Howard Papers, #355

	Camp near Fredericksburg Christmas morning My dear Father I received your letter of the 22nd. [torn] today I was very glad indeed to h[torn] home once more as it was the first [torn] I had heard from home in nearly 4 mon[torn] I was very much releived to hear that all were well at home. I was sorry to hear that Tom was ill all of the time that he was at home. I suppose you will have heard of the great battle of Fredericksburg be- fore this letter reaches you. The Yankees sustained the most utter and terrible defeat, probably that they have experi- enced during the war. It was the most glorious victory we have ever gained, our loss is trifling in comparison with the en- emy, according to Gen. Lee's report of the battle our loss was 1800 killed wounded
	[page 2] and missing, while that of the enemy according to their own statement was 15,500, and many of their papers place it as high as 20,000. Not more than one half of our forces were engaged [torn]r brigade did'nt fire a gun. Gen Lee [torn]d that we had suffered so severely [torn] Gaines farm, Manassas No 2 and Sharps- [torn]rg, and that he had called upon us so [torn]ften in tight places, that we should be held in reserve. Our regt had 5 or 6 men wounded by shell, no one was killed. I think that we will go into winter quarters soon, as the yankees seem to be disgusted with their ill success of this winters campaign, & they are said to be going back to the Pot- omac, to go into winter quarters. The yankee scoundrels almost complete- ly destroyed Fredericksburg, they vented their malice & spleen in the most wanton manner, Breaking up and destroying whatever they could not remove. Nothing was too pure or sacred for their unbridled lust. The very churches were pillaged of
	[page 3] of whatever of value or ornament they con- tained. The retribution they received for their iniquitous proceedings was sudden and terrible. The town was literally choked with [torn] dead. There was 5,000 dead bodies of [torn]kee soldiers lying stiffening on that [torn]d field the day after the fight. And [torn]he fight had been general throughout the whole line, the yankee army would have been nearly annihilated, as it was their army was completely demoralized and recrossed the river more like a rabble rout than the grandest army the world ever saw as the yankees were so fond of term- ing it. The weather for the last few days has been admirable and to day it is as mild and beautiful as any Christmas I ever remember having seen in Texas. Tell Ma not to be the least uneasy about my personal comfort. I have plenty of good clothes and blankets and have been in excellent health ever since the
	[page 4] fall set in. There is'nt much preparation for Christ- mas in camp, the boys are in excellent spirits however, not much doing in the egg-nog line, but with butter, molasses, sugar, confederated c[torn] and apples, from the sutler's, and peas[torn] roast-beef and hot biscuit from our own [torn] we managed to make out a pretty good [torn] dinner. I wish I could send some apples, nice red rosy cheeked fellows to Nel- lie and Susie, bless their little hearts. I am going down to see Conway sometime during the C.X. who is camped about 8 miles below here near Port Royal. I got a letter from Aunt Ellen a few days ago, all were well. I send this letter by private conveyance and will send some papers with it. Good bye my dear father, God bless and preserve you all from every danger. Give my best love to all, and to Charlie and Tom whenever you write. your affectionate boy A Howard

From the Howard Papers, #355, in the Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill