Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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When I wrote you last I told you that I would write you in case we changed our
position. Yesterday morning we packed up and come over here about one mile from
the Fortress and are encamped on a peice of very bad ground which was ploughed
last year and it is not the Cleanest place in the world. The reason of the
change is that other Regts are coming in and we have to give room to them as
they are Three years and we but 3 mo. Soldiers. A Regt has arrived here each day
for Three days past and Two of them are Encamped within a hundred rods of us.
One is the Troy Regt and the other the N.Y. Zouaves and unprincipaled fellows
they are too. Yesterday they were Killing all the pigs and hens and milking all
the Cows they Could find. They also went down abt a half mile and broke open a
grocery and Scattered the
contence all over the road and I heard
that some of our boys were with them but dont know which ones. We are now abt
one mile from Hampton and Some fear an attact from that way but I dont apprehend
any danger as yet We have our guard Stationed all around the Camp and at a
fourth miles distance and they have an eye out for any approach Since we come
over here the guard have taken and brought in Four negroes and Two men on
horseback. the men were let go but the negroes are with us yet and want to get
on board a boat for New York They claim to be runaway slaves. Last night abt 9
oc one of the guard of the Troy Regt gave the alarm that the Enemy were coming
and an awful Confusion Existed in their Camp for some fifteen minuets before
they were in line. Our Regt formed a line in abt Three min after the alarm and
was
done very quietly and not a loud word was spoken The Troy boys
Kept yelling for the Vt boys to turn out and thought we were all dead or asleep
but we were on hand long before they – the alarm prooved to be false and after
remaining in line for 15 or 20 min went to bed in our tents. We had not been in
beds over 1 ½ hours before there was another alarm out in almost a minute
Every man was on the ground again ready to face the Enemy. This also prooved to
be a false alarm and all the boys did not feel very pleasant to be called out in
the night by the imaginations of some of the Troy boys who was thought were a
little tight To day is very warm and my Ears as well as the rest of the boys are
quite sore from the Effects of the Sun and if I had a straw hat it would not go
bad. We Shall have to moove in a day or two
so the officers say but
where we are to go is not Known to the men but probably we Shall go farther into
the country. I just this moment recd a letter from you and on opening it find it
was written the 12th day of May and where it has been since that time I dont
Know. the other I recd was written the 16th So you See how uncertain things are
as to recieving mails in this part of the world. I was glad to hear that you had
learned Carrie to pray for her Fathers safety and I feel with your prayers and
the help of the Almighty I shall be permitted to again meet you on earth. You
wished to Know about our living and whether we have enough. Our living is coarse
but we get enough of it at present but the boys Complain Some. This is the fifth
letter I have written you Since I Came here I thought I would tell you the
number so you can tell whether you have recd them all.
Wednesday May 29th
I will now try and finish my letter so that you will not be long without hearing
from me and I want you to write very often so that I will Know how you are you
cant think how much pleasure it gives me to get a good letter from you Since
Sunday we have moved again. on Monday morn we were up at 3 oc and at 5 we were
all ready to get on board the vessel but where we were to go none but officers
knew but after we were all on it was told us and after abt 1 Hours ride we
landed on the north side of the James river abt Two miles from Warwick and
Twelve miles from the fort We immediately took possession of a large peice of
level land which extends a little out into the river you will see that the river
is very wide at this point I think about Six miles There are Two other regiments
here with us one the Mass 4 Regt the other is the
2nd 7th New York
Dutch Regt. We were the first to land and Secessionists fled like frightened
fools They left their Houses Slaves Horses and Some their Guns and Revolvers and
are probably now at Yorktown abt 15 or 20 miles from here Some of the Mass boys
commenced plundering and Killing hens Pigs Cattle and Sheep but about one
hundred of them were arrested and put under Guard and the property was sent back
to where it was taken. You see by this that we are not allowed to take any thing
from the Enemy more than from friends We did not bring our tents with us the
first day but Camped out in a large Wheat field and made Shanties out of fence
rails and covered them over with bushes but it was lucky for us that it did not
rain We Cut the wheat which is now in the [milk] for our beds
and it looks hard to
to see 2500 men trampling down the Grain Corn
& Potatoes. by the way Pot are abt as large as Hens Eggs here now and some
of the boys dig them and Eat them on the Sly. We had a good nights rest and were
up at 4oc in the morn and down to the dock after our baggage which had now
arrived in a few minuets our tents were all up and things looked as if we were
to remain here. As soon as we got our breakfast we went at work diging a trench
and throwing up a breastwork around our Entire Encampment Our boys all worked
like good fellows and at abt 5 oc P.M. our part of the job was completed. The
breast work is to protect ourselves and if you could see the amount of dirt
thrown up by our regt in one day you would be Surprised. I will give you the
form
We dont Know how long we Shall remain here but probably after
we get fixed all up in good Shape we will have to go Somewhere Else if they
continue as they have commenced with us. The boys are now building bowers in
front of the Tents to protect us from the Scorching Sun I am afraid we shall be
so black when we get back that you will think we are Negroes or something worse.
We are all well by C. Thomson & Spencer and it is said they are to be sent
home. I recd a letter from Father last night and he is about discouraged it
seems on account of losses and war. When you write I wish you would send me a
few Stamps as I am out and direct the same as I last directed Kiss the babies
for me and if you can get their Photographs taken with yours do so and Send them
to me.
Your aff HusV. G. Barney