Charles Roberts to Maggie Roberts (7 January 1865)

              In Camps near Aberdeen, Miss
Jany 7th 1865"
My much loved wife,
The day after I wrote my last letter the
report of another Yankee raid put us on the march again. About
three o’clock in the morning orders came to prepare to move im-
mediately and we were in a very short space of time on the road
to Columbus, moving with all the [expedition] possible – In crossing
the [Buttie] Hatchie at the Ford we lost two of our mules in consequence 
of the depth and swiftness of the current and to prevent any further
the greater portion of the moved six miles up the river and
crossed at the ferry. We went in camp that night nine miles from
Columbus and remained there the next day and then returned 
to our old camping ground. The raid we feared did not come 
down as far as our camps but captured some two hundred 
and odd of Genl Hood’s supply and pontoon train between
this place and the Tennessee river.
The army when I last heard of it was at Tupelo and 
it is reported that Lee’s Corps is coming to Columbus, Miss – if this
is the case I shall join them at that point."
The campaign is ended until Spring I presume and 
with very little credit or profit to us. I do not know much about
the condition of the army, only from rumour and shall delay
saying anything about it until I get with the command and 
can judge for myself. I am very anxious to learn how the Battery
has fared; there is no doubt we lost considerable Artillery but
I hope Stanford’s Battery was not amongst the number.
Savannah is in the hands of the Yankees – Genl Sher-
man allows the citizens fifteen days to make their settlements
with each other in Confederate currency and twenty days the
lines are to left open for any one to go in or out and after that
no intercourse outside of the Federal lines. It is my opinion 
that there will be more go in than come out for there appears