Camp Near Newbern N C
Rail Road Bridge April 29th [1862]
dear wife i got your Letter of the 17th Last night and i was glad to
here from you i tell you there has not Been anything very Exciting Lately
out here you Say that you got two Letters from me the Last time
you did not Say anything about a Rebel Shin Plaster i Sent one
to hattie the money you got all Right well it will do you Some
good at Least i Expect the Box has got to N P By this time
i hope so you need not go up to Mrs Eldridge make her
Come to you i guese it wont Be a Large Sum to Pay on it i
Should have Paid for it at this end But i didnot know wether
it would get home Safe or not But i hope So John Merill
is a going to Send a Box to day or to morrow i Put a Raisr in [razor]
it for Father if you get it you Can give it to him about that Extra Pay
we ought to have got it Some tim ago i hope we Shall get
it nexnt Pay day that wont Be Long how did you Like
John Parsons Letter to the herald that was a good one the Best
Letter that has Been written to that Paper and it told the truth
that So well about Capt hobbs i Stated that he was [????????]
of the Company at the Battle well of Course i didnot know
anny diferent i was in the Coller Company But i Saw Capt Hoobs
a good many times that day and i thought he had Command
of the Company and i was told So to But if he was it is all Right then
i dont know who was So we will Let it Rest about one hundred
men under the Adjitant and Capt Martin went out about
2 oclock this morning to Bag Some Rebels But they got wind
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of it and Left all our Boys got was a horse a few suords
and guns a desertter from the Rebels Came in to Camp and
give him Self up yesterday he is from tennessee and he Says
he has had Enough of the Rebels the Bridge is fast going up
and will Be done in a week you Say that we have a
great deal to Put up with out here yes thats So and i hope
we Shall get the Chance to Speak one of these days
i Shall Expect a Box the Last of the week i have not had an
annser from Capt dade yet what does it mean i thought
i never Saw him Looking Better But he aint Been Put through
the work that we have well i gess i will wait till this eveing
and i wish this [??] yes i made a mistake in dateing my Letters
But it is all Right i Should Like to See you all and i hope
to Before Long i take a Look at your Pitchure and the
Childrens they Look good i tell you the Surgeons of the
Regiments have orderd for the men now to keep of[f]
fevers wiskey and quinine once a day quinine is a great
thing and it Saves a good deal of Sickness But it is
[burning?] in throat troubles me Some now the Canker is
Bad if i Could get Sulfer to take i Should Like it
Ned gurney and John Stockman have gone home they have Been
gone four days i wish i Could get a furlough for about Sixty
days But it would Cost to much But they are Sent home
free on acount of Sickness i Shall Send you five dollers
more in this Letter it does me good to Send it for you and
the Children i wont have it Said that i dont Send
my family Support as it is about Some i want
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you to Send me Some Postage Stamps for you Cant get
them for Love nor monney you Can get about a half dollers
worth i Expect that Some Big Battles have Been fought By this
time i hope So and the Rebels drove in to the Sea Blast
them we had ought to kill all we get they aint anny
Better than Canibels thats So i went about four miles
yesterday to Look around i Expectted to Run on to a Rebel Some
where But i want alone four of us went out the folks
do our washing here they are Poor Enough i tell you well
i will Close till moring So good night Friday moring it
has Reveieillee Beat at that time and Breakfast is Ready
to well i think i have written all the news mother has got
her Letter By this time and i Shall Expect another By the Last of
the week from you write often and Let me
know how you are and the Children i must Close now John Merill
is a going down to Newbern and i Shall Let him Put it in
the office give my Love to all from your husband
Joseph Barlow