Fort Totten Mar. 13^th 1862

 

Dear Cousin.

                        I suppose it would be useless for me to write anything in the line of news, for you receive it about as soon as we do and before a letter could reach you from me.

 

            You are of course rejoicing with us over the news of the flight of the rebels from Centreville and Manassas, as well as over other items of good news which we are in receipt of. /

 

You ask where the rest of our regiment is beside the three companies which are guarding Fort Totten.

 

            They are also employed in guarding forts. One Co. (A.) is at fort Jerusalem, one (B.) at Fort Slemmer, two, (C. & D.) at Fort Slocum, and three (H. I. K.) at Fort Massachusetts. All of these forts are in sight of this one, and from half a mile to two miles distant. Two spies were captured at Fort Massachusetts the other day, and suspicions were freshly aroused that some secret plot has been laid, for spiking our guns and attacking us, some night. This made some excitement in camp last night, and there was a good deal of speculation / and discussion about certain lights, supposed to be signals, which have been seen for several nights in various directions.

 

            The news of the falling back of the rebels, however, has dispelled nearly every possibility of our being disturbed here. We are having some fine weather for drilling. Some of the time it is rather warm for comfort, and some of the time we want our over-coats.

 

            Your papers were received please accept our my thanks for them. I send you a specimen of the papers which are brought into camp daily at the nice price of three cents each. /

 

We have also the New York Philadelphia and Washington papers, so you see we do not lack facilities for obtaining news as long as our money lasts. With great haste, and sending much love for all, I bring my present scribling to a close.

 

                                                                                                Yours truly

                                                                                                            Hubert Carpenter

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