Camp of the 14^th Reg^t N.J. Vols.

Maryland Hights. Near Harpers Ferry, Va.

Friday afternoon the 26^th of June 1863,

           

My Dear Mother

                                    I am happy to have the priviledge of writing you a few lines this afternoon and am also glad to inform you that I received your letter dated R. Bank the 20^th in answer to my letter written while we were at the Relay House. it had been about two weeks since I had heard from you if not more so you can imagine that I was rejoiced to hear from you. I have written you two letters since we came to the Hights, one yesterday but I thought I might just as well sit down this afternoon and answer yours, as it is raining this afternoon and we can do nothing. Sergeant Chadwick sits beside me on our bunk reading todays paper. it seems good to get hold of the papers once more for it was three or four days after we came here that there was no trains from Baltimore. / I think we will have a mail now regular every day. Gen^l Lee is over in Maryland again, but I think this will be his last trip at least so I hope; old Joe is close at his heels. I dont think the enemy will show himself here among the mountains unless he is driven in here, and if so he will be met by about 16 or 18000 good men including the 14^th let them come. with the help of God we will show them what old Jersey can do. you said you was sorry we had left the Monocacy, but I am not, and there are but very few in the Reg^t that are. we got tired of laying there doing nothing. we wanted to stir up our dry bones. we came to fight for our country, to maintain our once happy Union, and not to be an expense on the government for nothing. the Stars and Stripes shall wave over every Rebel city in the South, and over all Rebeldom, thats my sentiments to a (Ty^T) I never will tire in standing by the Stars & Stripes as long as a star remains. thats the way a true Soldier / must feel, he must laugh at hardship and think of that one thing, God and his Country, the restoration of the Noble Republic, which our forefathers bought with their blood. so must I, so must all their Sons rally to maintain and preserve that republic. so I dont want you to let such a thought enter your mind as that I am tired of the cause, God save the nation. you know the more you whip a dog the better he likes you. the same with the soldier, the more he suffers the harder he fights, and the more he loves the cause he is fighting for. but I have made my speech and now I will discuss something else, ha, ha. (laugh Mother). it seemed while I was writing in such earnest that I was talking right to your face. I think I will make a speaker in time, dont you think so Mother? ha, ha. Charley White and myself went down to the Potomac yesterday and took a wash in the famous river. it is about as wide here as the North river there is a pontoon bridge over the / river that crosses to the virginia shore. you think I expect as I used to in regard to Harpers Ferry, that it was a wonderful city from all accounts but it is the greatest old hole in Va. merely a lot of dilapidated buildings you have seen houses that have not seen paint or white wash for twenty or thirty years, that is a good description. still it looks very romantic. it is a very disagreeable day, there is a sort of drizzling rain, and it is quite foggy. you said you heard the 29^th Regt was at Freehold. they must be at home, as Serg^t Chadwick had a letter from his wife stating they had arrived I expect they tell some awful hard and pitiful tales of hardship and the awful engagements they passed through, ha, ha. (Terrible ordeal). give my love to John and bear me in sweet remembrance to all your neighbors & enquiring friends. You said you didn't think it was right to fight for it rained almost every time the Army moved. it is as much to our good as to the enemy, for both armies are on the move, but I think I dont stop writing soon, you will tire of reading this 

 

you say you hope we get enough to eat. we do that and can take in boarders so if anybody feels disposed to spend the remainder of the summer season on Maryland Hights, you can inform them where they can find a good place to board, ha, ha, ha. it is nearly a year, as you said, since I left home, but I hope before the same time shall again roll around, peace will be declared. May God grant the same. The boys all send their best regards. Dan^l Thompson has just come in my tent. he is well and hearty, / I must now bring my letter to a close write soon and direct as before to Washington, D.C. May God bless you all my friends and keep you from all harm               

 

Your Son Albert with love

Sergeant Albert C. Harrison

U.S. Army

 

P.S       To my mother at the village of red Bank N.J.

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