Petersburg Va.                       

January 4^th 1863

 

I wrote a few days ago and thought to send it by L. W. Currie he failed to get a furlough.

 

my health is very good at this time and also the M^cKinnon Boys. we are now packed up ready to start for N.C. to Goldsboro or Wilmington I suppose the car is waiting for us and we will leave in a few minuets we are to carry one suit of under clothing and one blanket we have all just drawed a new uniform caps, coats, shirts, drawers, shoes. the drum has beat to start and I must stop for the present. Tuesday the 6^th Instead of going to Goldsboro as I expected we stoped at Weldon and turnd back to Garysburg it was about midnight when we got off the train and we remained in the balance of the night in our old camp (the our first camp after we left home) next day we selected out a place about ¼ of a mile from the railroad for to camp we are here now in an old field pine thicket we have struck up some pine top shelters about like hog shelters. we hated to leave our winter houses as we had / just finished them and only were permited to enjoy the comfort of them two nights. as it is always the case we know not what moment marching orders will come or which way we may go. Jeff Davis has just returned from a trip to the west he passed us at Petersburg Va as we were about leaving as he came he addressed the people of at Raleigh, & Goldsboro and said he thought that their would be peace shortly O may the god of heaven grant that peace will be early                             

 

from your affectionate son

Noah Deaton

SOURCES