Opposite Roanoak island feb 14 [1862]
Friends at home i take this opertunity to let you no that i am well and enjoying good health we got yous dated the seckond last night and was glad to hear from you we have had what we have ben looking and wating for that is a sight of rebbels wee have taken roanoak island with 4000 prisoners they are a hard looking set they hav all sorts of uniforms and guns of all descriptions they threw a good meny into the water tell mister drake that wee are a goin to take the city of newbern in a few days i expect thare is a large force thare we shall have reinforcements fore we try to take it for we hav left part of out men on the island we had a [page 2] hard time the first day on the island we was in mud and water up to our nees all the fournoon and then marched about six or eight miles to attact another fort we had got with in a bout half a mile of it when word some that they had surrenderd then we went down and looked around some then came back a mile or so to a farm house and staid two days we had a good time there a hunting the boys brought in alot of pigs five or six beef creaturs a number of wild gees and duck and hens by the back load so we lived pretty high for a couple of days but i was glad to get on the old rainger again living on hard bread and salt meat i have got so i like hard bread first rate I got a letter from aunt sophia last night she wanted to no how we [page 3] live tell her that we live as well as can be expected under the circumstances we do not expect to live on pies and cakes here we get enough to eat such as it is thare is not half so much growling as thare was on shore when we had that that was better we get all the hard bread and salt pork or beef that we want to eat and rice or hominy two or three times a week and a cup of coffee twice a day all we have to do is eat and grow fat i have not seen but two sick days since i have ben on the water then i had the sick head acke it is more healthy on the water than on land here for the land is low and swampy whare the fight was. the water was about nee deep. i am glad that i am not at home to be led of[f] by Coll i think i am better of[f] than he is if i could see him i should afvise him to enlist [page 4] he would be better off than he is now this life would jest suit him it suits me better than farming dos give miy best respects to all the boys and tell them to write and not wait for me for they have a better Chance than i have i had to sit in a bunk cros leged and write on a tin plait to write this. from your son A Holcomb