1862 January 5 Camp near Falmouth

[large portions of this letter written in pencil have faded or have been obliterated by fold lines]

Friend Henry

I take this opertunity to write
you a few lines as I told you I should
before I got to the sacred soil of old Varginia
I came here on last Saturday a week had no
trouble getting here [rest of line obliterated by crease in paper]
fine Whe had a pleasant trip here the
boat at Washington for Aquia [?]on [?] Tuesday
got to camp about 8 o clock in the
Evening it is 17 miles from the landing at Aquia
to Fredericksburg their is a Rail Road from their
Camped about 3 miles from Fredericksburg [?]
[line obliterated by crease in paper]
laying along the river yesterday I was out on
picket & I had a right good time I would
Just as soon be on picket as in camp if whe could
have some arrangements for Sleeping whe are just
now cooking Dinner whe have some potatoes &
some pasnips that I got in a garden when out
picketing I t hink it will make a fine Dish

[page 2]
Whe have to mange a great many[?] way
to make hard tack and salt pork keep
one alive fried crackers and crackers hamered
up and cakes made out of them is the
principal living I tell you I wish I had
some of the sider and apples that you
are in cumberland co I could do well their
is not an apple to be had I seen them sell
at Aquia Creek at 7 Dollars per Barrel and
retail at 3 for a Dime the regiment is Small
at this time their was a good many Killed
and wounded in the last fight and since
that a great many have taken sick thoes
sick have ben sent of all here are prety
well and the health of the men has been good
since their sick have been sent a way I
have been well much better than I could have
expected just coming from home and going into
the hard ships of camp whe[n] I came here the
boy had just to lay Down on the ground with-
out eaven a blanket but some of them it was
rather hard I whe have since got shelter

[upside down in top margin of page 2]
Will Jones John Harys[?] & I bunk togather have a good
mess have a hole dug in the ground about 4 feet
square and 2 feet Deep Keep [?] warm

[upside down in top margin of page 1]
Tell Eberly and Hoover that I am all
right and wish they were here for a few days and nothing [?] it
is to hard
for white
men
Tell Irven to write to me soon
if you see him
that I am well
my [?] to your Brother


MSS 11395