Thursday, January 1, 1863
Nathaniel Caverly Jr. wrote a letter home to his parents, confirming that he was well and had survived the battle of Fredericksburg without injury. Nathaniel began his letter with gratitude to God by proclaiming, "By the will of Him who rules all things I am preserved till the commencement of another year and I am thankful to him that he has preserved my life till the present time while so many of my fellow soldiers are being killed off and dying." Nathaniel mentioned the battle but avoided detail, suggesting that the Union attack failed due to the delayed delivery of the pontoon bridges before the battle. Nathaniel closed the letter with a request for news from home. "I want you to write and tell me news and what you are doing and what stock you keep and how the hay cuts out and what you have sold and bought and all the rest of the news and write as you can for when we are moving around we get the mail most of the time."1
References:
1Alan C. Phillips, Soldiers in My Family: Caverlys and Murrays 1754-1865. (DePere, Wisconsin: A.C. Phillips, 1993.), 82-84.
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