St Augustine Jan 1st, 1863

Heaven knows how sincerely I wish you a Happy New Year My Dear Ones at Home.

The old year passes away with its great events in Clouds & Gloom to our Country, but I do not dispair I am very hopfull even cheerfull, If I only knew & could feel that the Great Heart of the North was with the Army, through good and through Ill, & were bound to sustain us to the bitter End without thought of submission I should feel Joyfull; And here & now at the commencement of 1863 I bind myself anew all that I am all that I love & all mt hopes, to the Service of My Country. We hear that Burnside has been repulsed & that the 290 has taken a Cal Steamer, also that Sec Seward & Son have Resigned. (this is verbal news as we have had no Mail), if these things are so affairs wear a bad look, the Citisens here cannot conceal their satisfaction although they do not express it in words but I can see by unmistakable signs that they are pleased. there is no mistake about it. there is No Union Sentiment in the South! they want nothing to do with the Union, and the sooner "Northern Submissionists" find this out, the sooner, the War will be closed; providing, the North are bound to crush the Rebellion, at any hazzard, but, if, they have got a fixed limit, to their endeavors, let the Submissionists keep to their work & in six months they will have to acknowledge their independence and the great War of the 19th Centuary a Fizzle! I concidder this a War for Liberty & human Rights and if foreign Nations interfere in favor of Slavery I would Fight the World I would fight till evey City, Town, & Village in the Country were in desolation and a howling Wilderness, some may say that I am an Enthusiast that I have nothing to loose that I am insane but I believe I am in my right mind & to this sets my hand & seal & make Oath and if I ever depart from it it will be a blunder of the head or passions not the Heart. Amen. We have had a cold N.W. wind all night this morning it has changed to N.E. & blows very heavy. I am writing without a fire & am real chilly, my hands & feet are cold, I cant get wood, if I could I would have a fire I can tell you. I am on the Sick List again was pretty sick for two days & nights a week ago yesterday I took Physic it did not work off I came very near fainting at Dress Parade, had to be helped to my Quarters, when the Dr gave me three more doses in succession in the first place he gave me most a tumbler of Whiskey to start circulation; I had Watchers two nights finally the Physic started & I was relieved immediately, and am now pretty well as soon as I could go out I went to the Magnolia House to board & think I shall go it if I can get suitable Grub Tell M C to write me what the feeling is at the . or you ask the opinion of Mr Huse M C W Conant & other reliable men & write me yourself & write if you agree with me in sentiment. You dont know how I want to see you, but I try to be contented but with being sick & all other discomforts it very lonely sometimes to say the least. I think if I should be so fortunate as to live my term of Service out I may be called emphatically a Tough Cuss. The whole Regt are having light blue Pants Officers & all we have to take Soldiers Pants & have them altered over from the Col down to your Uncle Dud. I have a dark blue strip inserted, as we cannot get any better Cloth I am hoping for a vest pattern soon as a vest would be very comfortable sometimes. I hope you have got that other Check before this as you might very reasonably think that with all the things I sent for I was crowding the Mourners pretty hard with so little Money. we were Mustered yesterday for two months & I hope we shall be pd before another Muster if not I am afraid we shall come short

all round yours as ever

C Shedd