Camp Newber NC

                                                10^th Reg’t, Co., B U.S.A.,

                                                            Newbern         Aug 1^st 1862

 

Dear Mother

                        I have just received your letter & was very glad to hear from you I allso received a letter that Conrad brought about a week ago but did not answer it then because there was no mail a going then & soon after we had marching orders to go take a battary about 20 miles from the other side of the Neuse river from Newbern that the rebbels had erected there We took the boats early in the morning & landed about two miles up the river / on the other side Our force consisted of three regts & three companys of cavalry we halted after we got about a mile from the river to a plantation house we stoped there all night I took up my quarters in the parlor that night About three Oclock the next morning we was routed & fell in to line & started on our march the rain poring down in torents all the while & so dark that you could not see your hand before you about day brake we come acrosst a battary that had been deserted for some time after marching about three miles we came to a creek about a quarter of a mile wide that ran right acrost the road & we had to march through it the water came up to our body belts we got through / all safe it was a wilde looking place After we had marched about a half mile farther we came to a halt & the cavalry went ahead & found that at the next creek the rebbels had burnt the bridge & that it could not be forded so the orders was to about face march right through the creek again which had rased an a little since going through the first time & when I got in to the middle of the creek I catched my foot on a snag on the bottom & fell headlong gun & all but I soon got up again & went along & got back to our camp on Friday night in Newbern all right

 

                        I have not not got the box yet & do not know as I shall for there is a report around that the Goverment has stoped the express coming by there boats but I hope / this is not so I can not send home the pay on the express now but will in the next pay day

 

                        We do not get much newes now so we do not know what is going on but I hear that England is makeing some stir about this war I hear that the different Wardes around in Conn are raising a bounty for the soldiers that have gone to the war A is not Manchester a going to do something I hear that they have raised 25 dolars to those who will inlist now but nothing for those who have inlisted & gone to the war & done all the fighting & will have to do all the rest that is to be done for the troops that are a going to be put in to the field will come & holde the places that we have captured & we will be shoved on but they get the most pay that does not look right Coventry is a going to give $100 dolars to the soldiers that have gone from that place & if she cant I wont own that I came from the place I can not answer all of your letter this time but will write another soon as I get the box       But I must close

 

            So good by

                                    From your son

                                                Willie

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