New Berne North Carolina

                                                                                                Tuesday Eve Apr 28^th 1863.

 

My Very Dear Martha

                                    I received your letter of 22^nd inst this morning. It gave me very great pleasure to have you able to write that you thought you were actually stronger and better.

 

I was pleased that Mr Goodale could visit you and that you all enjoyed it so much. There is some mistake about that book. I closed it up in a hurry just as I was going into camp but had no idea that I had made any mistake. I do not owe the parish anything. I have written Mr Goodale about it. Do not feel troubled about it. I am not going to. If I loose it I will learn to be more careful in the future.

 

            It was singular that he should stop there to enquire the way. I do not think Medway would be a place that would suit Mr. G. and yet I am glad he has seen the old place where I was born. How I should liked to have stepd in and surprised you all when he was there.

 

Do as you think best about sending Eddie to school this summer. he is younger than I think it advisable to send children as a usual thing still if he is so anxious to go perhaps it would be a good thing.

 

I was very sorry to learn what you intimated about Aunt Metcalfs condition and yet I do not so much wonder. How hard it is for Sarah. I am very glad that she can feel / easier about her husband. I have not seen him today but yesterday he was continueing to improve. I do not know when the hospital will be moved. I hope not for the present as he is better off here than he could be in a camp hospital, but I hope he will soon be well enough for anything.

 

I see you are feeling a little anxious about that headache I had a while ago. I had forgotten all about it. I think it was because I was bilious. For anything I know my health is now perfectly good. As I wrote you before I am enjoying my life here very much better than I dared to hope I could.

 

Mr James is expected here in a few days when he will be offered the place of Supt which I hope he will accept. I am still alone in the office. Am not doing any more than I can help untill Mr James gets here. The 5^th are again away making the 4^th expedition within a few weeks. The men think it rather hard. They have now gone up the RR hoping to “bag” some rebs which there are up that way somewhere, which they will probably not do. The 45^th have gone this time. I hope they will get back by Thursday as Dr Stone was expecting to preach on that day. I should be disappointed not to hear him. He is going to preach on afternoons while he is near enough to the city to do so. I am very glad of that.

 

            Mr Claflin did not go on this expedition. He has always gone before. He was in to see me yesterday. We had a very pleasant chat. He is getting rather sick of military life. I don’t know who is left behind in our company this time. They started Monday morning & got their orders at the midnight before. /

 

Wednesday morning 29^th

I must close up this letter as the mail closes at noon. Mr Hastings thinks perhaps he will put in a note for his wife. I saw him last night he had got a little cold but was otherwise doing well. I have not heard from the expedition yet only that they have sent them another days rations so they will not be back before tomorrow perhaps not then. It was very rainy yesterday and last night. It must have been very uncomfortable camping out. I suppose you are very glad I am not with them. If I thought these expeditions amounted to anything I should want to be with them but I do not think they have as yet except the one to Goldsboro’ I am very glad I went there. Perhaps more will be accomplished this time. I think it my duty to remain here, if not called on, untill Mr James comes as I do not see but they would have to close the office if I were not here. I have enjoyed my stay in this office very much and I think I have been able to do as much good as I could have done in the ranks. I have made some very pleasant acquaintances here which I little thought I should have an opportunity to do. Mrs James has not yet returned from Beaufort but I hear her child is better. I have become acquainted with a Mrs Foster who lives in the same house with Mrs J. she is the wife of a capt in the 25^th a very pleasant lady. she has asked me to call upon her. I am going. She is from Worcester. I think I wrote you some time ago about Mr Jacob’s family where Mr Perkins introduced us. I call in there once in a while, so I am not altogether without society here / although I miss that of friends at home of course.

 

I have heard it said that all 9 months detailed men would be called in the 20^th of May. I do not know whether it is so or not. I presume they will want to train us a while before going home. Mr Wood still remains with his gang of darkeys. I think he is doing well with them. He is assisting to build a new negro village about a mile from the city. It dont take long to build a house here. All it wants is a few poles and boards which the darkeys split out and a few nails and in a day or two the house is all ready to move into. They build the chimney by placing sticks as we used to build cob-houses and plastering it up with mud.

 

I am anxious to hear how you rose buds reach you I have little hope that they will be good for anything but I felt anxious to try. The rose bushes do look splendidly here. They say there is but one month in the year in which they do not bloom in the open air here, that is January. I think it may be true some years we have had them most of the time since I have been here. I wrote you in my last that I would send you some money and forgot to put it in if I dont forget it again you will find five dollars in this. I do not think I shall want it here. I wrote you about the allotment being regarded this time it will not probably reach you for some time so it is a good way round. I am glad you are so situated that you do not need it. I am glad Addison wants some of that which Mr G. paid you. I think you cannot do better than to get the rest into the bank as you said. I am very well suited with your management of financial affairs. I suppose you have no trouble getting your “State aid” now. Has Maynard paid you that interest yet?                       Much love            Regards

to all Kiss Eddie for me.

                                                Affectionately Yours  Charles W. Hill

 

[overwritten]

Mr Hastings has written to Sarah without enclosing in this. We are having a beautiful day. I wish you could have some of our lettice our Peas are in bloom. I guess we have got ahead of [?] night this time

Heard this morning that the expedition were having a skirmish. Do not know any particulars. Charles

but the 24^th  were not in the engagement

SOURCES