Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood
Undated
December 1863

Barboursville, December 2

Editor Register:--It has now been a long time since we have given an account of ourselves. We want it to be understood, however, that we are still about and trying to obey our superior officers as best we can, though some of the boys at times, become a little self-willed, and the consequences is the next place they find themselves is in the Guard House, which by the way, they find is not very pleasant after all. This I am happy to say happens less frequently with our Regiment, I believe, than most any other in the field. For taking it from Alpha to Omega, I think that this Regiment will stand as bright for morals and upright conduct both among commissioned officers and privates as any other Regiment in the service: As for drunkenness, we have comparatively speaking, but few of that class, and they only get drunk when they can get the whiskey. The boys will, once in a while, overstep the bounds of propriety and will indulge a little too much in the use of profane language. One of the causes that gives rise to this perhaps, is that they unfortunately suffer themselves to forget that the broad eyes of Deity are constantly scanning their every thought and every word. This incautious state of mind, is perhaps the cause of nine-tenths of all our crimes.:We don't steal much; and, indeed, I believe that it has never been decided yet, whether the appropriating of such things as chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigs, sheep, and calves, to the benefit of the soldier, will properly come under the head of stealing, and especially if taken from rebels. I believe that the boys have decided that it is an impressment into the service, and generally put it down under the head of a military necessity. What your Courts of Justices may decide it to be, has never yet been taken into the account. The truth is, if we don't know much about courts of justic out [illegible] land of desolation, treason and [illegible]. The judges have all migrated as Parson Browning says, "h:ll-ward" and as for lawyers, we have succeeded [illegible] our own cases , and care but little whether we ever see one again until the war is over. And by that time, if it don't close up too soon, and we continue to improve as rapidly in the future as in the past, we will have learned all the tricks of the profession, and will be able to attend to our own business. Our business out here is scouting, of which we have done and are now doing a good share, and also aiding in collecting the revenue, a good amount of which has been collected since we have been here. The people think the military must be obeyed and consequently shell out, without much complaining. Rebels are coming into our lines almost every day and delivering themselves up. Their statement in regard to the affairs of the Confederacy all agree as representing that destitution, starvation and ruination are staring them in the face, and that a general despondency is taking hold of the minds of the people, and they are becoming anxious for peace. So mote it be.

W. W. H.

Timeline of West Virginia: Civil War and Statehood: Undated: December 1863