Co E. 1^st Reg^t Sickles' Brigade

Camp Farnum, March 19^th /62

 

Dear Sister.

                        Since heading my letter I have recieved a letter from Cousin J Herr, it was a very agreeable surprise indeed, as such an expectation was farthest from my mind. Well I will send you two letters. I mailed you two papers this morning, the Richmond Daily Dispatch Feb 1^st 1862, and the Richmond Enquirer Jan 9^th 1862. I got them in a secesh camp, and send them more because they are secesh than any thing else. there is onley half a sheet of the letter to Miss Fannie, the fellow who wrote it was very indifferant to Miss Fannie I think, or he would have sent his letter. Night before last, 500 of our Reg^t left camp at 11 o'clock went down the river one mile and a half where we were carried across to virginia by the / gun boat "Island bell". we landed in on the "sacred secesh soil of Virginia" at four o'clock A.M. whe the right and left (Pittsburgh & Michigan) Co^s, immediately started through the woods to see if they could find any thing in the dark, but it was no go, not even the whole day. we returned to camp disappointed, after marching 35 miles in 24 hours, in mud a foot deep, &c without any thing to eat ecept a bit of bacon and four crackers apiece, which the secesh in their flight had left behind. We found 8 camps, built of logs, which were deserted but in good order. The were very considerate to leave their shanties stand. I suppose they thought we would need them. we passed many places where the marks of camp still remained. The camps on the opposite side were evacuated in a hurry. they left every thing behind but their cloths and arms. there are thirty graves with head boards, and a fence around each. they show more honor to their dead than we do to ours. And from the way grub lay round the camps they have plenty of it. My love to you all Kiss Harry.                      

 

Your Affectionate Brother

S W Croft

 

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I mailed Mother a letter last Saturday.

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