Old Camp 13^th N.H. Vol^s.

Near Portsmouth V^a

April 14^th /64

 

Dear Ari

                        I hasten to write you a few lines to let you know the whereabouts of our Regt. night before last at ten oclock the long roll beat in our camp and the boys had to fall in and be off up to Suffolk. I heard from them last night but thay had not met any rebs. the news this morning is that thay have started on twords the Black Water and if thay have thay will have some fighting to do I think but I hope I am mestaken. I cant / tell you anything deffinet for there is no one that knows there object and we hear all kinds of storys. there has lots of cavalry gorn out. I dont know how much Infantry. when I hear more about them I will tell you. you will wonder why I ant with them I suppose. well I was sick that night that thay started but not very sick. when the roll beat I got up and got ready to go. Sergt Morrison said you ant fit to go Steve. I am going says I. Sergt. M. went to the Capt about it and the Capt said you stop in and look after things / thay left a Lieut. in command of the camp and the next morning I felt better, so I went to him and asked him if I shouldnt go to the Regt. what for said he. I told him I had reather be with the Regt. if there is any thing up and do my part of it. well said he you are just the man I want in here to take charge of the guard so you see that is the reason that I am not with them. Sergt Winn is here writeing. he is on guard at Brigade Head quarters so he did not go. I hope the boys will all come back again (it looks rough) 

 

about the man that was going to be shot, the troops all formed in front of our camp and thay were bringing the prisoner up from Portsmouth when a repreve come for him for 7 days so I dont think he will be shot at all now. at any rate I hope not. he felt so bad it seemed as though he would sink right into the earth. I never saw a man so much brock down in spirets as he was. well I have got to go to the guard house and perhaps I shall hear some thing new from the Regt. I am just as well as ever a bad head ache and cold was the matter (Peanuts) 

 

It is now 8 oclock in the evening and as I have got relieved from guard untill two oclock I will try and finish my letter. the report is that our Regt is coming in tomorrow morning. how true it is I cant tell. thay have had no fighting as yet. that is all that I can learn from the front to day. I expect we shall be on the move now about all of the time. it apt to be the case after we once get started, but this is only guess work. I got your letter of the 10^th to day and also the paper with the writeing paper in it. I was very glad to get the paper / but that was of no account compaired with the good long letter that I got from you. I wish that I could tell you about it insted of writing it. dont say any thing about harder times then we have seen, we are use to hard times. tell the folks to let us alone, and we will do the thing up brown this summer if Grant is in command. (How are you Mary Johnson) give her my regards and ask her if she is loyal to the U.S. government. there is no inviled corps now. it is called the Vettren Reserve Corps Bumers more like.

 

Oh, Ari. I believe I shall have to stop writing for I cant think of any thing / to write. How do you suppose that little rascal of Elmer is to night. I should like to see him. If I could get a furlough to go and see him I dont know but what I would call to Boston and see his Mother a few moments, seeing as it would be right on my way. I dont know but what I could coax her to let me stop all night. Now, Ari, dont you worry about me, for I will write all the danger as well as the fine part that I have to go into. I told you I would and I will. I would like to have hold of you to night. wouldnt I hug tight. I would let you know how well I love you. / You may think that I am fooling when I tell you so but I ant. I know that I love you better then I ever did before. I say as I said before that you are to good for me. you had ought to have a better man then I am. you had ought to have a man that has got mony so you could live and take more comfort then I shall be able to give. well I must close and go to bed a little while. give my regards to all the folks. Oh if we move I dont know as I shall send you quite all of my pay if you can get along without it. I like to have a little with me for fear what might happen to me. we are not paid of yet. good night. from your affectionate Husband Sergt. S. B. Tarlton

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