Camp Knox Carver Barracks March 26

 

Dear wife I rote you a leter imeately after yours of the 2d of march I have not received enny since I have ben expect one every minet & have ben disappointed whe had orders to march a week ago to day whe pack up evry thing and waited until noon & then the order was countermanded whe had orders to keep three days provision cook up so as to bee readey to go at a moments notice but whe have not had orders to start yet whe did not no ware whe was to go enny farther than Alexandria whe was to march down there & then whe were to go on bord transports for some other place whe may go morrow & whe may not go for a week & whe may not go at all whe were disappointed after we got all ready that we did not go I went down to the City a week ago last Monday & saw a bout a the curiositys I went in to the house of Repersentitives I did not go into the Senit there was an executive session so there was no admitance I went on to the Dome and I had a good view of the City & the beutiful Potomac I went to the Patent office and there was a great meny curiositys there / there was General suit of cloth he wore when he resined his commition & his sword his tent camp furniture & some of his house furniture the coat General Jackson wore at the Battle of Neworlenes there was the silk robes the Japanese sent to Bcanon they were curious stile but splendid silk there is models about evry envention that was ever patent in the United State besides a great meney curiositys to numerous to mention eny one could find enought to look a half day I went to the Presidents House I was in the Reception Room & in the Green Room His son willey was laid out in the Green when he died they were splendid rooms I was at the Smithsonian Institute there is curiositys almost without number birds skins stuft of almost evry description animels seals turtles fishes serpents birds egs shels of various kinds minerals paintings of evry race of Indians there was a sepulcer brought Asia &c &c I went to the City to curch last Sunday the Curch of the Epifeny was ware I went the minister preached a excilent sermon Our Chaplain some times preaches to us on Sunday on our parade ground on Sunday morning whe have to go out enspecttion with knapsack on the rest of the / day we do nothing until five oclock then we have Dres Parade

 

My health is good at presant there is not much sickness in our Regiment Our Captain is at home on furlow he will have to come soon unless he can get his furlow extended or resineds whe have not ben paid off yet & I do not no wen we shall I dont no but you will have to call on the town How do you like your new nabors Give my love to the chrildren if I go from here you can direct your leters the same as you have until you here from me again if I go away they will be likely to follow me

 

April 4^th Virginia about two miles from Newport News whe left Merideon hill March 28 went acrost Long Brige into virginia marched down to Alexandria got there about ½ past 8 laid rite down on the ground until morning Saturday whe march about 1 mile stayed until Sunday then whe marched down to Alexandria City a bout two miles went on board the steam ship Constitution went down to Fortress Munroe then whe took a small steamer to New Port News that was April 2 the same day marched a bout 2 miles to ware whe now are I dont expect to stay but a verry short time here I dont no ware we shall / go from here Direct your leters to Fortress Munroe I got your leter & papers the day before we started I would answer Chris T leter now iff I had time I will rite her as soon as i can iff eny of you are a goin to rite to Boston let Lemuel no ware to direct his leters I may have a chance to rite to him myself soon & I may not I rote him last but a short time ago the weather is warm here the peach trees are red with blosoms they are not opened out to their full sise Plum trees are wite with blosoms this is a good place for farming ware we are encamp we have not ben paid off yet get all you can out of the State Let those ho stay at home & take their case pay out their money iff they had to bee out in a snow storm all day & night as we was the secon day we was at Alexandria with nothing but our ruber blankets for a shelter they would not think the soldiers life so easy as they may now think it is if you can get oxen by giveing a bill of sale of propety iff you can get a bill of sale rote & send it to me I will sine it & send back you must do the best you can

 

Direct your leters to Fortress Munroe Virginia until you here from me a gain Give my love to the Chrildren My health is good We had a shot fired at us wen we came up to Newport News struck a bout 300 yards from us            from your Husband A T Katon

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