This Day in Georgia Civil War History
February 17, 1865
Soldier Wrote of Walking a Lot to Travel Back to his Unit
A Georgia soldier traveling back to Virginia after spending time at home in Georgia on furlough, wrote his wife of having to make much of the tip on foot.
“…This morning we took the cars and went down to Camack on the Augusta road, then turned up to Washington, and are footing it again. We got to Washington about 1/2 hour by sun, and got in here by hard work some time after dark. We will have 35 miles now to walk to Abbeyville, S.C., then take the cars to Alston, then foot it again to Winnborough; then take the cars to Va. The last gap is 19 miles. My feet is getting better now but I was awful tired last night sure. There is an Order of all Lee’s men to go through Augusta but we flanked orders and all. … I wear my cotton socks and would do badly without them. … Tell Henry his Pa could not do without his cup hardly and thinks of him every day and wants to see him bad. Cheer up Cout, and be lively. I will write again soon if I get the chance. May God bless you all. Pray for me. …” Source: Jeffrey C. Lowe and Sam Hodges (eds.), Letters to Amanda: The Civil War Letters of Marion Hill Fitzpatrick, Army of Northern Virginia (Macon: Mercer University Press, 1998), pp. 200-201.
