Hampton. Va. Apr 2^nd 1862

 

            Dear Parents

                                    I am now as you see by the date of this in Hampton about four or five miles from Fortress Monroe. report says that there is over one hundred thousand troops in and about here and one or more Brigades coming in every day. The town was once a right smart pretty place the buildings being built mostly of brick but now there is nothing left but the walls and chimneys. Since I last wrote you I have visited the Marshall House in Alexandria where Col Ellsworth was shot. We left Alexandria Saturday the 29^th of March by boat to here. we arrived here yesterday. (we includes the whole of Gen Gormans brigade) nothing worthy of note occurred during our voyage /

 

As we passed the Fortress we had a chance to see the notorious yankee cheese live on a raft as the rebels term it all that was visible was in fact nothing. it looked like a large raft about eighteen inches out of water with a round house on top of it I should judge to be ten or twelve feet in diameter and eight or ten feet high. To day Robert Shannon came to see me he is in the Mass^ts ninth regiment quartered about two miles from here he is well and sends his best respects. I received your letter yesterday I must close for the present as I have time to write no more now

                                                                                    Whitman

 

Thursday morning

                                    I have not time to write but a few lines as the mail is about ready to start. Tom would smile I reckon to see our camp now we left our tents behind / so we have no tents now except those made with rubber blankets just large enough for two to sleep in and not high enough to sit up strait I am writing this lying down. Yesterday I saw some peach trees in full blossom they say there is a good prospect for a good peach crop this way this year. I must now close. Give my best respects to all enquiring friends

 

                                                                        Yours &c I remain

                                                                                    W.W. Bosworth

P. S.

            Direc't as before

                                    W^hit

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