I did not think when I commenced this letter that I should write more than one sheet full but as it is only twelve Oclock and I have to sit up yet two hours before calling Wesly I will try and write a little more even though it may not be of much interest. Since I wrote you the last letter some of our boys have been in two or three skirmishes with the Rebels for they are pretty thick around this neighbourhood and were getting pretty saucy and had to be learned better maners than to be prowling around our camp their Cavalry were in the habit of coming down to the bank of the river every day and watching our motions until one day last week there was three of them came riding along there when one of the Bateries threw a shell across and sent them a skedadling on a double quick out of the reach of our guns / then again the first of this week there was some of our boys went across the bay on a scouting expidition and after they had gone about a half a mile up the bay they went in to a house to get a drink (there was 10 of our boys & George Cook was one of them) they sat down to rest a little while when one of them went to the door and saw a lot of rebel Cavalry a trying to get around so as to surround them but when they saw that they were seen they fired their guns at the boys and took after them the boys returned the shots and run a little ways when our battery opened on the Rebels and sent them a going the other way pretty fast the next day they went over again and took a whole Company with them they found the rebels there again only more of them but they could not get close enough to them to shoot any of them so the got one company of our cavalry and part of one of our Bateries over there and and as soon as they landed they / formed the Cavalry in lines and took after them at full speed they chased them to Pattersonville 8 miles from here but they captured 5 and killed three and took their horses they rode two of our horses so that they fell down dead under them but we got five in the place of them they staid in pattersonville about a half an hour when there was some 500 Rebel Cavalry came in sight but dare not attack our small company of only 60 men only at a long distance where the shots would do no hurt to any one Our men came a way with their prisoners and horses without getting a scratch from the Rebs in the morning there was five rebels came down here with their guns and gave themselves up to us and every day almost there is some families or parts of families come down here and give themselves up us and they all tell the same story they say that they cannot get any thing to eat up there / one man and his family came down the river on a raft he had all of his goods that was left and two cows on it he said that he had to pay a hundred dollars a barrel for flour and could not get but a half barrel at that he thought it was better to be a union man and be where he could get something to eat than to be a rebel and starve

 

            We are expecting that the rebels will attack us every night but they have not yet but do not know how soon that they will but they will have some fighting to do before that they will get us for we have some 40 cannon here ready for them at any time they see fit to come But I shall have to stop writing this time as I have filled another sheet nearly full

 

            Write often to me and tell me what is going on there and I will answer them all as soon as possible after I get them I shall send you a paper to morrow and perhaps I may put two or three small shells in if I can      from yours as ever      L. V. Tucker

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