1861 June 20 Yorktown, Va

My Dear Parents
I again seat myself
to write you a few lines. We are all in good
health at this time. Sunday we were ordered
to March down to Bethel. Which was a long
and hot walk. We expected to have a fight
immediately. we then got orders to March
back yesterday. We all shouldered our Muskets
and set out to Meet the invading foe at this place
and have a fight, but not a single yankee was here
We had to sleep without a single blanket. Nothing
but the canopy of heaven for our covering. We had
nothing to cook in, but long handled shovels. The
Waggons came in this Morning and brought some of
our baggage, but no cooking utencils. 7 waggons
Started this morning to bring the balance. I tell
you a soldier has a hard life, especially where
we have such rascally Commanders. every one in
the regiment are very much dissatisfied with Colonel
Magruder. Several of them gave him a curseing
but that only made the matter worse. He says the 3rd
Regiment is entirely to proud, wants to many things
He says he will learn us to cook ^ ‘meat’ on shovel & bread
on the ashes, like the Zouaves. He tried to proh-
-ibit the boys from going back after our cooking Utencils
this morning, but he could,nt do it. Captain Anderson

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will sacrifice the last thing he has got in the
world before he will let his men suffer, About 600
Soldiers are now encamped here. all that were
at [word lined through] Bethel came with us here yesterday. A
regiment of N.Orleans zouaves are now in camp
with us. They are the filthiest set of I ever saw,
but they are the the ones to do the fighting. We are
now ready to Meet the enemy, I don’t care how soon
they come, this place is tolerable well fortified. 500
soldiers has just landed from Lousiana, 1500
more are on the way to this place.

George has not been mustered in service yet, but
expects to remain until the war is over,
Nothing of Much interest has occurred since
I wrote to you before, this is [2 letters lined out] makes the third
letter that I have written ^ ‘to you’ since I came here
but I have not received a single one yet,
Please write. tell John to write also, I will
Send this by Lieutenant Mims to fort vally-
he will then mail it there. As he will soon
start I am oblidst to start come to a close
excuse Mistakes as I am very [word lined out] tired
and about half asleep. direct your letters
to Yorktown Va In care of Captain C. D. An-
derson of the Bu Beaureguard Volunters 6th Rgt
of Geo, Give My best respects to all
So good bye to all
L H Bedingfield

Lewis H. Bedington was a private in the 6th Regiment, Georgia Infantry (Beauregard Volunteers), mortally wounded at Gaines Mill, June 1862; He was one of three Bedington brothers to march off to war. His brother Robert E. Bedingfield was in the 4th Georgia Battalion and later a sergeant in Company G, 6th Georgia Infantry, wounded and permanently disabled at Second Manasses, August 1862. Lt. John Y. Bedingfield was with the 4th Georgia Battalion and later a captain in the 60th Regiment, Georgia Infantry, Killed at Fort Steadman, March 1865.

MSS 13119