Camp Getty, Portsmouth, Va., Dec. 17^th/63

 

Dear Mother,

           

            I received your letter of the 2^th but it did make made me feel as though I would not write again in some time. You said you received my very short and distant note. I am sure I have wrote more letters to you than I have received. I supose you dont like it because I write to others but when I write to others I always receive an answer before I write again.

 

            When I left home the last time I thought you was going to be a little different and not trouble so mutch about me but I see you are just as bad as you was the the first time I left home. If you dont hear from me every day or two you think something must have hapened me. I am happy I have it to say that I have not been unwell one day since I left Buffalo.

 

            One of my Co. died last night. We have raised money enough to send his body home. He died of the fever.

 

            The wether here is very changable. Some days it is very warm, others very chilly. The nights are very cold but we dont feel them mutch as we have our house done and have a stove in it. We have had no strow snow here yet. I supose you have had sleigh riding in B. before this or will have by the time this reaches you.

 

            I will now mention a few particulars of a scout we had in N. Carolina on the night of the fourth of this month. The ordors came for Co. B to sadle their Horses and get ready for a scout. It was about eleven Oclock and we were all asleep and little expected any thing would awake us before morning. Was that Alfreds’ Photograph? (written on side of paper) We sadled our Horses and with one days rations in our havasacks and one days rations of oats for our Horses straped to our sadles and two days rations for ourselves and Horses in a wagon. We moved off to head quarters. Theare Co. B of the fifth and Co. B of the eleventh Pa. cavalry joined us. It was about twelve Oclock when we left Head Quarters. It was a clear moon light night and our Co. felt merry enough thinking they would have it to say that Co. B was the first of the McClellan Cavalry that were out on a scout. We rode on untill about four Oclock next morning when we halted, fed our Horses and had breakfast. At daylight we moved on again by the dismall swamp canal. I had often heard of the dismall swamp but little thought of seing it. About noon we crossed Va. line in to N. Ca. When we came with in six miles of the town we had started for (South Mills) our Co. took a road to the left and the Pa. Cos. took the direct. We moved slowly along untill we came with in two miles of the town when we made a charge on the town. At the same time the other Co. charged the other road. The rebs seen us coming and ran into the swamp out of our sight. However we captured twenty-five Prisoners with out the loss of a man. We then turned round for camp. Marched untill dark when we stoped at a farm yard for the night. The next day we went forageing. We returned to camp with our wagons loaded with corn, sweet Potatoes, geese, chickns and the best N.C. could aford. It was two Oclock Monday morning when we returned to camp. Our Horses traveled some one hundread miles with in fifty hours. So mutch for Co. B, McClellen Cavalry.                                  My best respects to all hoping this will find you all well.

 

                                                                                    your affectionate Son,

                                                                                                            Geo. Booth

SOURCES