Fayette ville North Carolina
March 14 1865
Dear Catharine I am Blessed with
the Privilige of writing to you a gain
it has been 44 days since we
left Buford S C we Marched
clear throug south Carolina we
taken Columbia the Capital
of south Carolina with but
little fighting we had two killed
and two wounded in our Regt
Preston Flin & John Mood was
killed the town was a nice place
when we first come to it but we
left nothing but the Chimneys
standing there is a black stripe
left where the army come through
the state from Columbia
we came to Cheraw on the
P D river Cheraw was a
nice town they had a large
a mount of cotton and
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and aminition at that place
and we Burned it all and the
most of the town from thare we
Come to this place this place
is on Cape Fear River a bout
one hundred miles from Wilmi
ngton the Boats Comes up to
this place Charlestown &
Wilmington is both ours &
the report is that Richmond
is evacuated we have been
here two days I think we will
leave to day or to morrow but
I dont know where we will go
to we have been on short
rations for some time we forage
and get meal and meat we
have not drawed any crackers
for 15 days but we have plenty
in the train yet the idea is to
let the army live on the Country
wher there is any thing to get
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Me & Bill & Nickeson
Messes to gether we have thirty
pounds of flour & plenty of
Coffee and meat so we are
doing firstrate we have had
a good many men captured while
they was out foraging salutheal
Thompson was taken prisner
they held him ten days but
he broke gard and met us at
this place there was great
joy to see him a gain the health
of the boys is good we all want
to hear from home as bad as
you want to hear from us I
here there will be two Boats up
here to day and we are looking
for mail Me and William
is in good health I will
write you a big letterer
when we stop again
[page 4]

Hugh Gaston to Catharine
Gaston