Head Qrs 2^nd Div 23^rd A.C.

Camp near Kinston N.C. March 19^th/65

 

Five letters received from you tonight dear wife, the oldest dated Feb 16^th & the latest March 8^th. I have read them all with eagerness although it is such a disappointment to have them come altogether. The interval between such bunches of letters is hard to bear. My letters I suppose will go to you in the same way so that you will fully understand my feelings. The railroad will be completed to this place in a few days and then we may reasonably hope for a little more regularity in the mails this far. This will not be of any great benefit to us however for we march in the morning towards / Goldsboro with four days rations in our haversacks. We move with as small a train as possible in order I presume that we may march rapidly. All day to day very distant cannonading has been heard in the direction of Goldsboro from which we infer that Genl Sherman has been fighting a battle with the rebels. God grant that he may have had the victory as it would be unfortunate for him to be checked at this point. We march towards him in the morning so as to form a junction as rapidly as possible. My only fear is that the rebels may have fallen upon some detached force of Shermans in superior numbers, but I hope he has sufficient caution not to be caught in this way. The firing ceased before night sometime and from this we / infer that our side or the other has been defeated. The sound of the cannon grew more distinct in the afternoon and this also was thought favorable as we hope the rebels are between us and Sherman on the Goldsboro road. It is useless to speculate however as we cannot know certainly until our scouts already sent out return. From the extract from the Richmond paper published in ours I see the rebels claim a victory near Kinston, whereas the truth is just the other way. By this time you will have received the official dispatches which will give the truth. If Sherman has met and whipped the rebels today there will be very little more fighting in this region. The rebels with every defeat grow more discouraged and we soon hope to see them give up entirely. 

 

I am sorry you think Mr Allen will not buy the place. If he should decline we must try and find another purchaser. Perhaps it would be well to advertise it but there is this objection to that method. You would be continually bothered by visitors who might or might not wish to purchase & who would make the notice in the paper an excuse. I hope dear wife to be at home myself at least by the time you are sick, and then I can arrange the matter for you. Have you not engaged your nurse too late and may you not be sick before the middle of July? Remember I came home early in October, you know best however & I hope you are correct. I will be with you darling if within the range of possibility. Love to Lindy & the children with loving good night kisses to darling wife.

M^cLean

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