Camp Near Kinston North Carolina
April the 30th 1864

Dear Rebecca I now take
this opertunity of answering your verey kind
letter wich came to hand last Eavning
the 18th ultimo which had bin on the Road [1]
Some time longer than it Should of been
it was directed to Charlston S C. & it
was fowarded from their to Wilmington
from their to Weldon & back to this place
So you see we have our travaled the
mail. We have had a General Review
to day of all the troopse in this militarey district
we had a Col. that took us through a
bout Right & let me here corect a mistake
which I made in my last letter I said Col Dan
tzler was Col. of the 22nd Regt he is onley
asigned to the comand, but Sais he will
be Col. without a shadow of doubt the
oficers of the Regt had petishioned for
him to be Col. if he onley hold our the
way he has comensed he is the man for
me he sais he has bin agreabley surprised
with the Regt. in Relation to drilling &c.
& Sais he would not Exchange his coma
nd for aney in the confedrate Servis So
you see we will soo have the best drilled
Regt in servis
[page 2]
One of the Rams which was to co
operate with the land forses in taking
Newborn is aground between here & town
they started down the River & run aground
Some think the Expidition [is a?] failure
But we have a rumer we [have?] for[???]
place to night but I do not belive it.
We left all of our bagage at Welson &
The Co. Telagraphed to Beaureguarde to no
whether it sould be proper to bring it here
he answered no. So we looking to go back their
& from their to Peaters burge or some where
Else in that direction I do not cae much
where we go but Would Rather stay Some
where between Charlston & Weldon but my
Rather in the case dose no good our wagons
came from Wilmington on the publick high
way or by land they came up yesturday Eavning
I have been all over the batle field it
looks natueral I will long remember old
Kinston & the 14 & 15th of December [for?] as long
as I remember aneything [???] had a good
many Ladies to look at us to day So you
may no we done better than we would of
done if their had of been none here
I hope & pray that this war would end so
I could be at home with you & Henrey
So fare well for this time William Martin
[added upside down at top of page]
You can let Lis Roland have
two bunches of palmetos I told Rile he beged me
so harde I would let him have 2 small bunches