Wilmington NC
Feb the 26th 1865
Dear Cousin
I take my
pen in hand to drop
you a few lines in an
swer to yours of the 9th
of this month which came
to hand yesterday. I was very
glad to hear from you
and to hear that you
were well, but I was sory
to hear of the loss of you
little Brother.
We are all OK asfar
as I know of
I am sory to inform
you of the death of one
of our best Soldiers
[page 2]
James Mc Daniel he
died on the morning of
the 16th while we were yet on
the Boat. His loss will be deeply
felt in the company for he
was a good soldier and liked
by all in the company
We got off the Boat on
the 16th and on the 17th we
moved on Ft Anderson we
got into it on the 19th and
on the same day we started
to move on Willmington
we had a little fight on
the 20th we took in about 400
of them and 4 pieces of artil
ery and on the 22nd we got
here. I dont know how
many pieces of light artil
rey we got but we got near
40 pieces of heavy artilery
we took no prisoners only
deserters
[page 3]
They had about 8,000 of
our prisoners here, we relieced
about two hundred of them
This is quite a town I think
is about as large as Piqua
but not so compact
There is about 9,000 inhab
itats women and children
in it, and there aint enough
provision to feed a mouse
out side of rice there is
plenty of rice and that
is all they have to live on
The Government will have
to keep them or let them
starve to death
We have inlisted nearly
a regiment of Negros all
ready here
This is a very bad day
it rained all night last
night and it is still raining
[page 4]
My paper is so wet that
I can hardly write on it
at all
This is a warm coutry
there hant been no snow
here yet, nor I dont think
there has been much frost
if any from the look of
thing
Well I think we will get
another boat ride before
long I think will take
transports to Newburn NC
at least that is the general
impression at any rate
Well I will close please
write soon again
Henry P Johnston
PS you will find some
cards inclosed you will
please distibit them as [they?] [1]
are marked They aint very [good?]
but they will show you how I worked at
Wilmington [2]