New Berne N. C.

                                                                                    July 28^th 1862, [?] o’clock P.M.

                                                                                                Monday evening

 

My Dear Parents

                        Hearing that the mail was going to leave here wednesday, I have begun thus early, so as to be sure and have one ready; but it is dark enough for me to get a candle. I received a letter and some papers from you by a mail which arrived to day. The letter was dated the 17^th and 18^th of July, and the latest papers that were received, were the 22^nd, not very late news, nor satisfactory: but patience is the greatest thing a soldier has to learn, I believe. I think I wrote in my last letter that the twenty seventh Massachusetts had gone out on a scout. they returned last night; they took six men, I am told as prisoners one of them a chaplain /

 

But there is two companies of the twenty seventh that are on picket at the bridge, at bachelors creek, thinking that the other part of all the regiment, should not have all the fun; this morning early, they started up into the country, to [?] depot the first station above the creek, arrived there before the rebels were up in the morning, surprised them and took them all prisoners, except six, and one Lieutenant, who escaped, three of them were shot and killed. ten men and twenty horses were taken prisoners, and brought to the city. I reckon the two companies did quite as well as the scouts.

 

Monday morning, 29^th, 4 o’clock A.M.

 

                                                            It is a splendid morning quite cool. I got up this morning to heat some water to wash my clothes, bfore it got so warm as usually is after the sun has risen, my washing is not vey large, consisting only of one shirt one pair of drawers and one pair of socks. Amos’s being the same we are going in together both wash in the same water. Last evening I was writing / about those regiments that went on a scout, what called them out I suppose, was this: there seemed to be a sort of guerilla band, formed hereabouts, which had several times fired into railroad trains, passing between here an Beaufort, And the oganization extended into the city, even to throwing stones, brickbats, and shooting sentinels on their posts in the city. But last week thursday they began to get the lion aroused, in General Foster, when the train was passing up from Beaufort, it was fired into. the General started some regiments right off within an hour or two after the train came in. Friday night the sentinels in the city were again fired on and one was wounded. the guard were watching for such things, and immediately surrounded the house. they found seven men in the house. The next morning General Foster ordered the building to be destroyed, and every thing about the premises. some of the buildings next to it were also destroyed. I am told that some of the citizens went to General Foster and remonstrated with him about destroying so much property / General Foster told them that this business of shooting sentinels must be stopped immediately, and in it was not he would make a parade ground in the centre of the city. he told them he had camped out once and he could again. Wether General Foster ever said this or not, I am not able to say, but this I say, it is very much like him, and he generally does about as he says: if his mind is once made up to a thing, there is no back down, go through it must. I went down to the city to day to see about having my picture taken, as you wished me to do. they do not take any thing but ambrotypes, and charge one dollar for them. they told me they expected to be able to take photographs this week. I shall try again I think some day, One week from tomorrow I suppose we shall have to go on picket again we rather dread it, on account of the greater number of insects that we there find, but this is made up to a great extent, by the greater number of piveledges which we enjoy, at such times. we some times think it more than balances.

 

[overwritten]

I saw Major Head this morning, for a few minutes. he is feeling smart but has very bad sores on him yet. One of the nurses who was in the Hospital from this company Erastus Burns, went to his home in Greenwich by the last boat; on a furlough. Another of our men a very nice young man, Chas. Holbrook son of the inventor of the Holbrooks school apparatus, has been in the commissary department since we left Annapolis. last evening he was taken from the Union and old stern wheel steamer used to run around here with; and was stationed on board the United States transport Cossack, which now is running between this port and New York, Baltimore &c. She leaves this port to morrow morning for N.Y. I suppose she carries the mail.

 

                                                Your affectionate son

                                                                        William

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