February 9, 1865
Title
February 9, 1865
Subject
From George Murray to his parents, dated 09FEB1865. Troop movements, in the trenches all night. Guns now command the Southside railroad. Received magazines and stamps from them. Has not asked for a furlough as other men have been away from home longer than he has. In ink on lined folder stationary, seal at top. Stained and badly faded. Torn at the bottom.
UNIT ASSOCIATION: 114th PA Infantry
-Information provided by the courtesy of the National Park Service
UNIT ASSOCIATION: 114th PA Infantry
-Information provided by the courtesy of the National Park Service
Description
Headquarters Army of Potomac Feb 9th /65
Dear Father & Mother.
I received your letter of the 5th inst this evening and was glad to hear from you. Your letter found me in good health. It has been very cold for the last few days. We had a snow squall the other day. Last Sunday the army commenced their move on the left. On Monday we were hurried out to the breastworks in front of Headquarters when we got out there were no troops in them it is so every move that the army makes we have to fill up a gap so that you see that we want more troops to hold the line. We laid out there all night and when we awoke in the morning our blankets were covered with ice and snow and the next day we came back to camp. I hear from reliable authority that our guns command the Southside R. Road but you will see by the papers what was accomplished as there is so much chin about that you can hardly believe what you hear. The women that lives in the house near our camp says that this is the severest winter that they have had for several years. It has been very cold weather down here almost as cold as the weather in the North but the men all seem to stand it very well as I have not heard of any cases of men being frozen. In my last letter I told you that I sold my invalid jacket. I sold it to a darkey in the wagon train for two Dollars I suppose that I might have got more for it but I got tired of being bothered with it. I received a magazine about a couple of weeks ago. I received the paper and postage stamps that you sent me with the last letter. Mother in her last letter to me asked me if I could not get a furlough but it would not be fair as there are other men in the regiment who have not been at home since they enlisted and the furloughs are for them they are commencing to growl already as several of the men that have been at home are getting furloughs and thus pushing them out of theirs. But I have told you all of the news. Give a kiss to Chappy and keep one or two for yourselves. Write soon.
Your Son.
George Murray.
-Transcript provided by the courtesy of the National Park Service
Dear Father & Mother.
I received your letter of the 5th inst this evening and was glad to hear from you. Your letter found me in good health. It has been very cold for the last few days. We had a snow squall the other day. Last Sunday the army commenced their move on the left. On Monday we were hurried out to the breastworks in front of Headquarters when we got out there were no troops in them it is so every move that the army makes we have to fill up a gap so that you see that we want more troops to hold the line. We laid out there all night and when we awoke in the morning our blankets were covered with ice and snow and the next day we came back to camp. I hear from reliable authority that our guns command the Southside R. Road but you will see by the papers what was accomplished as there is so much chin about that you can hardly believe what you hear. The women that lives in the house near our camp says that this is the severest winter that they have had for several years. It has been very cold weather down here almost as cold as the weather in the North but the men all seem to stand it very well as I have not heard of any cases of men being frozen. In my last letter I told you that I sold my invalid jacket. I sold it to a darkey in the wagon train for two Dollars I suppose that I might have got more for it but I got tired of being bothered with it. I received a magazine about a couple of weeks ago. I received the paper and postage stamps that you sent me with the last letter. Mother in her last letter to me asked me if I could not get a furlough but it would not be fair as there are other men in the regiment who have not been at home since they enlisted and the furloughs are for them they are commencing to growl already as several of the men that have been at home are getting furloughs and thus pushing them out of theirs. But I have told you all of the news. Give a kiss to Chappy and keep one or two for yourselves. Write soon.
Your Son.
George Murray.
-Transcript provided by the courtesy of the National Park Service
Creator
George Murray
Date
February 9, 1865
Files
Collection
Citation
George Murray , “February 9, 1865,” Slaughter-Murray Papers, accessed April 17, 2026, https://slaughtermurray.umwhistory.org/items/show/54.