Plymouth NC

June 18 1863

 

Dear Sylvia,                                                                                                    

                        To day is sabath and I am alone and thinking of loved ones at home. A boat is to leave here with our mail at 5 Oclock this evening, so I thought I would send you a few lines. I am well as usuall. I rec^d a letter from you at our last mail I was glad to get it you better better believe and to hear you were all well It was dated the 27^th of May. You said you had two from me and that it took you one hour to read them. I suppose I make a great many mistakes and you have to guess at so much The morning is cloudy and a fine breese is blowing I shall not attend church this morning for I want to send this out on this boat. Cap Allen went to Newbern this week and took along the money. It has not yet gone from the Express Office I think. I suppose Lieut S. A. is at home by this time. he has a furlow of 30 days. but it will soon slide away. 

 

            I send you a sketch of Plymouth and our camps and fortifications with the Roanoke in front. There are five gun boats laying here all the time with 32 guns. Forts Wessell and Williams are finished and the latter has four 32 pounders mounted. The other 2 forts N^o 3 and four are building. Friday three rebs came in bearing a flag of treuse and swearing vengence on this place unless we surrender it but Gen Wessell cant see it. They are reported to have quite a heavy force beyond our lines. If they come they will have to come in from Rainbow bluff or Little Washington and will have to come in at Ft Wessell or on the road by the two targets. In either case our gun boats forts and artillery can give them jessie and we have breast works suficient for all our forces to work behind. And we have not three thousand men here but a force of 15,000 cant take it

 

Our drum tent is marked DC Ambulance AC. We go to

            8 Unfinished rebbl schooner 8

brigade guard mounting at the dots under the ME Church. figure 5 is the R. Catholick Ch

Gen Wessels Head quarters [circle with dot]

where we mount guard /

 

We have just had to lay aside our cap and draw high black felt hats with a bugle and cockade and the American Eagle (what soared aloft and) Wall there is no chance to save anything from our clothing allowance for we are ordered to change the stile so often I have now a musicians dress coat with all trimmings on and such a jacket as I had when I was home last and a blouse (or an undress uniform) for just my coats I am charged about $20. besids overcoat. Now I will tell you what our Gen Wessell tells us He says that all his brigade that shall be be permitted to live shall be at home in one year from this time for he says we are entitled to so many days furlow and we shall spend our next fourth of July at home and as we please, after which we are to return to Elmira and be mustered out of servise, where we were mustered in. I hope this will be the case allthough I hope the war may close before. No more this time

           

Yours with much love                

R. D. Rogers                                            

 

[upside down front margin] Albion is well. He says tell you that he is mad to see you /

 

[diagram of Plymouth, camp and fortifications]

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