[blue pencil: Queen Anne Raid]

Portsmouth June 14^th 1863

 

Brother Sam

                        Got your letter yesterday all right. I expect all you think and talk about since the shearing is sheep. I feel first rate. have been off on a march. Started thursday morn and got back yesterday morn Went about 75 miles.

 

Thursday Morn—a call was made for volunteers in our company to go somewhere no one knew where Eleven men and a corporal were wanted. Twelve of us stepped out and were ready to start at 6.45 Had two days rations and a canteen of water besides our guns and 40 rounds of cartridges each to carry There were 100 men in all Capt and two Lieut's / after we had marched about 5 or 6 miles I found out where we were going. It was to Princess Anne Court House, about 25 miles away. I suppose we were in search of guerrillas and to advertise for niggers and see the country. We got there about six o clock P.M. put up in the court house We passed through a good deal of timbered land. the country all through our travels is as level as Pitts Flats. I saw one piece of corn that contained I should think fifty or sixty acres. The corn was about a foot high and I saw one piece of wheat that was fit to cut.

 

The county seat I expected to find quite a place, but there was only the court house jail tavern and an old law office there. The night we got there / after a team and a dozen men were sent out a forageing They got a barrel of pork a lot of bacon geese chickens &c.

 

The people out here are all stiff secesh and so we went in Major Murray came in about two hours after we got there he told us if we wanted any thing to take it for we were Uncle Sam's agents.

 

Like enough you would like to know how I stood the march I did not get very tired but my feet blistered and I was pretty lame.    Friday Morn. about 50 of us were sent on. The Major took command we did not march for for we commenced confiscating mules and carts and by the time we had got about a half dozen miles we had carts enough for / us all to ride. We went on in an easterly direction untill we came to the ocean which is about 10 miles from the court house. Here we stopped and got dinner There are two wind mills here. The Major sent a couple of boys to one of them and took corn enough to feed the mules and horses. The major started off to get some meat for dinner There was a farm house in sight and he went and got about dozen nice hams he said the old woman gave him a blowing up. We went through a strip of country where we were the first Yankee soldiers they had seen. When they saw us coming the woman would run for the house. We had lots of fun. After eating dinner and resting about an hour and / half we started back for camp court house arrived there about three oclock oclock P.M. On the road back the men & women would come out to get their niggers back with carts &c But the Major knew how to talk to them. He told them they would want to have it to say that they done something to put down this rebellion and he did not know how they could do it better than by letting him have their mules & carts for his soldiers to ride in. After we got back to the Court House boys were sent out after more carts and when we had enough for all to ride (which was by ten oclock) we started for Portsmouth rode all night and got in town / 6 oclock in the morning well pleased with our trip but glad to get back again. On the road back one bridge broke down and let a horse and cart through the hole was about 7 feet deep and ten wide. after we got through horse and cart out we filled the hole up with rails it took about 20 rods of fence. Yesterday I slept most all day. I have not seen Helen Pitts in most three weeks Adams is going over with me some day. (Confidential) I am trying to be sent to Washington for an examination for a commission in a colored Reg. I had a letter from Dr Simmons yesterday he is at work for me. I dont as I would pass examination for I dont know how severe it is. Dont say any thing about it to any one / no one here but one boy knows any thing about. He is in with me. It is James Allen from Bristol. If I fail there is no hurt in trying Dr Simmons told me before he left us if I ever wanted any help from just let him know. He is corresponding with the Bureau at Washington now about it. If I make out any thing Dr Simmons must have pay for his trouble and good pay too. If Col Johnson new it he would oppose it all he could for he is of the Seymour clique and opposed to nigger regt.

 

            I am glad you had the best or as good a sheep as any one at the festival We found a rebel mail in the stove at the court house some of the boys letters had money / in. Love to All

                        Cha^s E Reed

SOURCES