Brashear City La

                                                                                                Berwicks Bay March 12^th/63

 

Dear Cousin.

                        Sarah, I received your letter a few days ago and was very glad to hear from you and hear you and the rest of Uncle Eligah’s folks were well except Johnie and Freddie. but was very sorry to hear they were sick but glad to hear they were better. I have been sick about three weeks. I did not come up here when the Reg^t came. Our Capt. was Provost Marshal and he kept me with him for his orderly. I had a first rate place then I tell you. I had a good horse to ride and all I had to do/ was to ride for him. and when he was gone from the office I had to stay and write passes &c. I was taken sick with the chills & fever and was sick four or five days and the Capt. thought I had better come up here so I came up on the cars and it took me right down with the fever. the second day I came here I was brought here to the Hospital. the Doctor gave me 15 grains of quinine the first dose and it started my fever. he followed it right up and in a week my fever was gone. I am here in the Hospital yet for I am to weak to go to camp but am gaining strength fast. I have been up and dressed me this is the fourth day. I go out doors/ all over. I walked over a half a mile this morning and have been walking around all the forenoon besides. Oh. I am getting pretty stout I feel first rate all the while. Bill Laman was up here this forenoon and he said Moke was enjoying himself first rate he was well and carrying on all the time. I shall be down to camp amongst them in three or four days and then I’ll have fun too. I got a letter from home the same time I got your and one from Dave Terwilliger too. I thank you for the compliment about Mary Underill. you spelt it nearly right. it is Underill you spelt it Undrill left out the e./

 

Well Cousin Sarah Ann I guess I shall have to take another sheet to finish on. but I shant promise to write it full. maybe I will though before I get through as you wantend me to write a long letter. whether it will be interesting or not I can not say but will leave it for your own decision. well I’ll try.

 

            Our reg^t have got together once more. it seems a little more like soldiers life to be in camp with the whole reg^t There is five or six reg^ts here besides ours and one battery and one co of artilery. there was three gunboats here in the/ first place but one of them sunk about two weeks ago and there is not but two left. the rebels are right across the Bay from us (about 3/4 of a mile) they come out on the bank every day. they are camped back in the woods some where and five or six come out on the bank and stand there they fired into one of our gunboats the other day from shore. (six of them) and a battery stationed right above our camp fired a shell at them and killed two. the rest “skeedadled” they came down with a flag of truce the other day and our gunboat run over there and they said they would/ give our reg^t just twenty four hours to move away from there but the 114^th NY dident move from there nor they did not shell us out as they said they would.

 

            I agree with you about the Gens. being more united I think the war would end much sooner. If I can find a nice picture of something that is beautiful I will send it to you. If I can find a nice picture of something that is beautiful I will send it to you. Give my love to Grandfather and Grandmother Aunt Rachael Uncle Elijah Johnie & Freddie and Tom and you have my love Forever. Write soon and write a good long letter. I dont know as this is interesting but you must allow for the writing as I am weak and my nerves unsteady. This from Your Counsin Sid. direct as before

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