Thomas Bell to Brother, undated
Dear brother I now seat my self to wright to you a fue lines to let you know how I am and my Dear brother we are well and having a jolla time. we are at home at the Red Springs I have bin walking a bout thrue the camps and looking at the people and springs we have water to any a mount the best there is two large fresh water springs about three hundred yards from our hotel. Two Red Sulpher Springs about two hundred yards and one about fifty yards as good water as the Mink Spring at J. Jacksons but it is a verry smawl stream one sulpher spring about 25 yds from the creak runs by our hoteel about 6 yds we dont lack for water we halve a plenty to eat I saw Abrem & D Rodgers Capten Bidwell's Company on one side off us Cp Turner Co. on one side Cp Bunten on a nother side Cp Jons on tother so you see we are in the middle /
 
the helth of the camp is verry good Ther is a fue cases of the mumps and measels the most of them has got ferlows home under stand me that ther isant any in our Company for ther is not any one sick we are awl well. I left Galitan at 8 O.C. the morning you left us and reached Hartsvill by 3 O.C. in the eavning we left that place at 8 O.C. in the morning and reached Lafayette ½ after 10 O.C. I done this not meaning the Company for some of them was till in the evening late the distance between Galitan and Hartsvill is 16 miles and from Hartsvill and Lafayette 16 miles from Lafayette to the Redd Springs 12 miles making the whole distance from Galitan to hear 44 miles I saw a heap off fun on the road you dont now any thing about hills it is all hills between Hartsvill and Lafayette and nearla all / Yankes except a fue off the best Secesions in the world they giv us as much apples and cider as we could eat and drink after we left Hartsvill alltho 2/3 off them ar yankes ther is some the best secesion women in the world they baked our bread fryed our meat any thing wished them to do they wood do it. I was the third man in Lafayette when I got ther they was a good meny ther but shortla they abcondered from ther run to the woods an hid for fear we wood take them prisners Capten Williams took a prisoner ther the Sonday before sceared them nearla to deth I met two litle boys an they looked like they had bin shot at and missed I met an old man and asked him iff he was for J Davis he sayed I dont know i asked him then if he was for Lincon he sayed I am for home well says I that is right I asked him if he was fo /
 
wood fight for Lincon and he sayed he woodant for any of them see coward kill him kill him you ought to seen him he looked like he cood crawl in to an awger hole I coodant tell you all if I was to wright all of my paper our hotell is a framed house two storra high 4 good rooms we are living like a king I want you to wright to Henry son as you git this I am coming home soon Direct yore letter to Red Springs Maken Co Ten I hope thes lines may find you enjoying as good helth as I am and Henry wright about J Bell and the balance of the sick yore affectionate Brother Thomas Bell
                       
Camp Red Springs
10227
DATABASE CONTENT
(10227)DL1618.011156Letters186X

Tags: Abraham Lincoln, Camp/Lodging, Cowardice, Fear, Food, Furloughs, Happiness, Homecoming, Illnesses, Nature, Prisoners of War

People - Records: 1

  • (3648) [writer] ~ Bell, Thomas
SOURCES

Thomas Bell to Brother, undated, DL1618.011, Nau Collection