Camp Foster

Newbern N. C. Apr. 24^th /62

 

Dear Parents,

                        I begin to think it is about time I had written another letter home. I recieved a letter from you last Monday, included in one from Cornelia. I have not written much for the week past for some reason. perhaps it may be because I am most out of stamps but I am looking for some every mail now. I believe the boys are all getting better now. I reproach myself every day to think I don't go to see them, but it don't seem to come right for me go, and even if I should go it would be only a happen so if I got in. We all knew that H. head was very / sick, but I dont know that it was thought so very dangerous until sunday morning the news came that he was dead. preparations were immediately made for procuring a coffin, and on learning that a boat was on the eve of leaving for the north, preparations were made to send it home. as the sutler was going home the Capt. got him to take the charge of it. Since the then a move has been taken made to send the bodies of the boys home who have died. Yesterday Lombards body was taken up and placed in a coffin to wait the departure of a steamer. The boys who went to take it up said they found it in a very good state of preservation although it has been buried since the day after the battle, without any coffin and nothing but his clothes and blanket about him. they said his features were quite perfect except being slightly turned black under his eye, one having been entirely shot away. 

 

I intended to have finished this before this time in the evening, but there has been meeting this evening (as usual thursday evenings). We have continued these meetings thursday evenings from the first. that evening was selected because it was the same evening on which we used to attend meetings at home, and we knew that on that evening friends would be met together at home, which is a thing frequently spoken of in our meetings. We have a great deal better fare now than we did at first. We have soft bread two days out of three generally, fresh meat once every three days, we get some molasses now so we can have rice occasionally. The health of the regiment is also on the mend, but our ranks look very slim. our company only reports forty six for duty, little more than half what it ought to be. A few days since (so reported) Gen. Burnside recieved an / order from Gen. McClellan ordering him to advance on Elizabeth city and take some rebel regiments staying there, so as draw attention from Yorktown. Gen. Reno was sent with six regiments but owing to some cause he failed in taking the men but succeeded in drawing away several thousand men from Norfolk or some other place, raising a big excitement among them, and driving them from their batteries. Night coming on he bivouaced in the wood, but hearing that the enemy had been largely reinforced he decided to return to his boats, having suffered pretty severely the day before. About nine o'clock he started leaving his camp fires burning brightly, but I am told he was obliged to leave his wounded. There are those taps, out goes the light. Good night.

 

Friday morning. It is a nice morning looks some like a storm. We had a fine rain the first of the week before that it was very warm a dust or sand flew in clouds one day when we were

 

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out at battalion drill the wind blew at a terrible rate and the sand blew so we could not see part of the time. Eyes were full. The ladies of Greenwich have presented our company with the most splendid stand of colors I ever saw. the flag has a heavy gilt fringe around it, gilt cord, and large heavy tassels. The flag is made of finest silk. A gilt eagle mounts the top of the staff. The staff is made of some fine wood, and has a joint in the center.

William L. S.

 

Leaves of the mistletoe

 

I found this on one of the limbs of an oak tree from which it derived its life.

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