April 14^th 1863

Bivouac C^o 26^th N.C.T.

Near Washington N.C.

 

Much esteemed friend

I have neglected responding to your kind and welcom letter which came in due time I have neglected writeing so long that I am realy ashamed of it I ask pardon for my neglect and trust you will forgive owing to the circumstances. we left our knapsacks at Kinston about the 1^st of March and all of our paper and went on a forced march on the north of the Neuse and attacked the yankees at Baring Heights or Barington Ferry / just oposit across the river from Newbern the fighting was done principaly with artillery our regiment was in suport of our batteries the yankees shelled us furiously and we played the same game on them the enemy got our [?] pretty exact their shells bursted among us and would scatter the dirt all over us some times we lost 4 killed and some 20 wounded N. R. Brown of our company killed it was the 14^th March and that day 12 months ago Newbern fell

 

left and and went to Greenville rested a short time then took a trip on the north of the tar River to within 6 miles of Washington gathe / rd about 100,000 lbs. bacon got water bound and returned to Greenville rested a few days then set off to harrass the enemy at Washington we under Gen^ls J. J. Pettigrew & D. H. Hill on the south side of the river and Gen^l Garrett on the north side we got posession of fort hill below the town and blockaded the river and have had the invaders hemed in ever since the enemy attempted to reinforce from Newbern we met them at Blounts Creek and after about 2½ hours fighting they saw that they could not effect a crossing and retreated back the / way they came. there is cannonadeing going on every day about here there was very heavy raining here yesterday and last night and not withstanding the heavy rain we had to march 8 miles after dark it was the muddiest time I ever saw from what I can see there is evidently som afloat either an attact by the enemy or else we are going to leave for some parts unknown to all except our Generals. every one has much confidence in Gen^l D H Hill he knows what he is about

 

truly yours with much respect

N Deaton

 

address to Greenville N.C.

 

write soon

SOURCES