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

Camp near Mosely Hall March 26^th 1865

 

As I wrote you dear wife we marched yesterday from Goldsboro to Mosely Hall some fifteen miles where we went into camp. Today we have again marched but only about four miles where I have taken up a position so as to guard the road which approaches the railroad from Snowhill. There does not seem to be any enemy in our front excepting Wade Hampton's Cavalry, and that is some eight or ten miles off. We have no fear of the cavalry as they rarely attack infantry unless at great odds. How long we are to remain here we do not know, but suppose / we cannot march forward until the whole army has had time to refit. This will take a week or two and then our march must be onward for the heart of rebeldom, unless it should have the hardihood to approach us in the shape of Lee's army. I am very curious to know what course the rebels will pursue in this present dilemma. If I were to choose for them they should remain at Richmond until our army has had time to close round them entirely. Lee will hardly however gratify us in this request, and perhaps even now whilst I am writing he may have already evacuated his stronghold and be seeking safety in some other quarter. The evil day will however only be put off, but / I do not believe he can escape the inevitable doom which now seems momentarily ready to fall upon him & his army. I have my quarters in a large farm house tonight which has been deserted by its owner leaving only a poor white woman in possession. The furniture has been almost entirely removed, as well as all of the valuable slaves. The plantation seems to be a very large one and its owner was one of the great men of the state. He is said to be a bitter rebel and is I hope now enjoying the reward which he richly merits. We find no inhabitants here scarcely excepting the poor white trash as the rebels call them, and they all claim to have been opposed to this war from the beginning. / Bitterly do they now feel the misery which has been brought upon them, as many of them are really starving. I received a letter from you today more than a month old. This shows how great is the irregularity in our army mails, for my previous letters were of much later date. I am afraid you suffer in the same way. Very soon I hope no longer to have to depend upon mails for our communication as my hopes are strong that the war is nearly over, when I can return to my darling wife, not again to be separated. What happiness this would be. May my hopes not be in vain. Love to Lindy and the children with loving good night kisses to my darling little wife                        M^cLean

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