1862
Newbern N C Monday April 14th
dear wife i now Sit down to Pen you a Line
two Let you now how i am i am about the Same as usual the Reg
is now Encamped about ten miles from the City we
Came out here Last friday By order of gen Burnside
to watch the enemy and Builed a Bridge that the
Rebels Burnt down on their Retreat it is the Rail
Road Bridge and we have with us the third New York
Battery to Protect us while at work our Pickets are out
all the time and we See the Rebel Pickets every
day they Look at our men and our men Look at them
and fire a Shot at one another this moring one of
our Pickets Shot a Rebel they Came down the
Railroad Rail Road a Little to far they fired at
our men first Some of the men Brought the Rebel
in to Camp he died Soon after and we Buried
him our Regiment is the advance gaurd there will
Be a grand forward movement Before Long But i
hope that the war will Be over Before that i will
tell what kind of a Place this is out here in the
first Place it is Real Pleasent here there is three
Large Plantations two are owned by union men
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the other By a Rebel he is a col in the Rebel army
i have got acquainted with the union men and with Mr
May in Particlur he is a nice man and he knows
more than all the Rebels that i have seen Put together
i had a cup of Coffee in his house the night we
got here he has got one or two nigers all the
Rest have Run away he Says he dont Care if
they will never Come Back again i thought that
he and his wife were northerners wen i first Saw
them the Planters out here keep a great manney
Pigs and hens they dont keep them in Pens they
Let them Run well our Camp is on a Little field
By the Side of the Rail Road the wether is hot
here now i Saw Some Potatoes up eight inches
out of ground turnips and Lettice and So forth
they Say that the mail had has got in So
i will Stop till to morrow and Se if i get
a Letter tuesday noon dear wife i have Just
been to dinner and i feel Lasy it is hot i tell
you and no mail yet But i gues it will
Be up this afternoon i hope So that is good
news about the Battle at Corinith the Rebel
gen Johnston kiled and Beauregard Lost
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his Left arm oh i tell you that Such fights will
Soon End this war i dont know what the
Rebels will do without Johston Johnston he was
the Best gen they had well good for the
yankees. this forenoon John Merill and myself
Bought two Pigs of[f] Mr May and this afternoon
we are agoing to kill and dress them we Paid
Six dollers for them one is for the Capt the other
for our tents here we want Some fresh Pork
and we are Bound to have it thats So you must not
feell Bad about my not Sending more monney
But i wanted to use Some for one thing and another
But i will Send Some more as Soon as i get it
we have not got our Extra Pay yet it is the
fault of the quartermaster he is a Slack thing
and we will have to Pay our clothing Bill
and what is Left i will Send you you will
get the box this week take good Care of the
things Mrs Eldridge will Pay for half of the
Box if you Send a Box to me Send a Small
one So it wont Cost much i dont Care about
Cakes or Pies they wont keep But you Can
Send what you are a mind to well
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no Letter yet So i will Close for the Present
for i must get Ready to kill my Pigs monday
moring the 10th the mail got here Last night
But i didnot get one i was disapointed i tell
you and So i will Close this one direct your
Letters to Newbern the Same as Before
give my Love to all kiss the Children for me
from your husband

Joseph Barlow