The following letter was written by Lewis F. Burns (1834-1895), a private in Co. K, 52nd Virginia Infantry. Lewis enlisted in April 1862. He was sent to a hospital on 1 November 1862 and the muster rolls from the fall of 1863 show him to be “away without proper authority.” The rolls then indicate that he “returned 19 December 1863 from absence without leave since 12 February 1863 and sentenced by Regimental Court Martial to forfeit one month’s pay in addition to the time of his absence. He was absent without leave from the 10th of May 1862 to the 15th of September 1862 as remarked on tolls of 31 October 1862.”

The muster roll of October 1864 shows Lewis to be “absent wounded since October 19, 1864.” His Find-A-Grave biographical sketch confirms that he was wounded in action (gunshot, right hip joint) in the Battle of Cedar Creek. He was taken prisoner at that time.

Lewis was born in Burnsville, Bath county, Virginia. He was the son of John Strauther Burns, Sr. (1802-1893) and Polly Kincaid (1807-1884). He wrote the letter to his sister who must have been Malvina Gay Burns (1849-1907).

Transcription

Camp Rhapadann [Rapidan]
Summerville Ford
December 23, 1863

Dear sister,

I take this opportunity of writing you a few lines. My health is very bad. I have a very bad cold and sore throat for ten days. Me and Venable ¹ arrived in lynchburg on Wednesday the 2nd. We reported to Maj. Proctor. He said that he would have me detailed. Then me and Venable taken a drove of horses 40 miles west of Lynchburg.

When we came back, Maj. Proctor had gotten orders that all detailed men that was fit for field service must be taken out & put in the field. Then I went before the board [and] the doctors examined me for two or three days & pronounced me fit for field duty at last. Then I started to my command and was arrested on the road and they have me in the guard house. Lieut. Gillett says I will get out in a few days. I had a hard time after I left Lynchburg. I come very near starving. I spent 75 dollars since I left home.

Tell Mother I want her to send me a box of something to eat—some sweet cakes & fruit and a canteen of honey, a chicken or two, some apples. Tell Charley to send me a bottle of bitters. Send some sausage. It will come in a few days. Just direct it like you was directing a letter. It comes free of charge. You may tell Mother to not send that box at this time. Lieut. Boon expects to get home after New Year’s and she ccan send it by him.

There isn’t any news here. I believe the enemy’s pickets are on the opposite side of the river from us. They have got into winter quarters. I haven’t seen any of the 31st yet. They ain’t very close. Tell Till to take good care of Mick and tell him to save me his pistol if he has it yet. I have heard that the Yankees has been all around since I left. Hill’s Corps has gone out to the Valley and Caulsey’s command.

There’s a great dissatisfaction in camp. Some of the men are getting letters from home stating they are suffering—can’t get flour for love or money—and they say that they ain’t going to suffer it any longer. I will close for the present hoping those few lines may find you all enjoying good health. I hear that Mary Waters is dead. I suppose it is so for James Gordon got a letter stating she was nothing more. But [I] remain your brother until death, — L. F. Burns

Co. K, 52nd Virginia, direct to 4th Brigade, Early’s Division, Ewell’s Corps

---

¹ This must have been William George Venable who also served in Co. K, 52nd Virginia Infantry.