Camp of the 140th Regt. N. Y. V.
Near Petersburg, Va.
November 14, 1864
Sister Alice,
I now sit to acknowledge the receipt of your ever acceptable note of the 1st. Glad to learn by its contents you were well & in fine spirits, hoping this may find you enjoying the same great blessing. As for myself, I am yet in the land of the living & enjoying myself as heretofore with the exception of one thing—viz; I have got a very severe cold & can hardly utter a word. I am a great deal better this morning than I have been for some time past.
The weather here is very cold—especially night. Frost nearly every morning on the ground. Yesterday afternoon I saw the first snow since last winter. There was not a great quantity, to be sure—not enough to mention about. I have been on picket for a number of days past & yesterday morning came off guard. I am now free from duty for some time unless it is fatigue. While on picket the 9th, I had in the afternoon about half an hour’s conversation with seven of the enemy’s pickets. One of them was a scout. They took a drink with me around, but it happened to be nothing stronger than good pure water. They seem very friendly & converse freely on different subjects. The time part away very fast. They are great on the trade. Given in exchange for coffee, fish, paper, knives [news]papers, & tobacco. One of them enquired where I lived [illegible] which he formerly resided in the South. But his father had or now did reside in Rochester , N. Y. Most of them seemed to have been in York State some time past, probably before the breaking out of the Rebellion. One of them said he was fighting for the pure love of his country, so one of the boys told me.
I inquired of the scout if he knew anything about Fitzhugh Lee (Old Lee’s Brother). He said he was around the Lee. I mentioned to him about was in the O. C. P. [Old Capitol Prison] when I was there & with whom I became very well acquainted with. Their only hopes were in the election of McClellan.
Most of the boys in our regiment are at work putting up winter quarters. Myself and Ansel with two other boys have got up a very good & comfortable house & large fire place in the north end. I heard that Gideon Allen was a coming down some time this winter. If he does, I should like to have father come along with him. It would be one of the greatest sights he ever beheld & then in front of Petersburg in [paper creased and illegible] under ground roads which one at the North could hardly believe had been accomplished by human beings. Our company is putting up a cook house today & I must close for the present. So adieu.
Send some postage stamps. I remain your loving brother, — C. C. Miller
Spared & Shared 21 