Morehead City

December 17^th 62

 

Dear Friend,

                        It may be that you had began to think I had forgotten my friends, but since the 45^th landed in Dixie my time has been taken up so much that I have had to use most of my leisure time in writing home, cleaning my gun, washing &c.

 

The members of Co. C. are enjoying good health and making themselves as happy as possible; our rations and duty are such that there is no danger of any of us having the dispepsia or gout.

 

After a pleaseant voyage from Boston the Steamer Mississippi arrived at Morehead City where the 45^th Regt. embarked on board a train of flat cars and proceeded to Newberne / distant about 40 miles; there they went into Camp Amory where we stopped about two weeks when our Capt. received orders to proceed with his Company to Morehead City relieve the garrison (consisting of four Companys of the 9^th New Jersey) and take command of the place the Capt. obayed orders and here we are doing guard duty, both Camp-guard and picket; as this Company have to do the same that four Companys did each one of us have to go on guard once in three days but we have fine weather and cant complain in fact we know very little about war for we have seen no long marches neither have we lain out doors unless while on picket. at Readville we were in good barracks also at Newberne and now we are quartered in the high-school building / and they are nice comfortable quarters; the inhabitants of the place are nearly all secesh but peacable and quiet. they get their living by fishing, oystering and hunting. When we wish for oysters there are plenty on the beach that we can have for the trouble of getting them out; the shores are alive with ducks but the boys are not allowed to shoot them.

 

Company's C. & G. of the 45^th are on detached service; the remaining ones are included in Major General Fosters expedition from Newberne and I think myself lucky in being situated as I am but we all would have been glad to have taken our place in the Regt. as Color Company which position we held until the Company was detached.

 

I find that I have used nearly all of / the sheet in writing a little but next time I will try to write more and give a better description of the City and its surroundings.

 

there being so small a garrison in the place the Capt. is looking for expecting the rebels at any time and perhaps there will be more exciting news to write next time. the Conductor on the Atlantic and N.C. railroad brought news from the expedition stating that they had taken possession of Kingston after a sharp fight and were pushing on as fast as possible when last heard from

 

please give my respects to all enquiring friends tell them if they wish to hear from me to write and I will try to answer as many as possible. give my respects to the Sabbath school I should like here we dont have sundays very often. last sunday I heard a secesh preacher.

                                   

Yours respectfuly

Andrew J. Alexander

Co. C. Capt. E. J. Minot

45^th Regt. Mass. Malitia.

Newberne, N.C.

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