Suffolk Va. Friday March 19

 

Dear Wife & Dearest Mary

                                    To finish the story of our journey here We took a steamboat for Norfolk In going to that place I saw where the Merrimack lies sunk & where the Rebs drove piles to blockade in Norfolk Arrived at Norfolk did not wait long before we were on the cars for this place The railroad to this place ties runs along the edge of the dismal swamp & we are encamped not more than a mile from the edge of it & about the same distance from the city of Suffolk which is 23 miles from Norfolk. I have been to Suffolk once it quite a pretty place/& looks something like a Northern city On market days it presents quite a lively appearence Our camp is quite pleasantly located & our quarters are very comfortable but we worked hard to make them so We have got them all loged up on the sides and had to back the logs a mile John & me are alone as we want to be we have two tents after we got our tent put up the Company drew 5 Wedge tents calculated for 5 in a tent & as there we not enough for the whole Company they were not distributed We pitched one for ourselves But as we had fitted up the other so comfortable we did not move into it but use/it for another purpose By John and me being alone we have much more room even if we had only one tent In the tent where we sleep we have a nice bunk built & lie almost as comfortable as if in a bed The day we came here they said was the coldest they had had this winter But such weather did not last only that day & for several days we had spendid warm weather On the way up from Norfolk I saw vegatables up and growing nicely the weather we are having now I fear will give them a pull back Night before last a hail storm commenced which has continued up to the present time & it is now quite cold I have just received a letter by Bill Frink who has just arrived/

 

Saturday 20^th March

Dearest one I did not finish my letter as I agreed yesterday But will eneavor not to delay another so long The storm continues but it is snow now Anson Davis died the 18^th of Iflamation of the Brain. The Measeles broke out in our company while we were at Newport-News & now we have some 6 or 8 cases I dont feel much alarmed for I believe I have had them I should think our present location will be rather unhealthy in warm weather but we may not be here What we came here for I can not yet determine About going into a fort when we go into one it will be when we take it or else when we build one The rebs have a strong force about 25 miles from here across the Blackwater river

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