Friday, January 2, 1863. A picture of Centreville

"I intended to have written yesterday so as to wish you a Happy New Years on that day. But business is increasing in the office and then the command of the Regiment on my hands during a week has closely occupied my time. There is nothing worthy of note occurred within a few days. Col. Veazey has improved and is now out with the regiment on picket. Major Rounds is also out." ~ Lt. Col. Charles Cummings, Sixteenth Regiment, Letter No. 14, January 2, 1863. VHS.

"Centerville, Va., Jan. 2d, 1863.
"Dear Sisters: When I wrote the other day, we were in a hubbub; said hubbub has now subsided, the rebels having, apparently, done the same. All the damage I have heard of doing, was an attempt to burn a railroad bridge, the cutting of the telegraph wire, and the supposed extraction of messages at Burke's station.

"We relieved the 15th at this place, yesterday. The first time we came out on picket, we went beyond here, but the line has been drawn in. The 15th was obliged to fall back, and occupy the earth-works at this place, during the "raid," but were not attacked.

"I wish you could paint a picture of Centerville. Imagine how the village of Brattleboro would look after having been lifted 5000 feet into the air by a whirlwind, and suddenly dropped "ker-smash"! There are a few houses standing, perhaps a dozen in all, and a few inhabitants; but the ruins of a church, mill, &c., show that it is not what it once was, and it is not easy to see how it ever will be.

"... Here, on picket, we make our own coffee, and fry our hard bread in pork fat. Uncle Sam's stock of old wormy crackers, which had, apparently, been kept over from the war of 1812, are about exhausted, and we now have fresh ones, whose only bad effect is, that they make a man hungry. ..."  ~ Daniel B Stedman Brattleboro, VT, age 22, Pvt., 16th Regt,  Co. B, Letter of January 2, 1863     Brattleborohistory.com