1861 December 19 Camp Wool

Cousin Carrie

The other day
I received a letter from you and [page torn; word may be "mother"]
and she requested me to wrigh you
Consequently will improve the opportunity

I was on guard last
night consequently do not feel very
much like wrighting so everthee so will
ling so here goes!

Our Present
location is situated on the lower
Potomac some fifty miles below Wash
ington when first ordered on here
we were first Regt on hand
it being a four days march here,
we came on expecting to return in
a week of so but as the Rebels had
put in operation several batteries
and had several thousand men here
though they might attempt to cross

[page 2]
at one of our Camps a man by the name
of "Posey" gave information to the rebels
of our Position and they thinking they
could "shell" us out came to this
side with the rebel Steamer "George
Page" which immediately began throw-
ing shells, however our Col. found
out what they were going at and im-
mediately drew us up at in line
when we loaded our pieces
and commenced a retreat to a
more secure position he[re?] we qui
=etly waited and saw them throw
several shells in the direction
of our Camp one striking near
heard them give three cheers and
could hardly keep from firing
on them but we were so situa-
ted that we could do nothing and
so let them keep at it hurting noth-
ing and wasting there powder.
That night we marched in
the mud and darkeness till af-

[page 3]
ter nine haulted for the night
by the side of a rail fence most
of the boys laying down beside
it, but low in the morning
no fence was to be seen, all
burnt up-After breakfast
of hard-Thack and Coffee marched
one mile where we camped for
the day, most of us needing rest
But we have
been largely re=enforced now
having over 2000 men here and
ninety piecies of artilery, and
every day more or less leden
pills are sent over the River
for our Secession naibor's to di-
gest and every hour in the day
we here the Bull dogs barking
and can see their spitfire--
The other day one of our boats
fired into one of there Batteries
throwing two shells in there Camp
after which they went over and

[page 4]
fired two of there buildings
containing at the time Sutlers stores
mostly--every night as our boats run
there blockade they belch forth at them
generaly doing no damage but making
a good deal of noise, we can see
the flash at any such time and all
the smoak as it curls up in grand
colums and can here the balls whistle
as plane as if they were aroned us, some
of them strik within half a mile one
sixty four pound shell struck near
and burst shaking our very tents
But one needs to
here and see to know the horrour of
war we have been in one little skirmish
one six of the Regt getting wounded
how soon we may be called into act-
=ion I know not probably soon as we
are making preparation to cross the river is
evident-and we have been furnished
with a new Rifle a fine gun shooting good
five hundred yards But I must draw
my letter to a close hoping you will ex
cuse past offences and trusting you
will answer soon, while I am now
wrighting there is a constant discharge of
cannon in the direction of Alexandria
do not know what it is--
Bulls Run is twelve miles from
here so you see how near the scene
of action we are--good Bye
from Henry P.[?] Ford

MSS 9722