Camp Vance Dec 22^nd 1861

Carolina City N.C. 26 Regt NC Vol Co. H

           

M^r William Deaton

 

Dear Father and Mother I take my pen in hand to answer your most welcom letter that came to hand to day it afforded me much satisfaction to hear that you were all in good health. I am in tolerable good health at present the M^cKinnon boys are also well the health of our Company is remarkably good at present there is only one in this company sick M^r R. P. Willcox is down with the Typhoid Fever he has been sick near about a month we cannot tell whether he is mending or not yet.

                       

I have no news to write at present nothing of intrest has occurd of late about here and therefore you must be content with such news as I have

                       

I regret to learn that cousin J. A. Britt is no better yet and also I regret to hear of M^r N. M^cDuffie M^r J. L. Martin and M^r M. J. M^cLeady being sick and hope they will soon recover there health

 

I heard from M^r Kellys Company yesterday they are in camp near Raleigh there is about one half of them sick I heard from cousin A. E. M^cDonald and have wrote to him he was well at that time and I hope he will keep his health while he stays in camp /

 

(I learn from your letter that the money that I sent to you got home safe as times is hard and salt is so dear one cannot get along with some money so use it as you see fit if you need it.)

 

We are at work now building our winter houses they are framed and weatherboarded with brick chimneys I think we will have our house done in three or four days the blockade is still kept up at Bogue Inlet but if news that we hear is true I expect the blockade will see some trouble before long We hear that the Queen of England has proclaimed war against Lincoln but the report is not fully confirmed here yet.

 

You requested me to let you know if we had any Religious Society in the Regiment. We have a Society known as the Christian Association but the members are few for out of the whole Regt there is I think not 100 church members and very seldom that out of about 1000 men that as many as 75 will go ten steps to hear preaching many of them spend the Sabath playing cards and in like manner. Some of them got so bold as to play cards one Sunday in five steps of the preacher when he preaching the chaplain give them such a talking they have been a little shy ever since. Our Society is composed of Baptists, Presbyterians Methodists these denominations principally make out our small number of professors there is no reference to sect and any member acting improperly to common church rules will be excluded from this Society it being the only way to enjoy religious privileges here I have become a member of the Society / I hope the Lord will bless us and revive the work of Grace in this Regt, though the prospect gloomy at this time Rev. G. A. Russel was down here about a week ago he preached five sermons for us which I think had great influence on the Regiment. our present Chaplain is not as influential as our first Chaplain was but he is a very intelligent (he is a Methodist) in conclusion I will say my prayer is that may the God of heaven bless you all and give us all hearts to feel our need of him and forgive our many short comeings towards him and fit and prepare us for the many shifting scenes of this life may he stand by us in the hour of danger and shield us from all harm and at last save us in heaven for Christ sake.

           

I must close by saying that I trust this may reach and find you and Mother and all the family and neighbors enjoying common good health. Pleas write as soon as you can make it convenient. I am your affectionate

Son until Death                                  

Noah Deaton

To William Deaton

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