Newbern N. C. Apr 25th [1862]
Dear parents I take this opertunity
to let you no that I am well
and enjoying myself first
rate ihave ben sick about ever
sense I have ben here or I should
have writen before I have ben
on duty for three days I drilled
yesterday in the fore noon then
I and alden went over to the
fort in the after noon it is a mile
over there I got completly tired
out so that I am wrather stiff and
sore to day we saw apple trees in full
bloom the peach blows are all dropn
of[f] I guess thare is a goin to be a
good many peaches this year
the apple trees are not very plenty
here they are all young trees what
thare is we have a pleasant camp
[page 2]
ground here we have moved the
tents since we have ben here and made
the streets run the other way we found
a plenty of blankets we have two thick
hevy comfitables stufed with cotton
batin and one nise quilt and about
25 pounds of sugar a lot of beans
and wrice so i guess that we shal
not starve very quick for we draw
what we want to eat such as it is
it is not the best that ever was
some times it is salt horse and
split peas I do not like that we
draw soft bread twice a weeak it is
more than we can eat we have
got almost two loves [1] of old bread
now and we drew new bread to
day we draw one ration of whiskey
evry day I do not drink more than
half of mine I sell it to george he can
as much as half a dosen rations if he can
[page 3]

get it the Doctor orders it we
had quinine in it at first for
the ague the doctor gave me
quinine he said that I had the
ague he gave me so much that
it made my teeth sor so that I
could not hardly eat they have
got well now so that i can eat eny
thing i have a good apitite
now so that I can eat most enny
thing I have not got very strong yet
so but what my hand trembles as you
see by the writing I have fel away a
great deal since I have ben here
when I left the boat I waid [2]
166 here the other day i waid 148
but i am gaining evry day
I have got an apitite like an horse
I want to eat all the time. george is
prety tight he has baught a bottle
of whiskey some whare I saw it in his

pocket
[page 4]
he does not get so very often
he was on picket last night so he drew
a prety big ration and another fellow
gave him his ration and that set
him agoin and it made him crazy
for more and he got it some way
I do not no how please excuse my
bad writing and speling tel
asher and the wrest of the boys
to write and not wait for me
for my hand trembles to much to
write from your son
Alfred. Holcomb.
Saturday apr 26th
Today it rains very hard it comes down hull nater
Yesterday I was on Guard and did not get relieved untill
after it comenced raining this morning but our ruber Blankets
kept out the wet yesterday it was pleasent and hot had
a good time of it two fellows run the Guard and got
tight and went into an old negros house and raised the
old cat with him and his wife the darke came and made
a complaint to the Officer of the Guard we went and got
the fellows they was awfull tight I had to take one of
them down and give him a coming over before we could
kep him in the tent We have not got a mail yet but
expect one evey day Sergt Chauncey Holcomb