1862 April 14 Fort Monroe

on patriotic stationary featuring a red and blue vignette of a flag labeled "FREEDOM'S BANNER" with a quote from the "Star Spangled Banner" beneath]

the 14th 1862
Fortres monroe April
miss Eugene J[?]
Furness Dear sister
I have a little
time and a little
[fold in paper has worn away part of a line] I am well
and healthy we have moved
down the river one hundred
& seventy miles to fortress monro
it is a beautyful country round
here as i efer saw the reels have
all left here now and gone
back to yorktown about twenty
miles from fort monroe we
are quartered near the village
of hamton. hamton was a nise
town before it was burned
it was burned by the rebils
when they left here thy burnd
Every thing before them when
they retreat back

[page 2]
I have just got back from
shiping point I was within five
miles of the rebils I went
up there to move one of our
company to onload that  aminition
that we have had charge of
sinse we left washington
when i was up there every
thing was quiet before I got
back to camp i herd heavy fireing
ion that Direction the news came
the next morning that we
drove in the rebils pickets there
will be some fighting Don
here this weak up to york
town we have one hundred
& seventy five thousand men
here now and more coming
in Every day we will
lick them sure and no mistake
they are Bound to doe it

[page 3]
I had some fun yesterday
about three Oclock yesterday
after noon we herd heavy fireing
down to the river  gorge Owen[?]
and myself went down to
the river Double quick
about two miles when we
got there the old marymack
was about one mile oft from
us she is a rebil gunboat you
know she is the stranges
boat that runes on the water
the moniter is the next
stranges boat that is ours
the old marymack came up
to our boatlanding and took
three schooners of with her
rite in day light she was
accompanyed by seven gun
gunboats the monitor kept in
the chanel to keep her

[page 4]
From running the blockade
the rebil boats loked the best
they looked nise when they came
up in line of battle they shot
five times a pease but did not
hit eather boat the rebils then went of
it is sed that we will fight them
soon by water the boat that is
agoing to fight the old marymack
is not down yet she is building
now in newyork the marymack
is [caled?] the strongest boat in the
world she will com rite into our
boatlanding and take eney thing
that she wants and our nevy[?]
doe not like to tacle her she has
sunk two of our best boats
i must close [?] for this time
I recived your welcom letter this
morning was glad to heare some
from you you wished me
to write if I had to drill with the
Company I doe not drill nor stand
guarde not have not since we
came to washington I am
driving teem and still as Long
as i am in the survis I drive
[?] good horses as the government

the prospect is now that we
will be discharged soon Fenton
says that we will be mustard
out of the survis by the first
[?] so good By for this Furness

MSS 15455