siest night of all the year
falls upon the camp. Now around each fire gathers the little group who
are, for a while, to make it the centre of operations. Hasty plans for
comfort and convenience are eagerly discussed till late into the night,
and await only the dawn of another day for execution.

Roll-call over and breakfast eaten, the work of the day commences with
the preparation of comfortable sleeping places, varying according to the
"material" on hand. A favorite arrangement for two men consisted of a
bed of clean straw between the halves of a large oak log, covered, in
the event of rain, with a rubber blanket. The more ambitious builders
made straw pens, several logs high, and pitched over these a fly-tent,
adding sometimes a chimney. In this structure, by the aid of a bountiful
supply of dry, clean straw, and their blankets, the occupants bade
defiance to cold, rain, and snow.

Other men, gifted with that strange facility for comfort without work
which characterizes some people, found resting-places ready made. They
managed to steal away night after night and sleep in the sweet security
of a haystack, a barn, a stable, a porch, or, if fortune favored them,
in some farmer's feather bed.

Others still, but more especially the infantry and cavalry, built
"shelters" open to the south, covered them with pine-tags and brush,
built a huge fire in front, and made themselves at home for a season.

But all these things were mere make-shifts, temporary stopping-places,
occupying about the same relation to winter quarters as the
boarding-house does to a happy and comfortable home. During the
occupancy of these, and while the work of building was progressing, the
Confederate soldier wrote many letters home. He saw an opportunity for
enjoyment ahead, and tried to improve it. His letters were somewhat
after the following order:--

CAMP NEAR WILLIAMS' MILL,
_December 2, 1864_.

DEAR FATHER,--You will no doubt be glad to hear that we are
at last in winter quarters! We are quite comfortably fixed, though we
arrived here only two days ago. We are working constantly on our log
cabins, and hope to be in them next week. We are near the ----
railroad, and anything you may desire to send us may be shipped to
---- depot. If you can possibly spare the money to buy them, please
send at once four pounds ten-penny nails; one pair wrought hinges
(for door); one good axe; two pairs shoes (one for me and