Post 4 Dist. 1 Newbern N.C.

October 9^th. 1862

           

Dear Abbie,

                                    By the date of this letter you will see that I am on guard at this hour, it is an easy post and I am allowed to sit down. Trusting that you will excuse the lead pencil again I will finish a letter which I commenced some days ago.

 

            It is a very warm day. I am guarding a prison door, have but two prisoners in today, rum brought them here. one has been in eight days and the other but one. they will be released soon. Whiskey is one of the greatest scourges of the army. a strict guard is kept over it here but the soldiers will get it now and then. And I am sorry to say that we have officers who indulge too freely for the good of the government. Neither of my officers ever drink enough to show it but there are Capts. and Lieuts. who get fairly drunk. Of course they are not punished but the poor private is thrust into a cell and fed on bread and water.

 

            Since we have been having these fine moonlight nights guard duty is almost pleasant. I never knew finer evenings than we are now having, nearly as light as day, the harvest moon I suppose it is, the moon by which the farmers gather their crops, how I wish I could help one farmer away up in Maine gather his corn potatoes and apples! wouldn't I eat a pile of the last. The apples that I eat you would / make up an awful face at, hard & sour. But never mind I may be here next July and then when you are living on salt fish and corned beef I shall be enjoying the rich peaches, plums pears and many other kinds of fruit, then I guess you will wish you was in Newbern.

 

            Probably before this you have received my letter in relation to the box and now you may be buisy getting it ready. I hope you will not attempt to send too much but shant I be glad when it does come! I do not expect it yet awhile my letter may be a long time in reaching you, it will take some little time for you to get it ready and no one knows how long it may be on the road. I wish I could find a good loaf of brown bread a pumpkin pit and a baked Indian pudding in it, they would all taste good but I hardly think they would stand the voyage, not even as well as I did. If it was not for rascality we should live much better than we do. government allows more good food than a man can eat but there is cheating all through from the man that bids off the contract down to the cook room. such salt meat as we get a part of the time is enough to make anyone rave. we do not eat it, it requires a knife as sharp as a razor to cut it, it is as blue as it well could be. But we don't have to live on this all of the time, get fresh beef quite often and baked beans every Sunday, don't they taste good! The last time we had any I begged a piece of corn cake to eat with them. it was quite good but was made of Southern corn and of course did not taste like that at home

 

            Yes I think Buckfield did nobly in furnishing her quota of the troops so readily but I think she could have done better in the choice of a Capt. He is no more fit to command a Co. than an old hen and should he ever be called before a board of examining officers he would have to resign. Our army would be twice as effective if it could be rid of its many incompetent officers. Who goes from our town that I know. My friend Small is in the Me. 24^th. I shall receive his photograph soon and will send it home Miss Anderson whose picture I sent in Howards letter is a fine young lady, somewhat older than I am but I think every thing of her. The Miss F. is a Miss Founce and a fine lady too. She is a member of School St. Sabbath-school. When I left she made me promise to write to her and I have done so and expect an answer soon, also her picture which I shall send / home Mr Small and myself had many pleasant acquaintances in Boston and vicinity, where one was acquainted the other was. we spent many an evening together. He is a very strong temperance boy, can deliver a good temperance speech. I received a letter from him a few days ago. he is with his Regt at Augusta. I hope it will agree with him but he is not very rugged.

 

            The relief guard will be here in a few minutes when I go to my bread and tea and my piece of paper is nearly full so I will close I hope to receive paper from Boston soon. untill then you must excuse pieces I send lots of love to all friends in Buckfield, make them all write. And to you dear Abbie I send a kiss and my best wishes, may you live a long and useful life.                                                           

 

Your brother               Charlie

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