N^o 30

                                                            Camp on Eastern Shreveport road 6 miles from Mansfield 

Apl 5 186(4)

Dear father

                        My last letter I wrote I sent off in such a hurry, I dont know whether I numbered it or scarce what was in it. By the mail rider I sent you 2 letters one each of the 1^st & 2^nd. Soon after sending off my last one had orders to pack up in a hurry & leave at a double quick for Pleasant Hill to head off the Yankees who “they said” were coming into P. H by another road—one man said they were right ahead of us, another, that they were in our rear &c &c. Some got mightily scared, some thot we were going right into a fight & all sorts of stuff. I knew from experience that we wouldnt fight then (8 P.M) but that we might do so in the morning. The Col was so drunk he could scarcely sit on his horse & charged about, & swore like a pirate, bragged on the 19^th, got us all in a jumble by crooked orders & at last subsided.

            Such a run as we had of it—the train was stretched along for miles on a narrow road & we had to go by the side of it, the dust & darkness making everything decidedly indistinct, wagoners whipping up their teams, officers calling out “close up” & every one out of breath & choked up with dust generally, & tolerably mad. At P.H. we didnt find any Yankees & staid on an open plain in line of battle till we were allowed to build fires, eat somewhat & take a nap. We all got there in a perfect perspiration & on the plain the wind blew like a Norther till we were all chilled thro.

            I thot it would make me sick but it made me better & I am nearly over my cold. The next morning we marched till 3 P.M (2 hours of it in a hard rain) & camped near an old mill with plenty of very poor water.

            While on the march I saw Genl Green—he is not an old man & looks like a rough customer (for Yankees) to fool with. Yesterday we marched 16 miles, & came thro one side of Mansfield, but didnt stop, so I didnt see any of my friends there. Nearly all the inhabitants have skidaddled by this time. As all these refugees go to Texas, it must look like moving times in Marshall. It is indeed very moving/to see people moving away from their homes to avoid Yankee insult &c. Yesterday we came thro an awful dusty & sandy road, ankle deep in sand, no water scarcely to drink, a fine March wind blowing & blinding & choking us with dust, & we all in a sweat. Such a funny & dirt looking & dirty faced set I never saw before—we were all in disguise. At camp last night we had a fine time scrubbing off 2 or 3 outside coats of dirt. As yet we think we will rest here today & wash up.

            The reserve train of baggage leaves for Marshall soon we hear & I am going to send by the 2 MSergt in charge. If you see him (Rufus Price) he can tell you plenty of news. If we should fall back to Shreveport soon, I would like very much (provided you are certain of our getting there) if you could steal a couple of days to go down & see me—I want you to talk with you about your plans for the John & for the family business, anyway to have a good talk with you. If you should come, you mustnt expect me to be very clean, but if you bring a chunk of soap with you in your pocket, I will wash for your benefit. Soap is most amazingly scarce where we have been & my face, hands & clothes are begrimed.

            You had better provide yourself with a haversack full of biscuits to have, as eating often will be no doubt very uncertain in Shreveport with such an increase of population. If you bring along [      ], we can have a good [  ] together & be independent.

            Perhaps[          ] or [                ] would like to come too & if one should, he could bring a [       ] & then you will be independent on the sleeping question as well. I have no news to tell you except that I hear that 9 boats have landed/a force at Pine Bluff with a force imported for Shreveport. We will very likely have some striving times before long. I dont fancy having either army get so near my home, but I cant help it. Either is bad enough, both will ruin the country. I am pretty well now & can keep up with the head of the company all day, & not get very tired. Yesterday I was scarcely tired at all after our 16 miles of dust.

            There is nothing like getting used to a thing.

                        Love to mother & the children & regards to my friends from

                                                                                    Your Aff. Son

                                                                                                Fred

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