear from you again. I have never got but two from Dr. John yet. Tell him I want him to write a little oftener. The last letter I got from you, you said you wanted me to write you all the news and to write just like I was a talking to you. I have endeavored to gratify your request and if I have failed I hope you will excuse  me. I have wrote several letters to Mr. Alsobrook and I have never heard whether he has ever got any of them or not. We are making out pay rolls today. The orders is to be mustered tomorrow at two o'clock for inspection if ______  pay. I have written a long letter this time I am afraid you will get tired of reading it. They all write so much about the baby it must be a very beautiful little brat. I sent it a name in my last letter but for fear it did not get there I will send it again but  I think you might have given it a name yourself, but as you did not I have named it Eldora. Tell Louisa and Susan Fuller howdy for me and give my respects to all and especially to your ma and pa. I will close for the present as I have to help Lieut. Coggins to make out our payrolls. Write to me soon and tell me all the news. tell Betty & Phoebe to write again for I like to read a letter from any of you.

I received a letter from Sister Minerva dated the 28th of Dec. All was well in Texas. She says Hiram and Francis McKnight are at Little Rock Ark. and Dr. Mc. is at Tyler, Texas. He is one of the guards at the magazine. She says they have aplenty of corn and meat and milk and butter more than they can use. Dick sowed wheat but it did not come up but he has a fine crop of rye. I will close so farewell.

I remain your affectionate husband as ever until death
CPC McKnight

To Martha M. McKnight