[1] Fortress Monrow
March 24 1862
Dear wife
we hav a arived opeset
the forte this morning at
fore 4 oclock it is now nine 9
o clock we are still laying
in the streame expeting
ting to gow to the warfe
everey minet it is splende
forte it is lined with
gunes on the top the
big floid gun pinting
right at us she throws
a ball fore hundred 4.50 poun
fore mile the river is
lined with vesles ling
hear some of them are
transportes some are ware
vesel s i think thare will
be something before long
[page 2]
we hav had a rather a
harde time on the roade
sleeping on deck exposed to
all the weather firs two
nights it was wet and
not two much to eate
dry crakers and porke
plentey of that we are
the onley cavalry out of
our rigment thay say
that we are general
porters bodey garde
fore ru[n]ing messeges from
one campe to another
i do not know when
i shall hav the chance
to poste this letter i shall
poste it the firste chance
it lookes verey nice along
the beach it lookes like
cape may the ripraf is right
opseate the forte
[page 3]
we can see newporteness
it is on the jamesses river
we can se sewillpointe it
is on the elisebeth river
one is on the right the other
is on the left i hav juste
came from the monster that
is our iron battery she had
an ingagement with the
rebel stemer maremac last
saturday week i seane ware
the rebles balls struck her
thay only made small dintes
in her none of the men
ware hurte she has a rounde
cillender the two guns are
in this sillendr so the
men are not exposed to
the shot ore shell the
meremack run into her severel
times but it was not use
she is nearley all iron
[page 4]
it is now fore 4 oclock
we are just gowing to
land now we are to encamp
at hampton fore mile from
hear direct yours leters
camp marcy ore else wear
till my nex i will wright
in a day ore two we are
living well dry crackers
and raw porke fore dinner
i expect the same from super
hampton village march 25
we put up hear all night
Direct your letter to
fortress monrow
in care of our capten

from your effectnate
Husband Wm Band
we are all well