Camp Near Portsmouth Va July 18^th 1863

 

Uncle

As I have a little leisure time this morning at my disposal I have thought proper to occupy it in writing a few lines to you I have nothing of particular interest to write but trust it will not be altogether without interest to you, if a little dry, as coming from a soldier

 

            You may think a little strange that I should speak of occupying the little leisure time, as one would naturally suppose a soldier's life while in camp is one of supreme idleness. You will see this is not the case when I tell you that our Company, which is now the largest in the regt, has only an / average of 25 men on daily duty (the remainder in camp, from slight complaints, mostly diarrhea occasioned by poor water and want of proper diet for the season, being excused each morning by the surgeon) and out of this number 8 or 10 are daily detailed for guard and about the same number detailed every morning to work on the fortifications, the rest policing up round camp, unloading commissary stores, hay and grain for the horses &c. from the cars, which run close to our camp grounds

 

            My health is good at present and so are all the boys present from Colebrook except Chas Brown he has not been able to do duty since our long march He overdone himself He is getting better now and will probably have duty in a day or two.

 

            Two thirds of the men now on / duty in our Co are from Colebrook

 

            The men all feel in the best spirits at the glorious success of our arms at all points and look forward with renewed hope to the speedy overthrow of this "hellish rebellion" and an early return to their homes and friends

 

            You have doubtless heard of the death of Ben Corbett. He died at Portsmouth hospital the 29^th of June.

 

            You without doubt read a account of our late raid towards Richmond from which we returned about a fortnight ago. We made the longest march in the same space of time that has been made during the war

 

            Think of 200 miles in eleven days with gun and equipments with 60 rounds of two ounce cartridges a haversack with three days rations and a knapsack straped on your back containing your blankets change of clothing &c. in a burning July sun in an almost tropical clime / the knapsack and blankets lined the road the whole distance. I threw mine away the second day saving only a rubber blanket and shelter tent to lay on nights. We passed through the finest country I ever set eyes on. We passed wheat and corn fields containing hundreds of acres the wheat being ripe and ready for the sickle some being already cut and stacked and such wheat as New Hampshire dont produce. I dont how it is in other parts of the south but this did not look much like starvation. But I imagine they will be short of harvesters along on our route as we brought in with us some five or six hundred negroes striping some plantations entirely taking men women and children of all ages and colors some of the younger ones had blue eyes and red and sandy hair not one out of ten but showed marks of the white blood. We also brought away some two or three hundred mules. But our orders were most strict against interfering with other private property.

 

But my space is nearly filled and I must close

                                                           

Please write at every convenient opportunity                                                                                                                

 

Yours with resp't

F. K. Fletcher

 

PS How is draft up there                                                                    

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