1862 February 9 Roanoke Island

Roanoke Island Feb 9 1862

I now hastily sit down to write a
few lines to let you know that
I have been through one of the
hardest fights yet known in the
war, and that thanks be to God,
I have come through (without a
scratch I was going to say) but
I did get scratched on teh bram-
bles but I am safe and well
and in the rebel barracks
we went into battle yesterday
morning early, and fought until
a quarter past twelve against a masked
battery, the glorious twenty fifth
commencing the action and going
ahead, and we have taken over
three thousand prisoners, and I think
twenty four pieces of cannon.

[page 2]
I have just been into the fort in
which were 12 large 32 Pounders
I am writing this on "secesh"
paper which I found in their bar-
racks I have also got some other
things which I will send when
I get a chance to write more
fully. We have fought the best battle
of the war, and have lost only 7
killed from this regiment and
some fifty wounded. None are killed
from this company. Three of our company
Geo Rice, C.H. Stratton, and John Gil-
christ were wounded and all I believe are doing
well. We have killed a son of old
Ex Governor Wise and taken several
officers. We are doing well and
when I get a chance I will write
more full particulars.
I left the New Brunswick and
joined the regiment again two or
three days before we landed.

[page 3]
We landed without opposition
and stopped over night un-
molested Friday night.
The name of the twenty fifth is
in every mouth. Not a man
flinched that I have heard of
though we were exposed in
one of the worst places that we
could have had being in a swamp
up to our knees in water and
amongst brambles and vies as high
as our heads. The whole island
is in our possession and we
have succeeded beyond all hope
or expectation. I send you one
of the "secesh" letter stamps which
I swapped for one of ours with
a prisoner. The prisoners are a
hard looking set dressed in all
sorts of shabby clothes and a good
many of them are glad to get
out of this scrap by being taken

[page 4]
There are probably not far
from four thousand of them
as far as I have learned,
as we are taking little squads
of them all the time, who are
coming in and giving themselves
up--I hope you are all well
and will not be too anxious as
there is not much chance to send
letters in this business. I have
not seen a paper since one
of Jan. 27th so dont know what
is going on in other parts of
our army, but we have reports
that the rebels are retreating from
Norfolk and that Manassas is
in possession of our forces, but
I hardly think it is grue though
I hope so. Give my love to all and
thank God for his mercies. I will
give you fuller particulars next
time, you can depend on this

[page 5]
because I was in it and have
seen the prisoners and talked
with them. so good bye till next
time. direct to annapolis md
Yours as ever J Calvin Spaulding.

Jesse Calvin Spaulding, Co. F, 25th Massachusetts

MSS 11293