Carolina City N.C. June 24^th 1863

           

My dear Brother:

                                    Are you wondering at my long silence? The fact is I have been a little unwell for the past few weeks, have written no letters, now and then penciled a short one home just to let them know how I was getting along.

 

            I have had a slight run of a fever, was not very sick any of the time but it hung on 'till I was pretty weak. I had a very poor appetite for two weeks hardly touched food. At last I began to pick up slowly and soon very fast. I am still in the hospital but am about well, can run about as I please and eat a most anything. I came here five weeks ago yester-day. The hospital is a large and airy tent. for beds we have sacks filled with hay or straw. Not so good as home accommodations but we get along very well. The hospitals are not all so bad as you suppose, at Newbern they have some excellent ones, the sick man that goes there has excellent care and good food.

 

            I wrote you a letter stating where we were, how I liked the place &c but I guess by what they write from home that you never received it. We are about 30 miles from Newbern and 4 or 5 from Beaufort, are near the rail-road connecting those two places / Our camp is on the shores of Bogue Sound so that we get a cool breeze the most of the time, wood is plenty and the water is quite good. We like here much, would not go into the city of Newbern if we could.

 

            The last letter I received from you was dated Apr. 19^th. I am really glad that you have got a school, think it easier work than sawing logs. Three hundred dollars clear of all expenses I should not call a bad summers work. I would not advise you to return home 'till you see some prospects of the war ending. As you wrote, you would not wish to remain at home with the others all in the army and unless there is a change in affairs you can have little desire to take up the musket. I rec'd a long letter from Martin a few days ago. He thinks he shant go to Ca. again very soon, is enjoying very poor health, has had no less than three fevers but his folks do not know it. He writes that there is much sickness in the Regt. and all are poor and thin. His Regt. lost heavily  in the attact on Port Hudson but I do not find his name in the list of killed and wounded.

 

The siege of Vicksburg is a long and tedious one, that is one of the strongest places in the world but Grant is confident that he shall succeed. Banks has a hard place but I trust he will carry the day. Long before receiving this you will have learned of Lees second raid into Md. & Penn. What mischief he will do time alone can tell. I have lost about all confidence in the Potomac / army, it has been defeated too many times, a large part of troops have no confidence in themselves. This is the case if I can judge by what I have seen of those troops. They were at the battle of Kinston and acted in a most cowardly manner. I know not how this war is to end. This is too good a Govt. to fall, we find fault with it but all must acknowledge that it has been one of the best Govts. the world ever knew. God grant that it may not fall.

 

            June 25^th—A soldier knows not one hour where he will be the next. Yesterday we were dreaming that we should remain here till fall, this morning my Co. was ordered away and probably the whole Regt. will leave in a few days. D. goes to Newbern to garrison a small fort there. The 9 mos. Regts. are all hurrying to Ft. Monroe. This looks as though though Lee would have occasion to return to Richmond, 'twould be a good joke could Dix march into that place while Lee was in Md. But this may be no easy thing to do, the Rebs may still be there in strong force. I wish I could see to-days Journal. I am anxious to hear from Lee. The force in this Dept. is now very small, two of Fosters old Regts are in S.C. (and homesick boys they are too) We have barely enough troops about Newbern to hold the place. I think the whole of this Regt will go there. I am to have a pretty good home for two or three weeks. The Doct. says that I shall be better off in the end to rest a while longer so he is going to send me to Hammond hospital at Beaufort. It is a tip-top place all say that have been there. Always / have cool sea-breeze while the hospital is almost equal to home, the best of nurses, good beds and tall living. I like the idea of spending a few weeks there now that I am smart enough to enjoy it. Just now we are feasting on blue- & black-berries, both are very plenty both here and at Beaufort. I have not dared to eat many of the blues but the blacks I have at nearly every meal.

 

            In old Buckfield all seems to be going on the same as ever. I think Father has been doing quite well in the tree business. The question is will he be any better off in the end? I hope so but I vow his money does slip away easy. I suppose he owes more or less about home. I wish he would pay every one of his bills the very first thing he does after he gets his money. Perhaps he will do it but I fear not. I have a great mind to write the same to him. Can you not hint as much to him? "Out of debt out of danger" is my motto for the present.

 

            Hattie is a good girl but I cannot say that I like all of her relation. she is not to blame for this but it would make me hesitate a little. I think all's for the best. Time enough yet to find good game. I learn that Georgia writes to you that she has been to Boston to see "Charley's girl". Really I didn't know that I had one there before. I am well acquainted with the young lady she had reference to, Georgia & I spent the "4^th" there last summer. I think the young lady a fine one but nothing desperate there.

 

            Father & mother have just been on a visit to Mass., I have not heard from them since they returned. I guess as near as I can find out that Bearce will be able to support a $10,000 house. you remember their Pikes Peak investment. I learn that they are playing a deep game on that. It is now known as the "Boston Mining Co". Certain heavy men for a share of the profits allow their names to be used in connection with it, this gives a respectability to the thing. A broker for a fair compensation shoves some of the stock into the market /

 

at a good figure. The hope is that the dull ones will bite and that they can shove a good pile of the bogus stock into the market. This is the story as I have it, it may not be true.

 

Fred is still with the Tip Co. Dewing is in N.Y., Chase, Merritt & Co. are doing a good business.

 

            I hope to hear of your continued success, keep your eye peeled and if you see a chance to make any money go into it but let the mining alone.

 

            I hope and trust that we shall both live and to see home. I am where I am liable to be called into danger any day but still I feel as though I should live to see home. Take good care of your health, write often. Remember me to Ham & Jed.

 

Ever your loving brother            Charles.

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