Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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You no doubt will be surprised to see my letter dated at this place. I should
have written you when we left Suffolk but every thing was in such a bustle I did
not get time. The Reg. left there for Yorktown via Norfolk and Ft. Monroe the
17th I had been troubled with diarhea for a few days and was pretty weak and
threatened with fever and by the advise of the Col. and Dr. I left the steamer
at the port and came over here abt 2 miles from the fort near Camp Hamilton when
Lt. Jewett was a few days
I arrived here day before yesterday and
would have written before but had no facilities The Surgeon in Charge says I am
not going to be sick and will be able to go to the regiment in a few days as
soon as I get so as to eat heartily and gain strength. I am very pleasantly
situated in this maginificent building (which was formerly a female seminary)
and have a room to myself with every thing as comfortable as I could wish. The
ward master is from Grand Isle and a brother to the preacher Robinson who once
came from Bakersfield with sister Lu & a Miss Morse a number of years ago.
she will remember him For a few minutes past there has been a great deal
of firing of heavy guns over at the fort and no knowing what is up
but I presume it is a salute. Our Chaplain came down form Yorktown yesterday and
says the reg. are encamped there on the old battle field but they expect to move
on towards Richmond soon and I am in hopes I will be able to join them before
they advance The news from Penn. is not very encouraging and if Hooker dont give
old Lee fits this time I will disown him I guess Little Mac will have to take
the command of the Potomac Army again to make it effective but the people of the
north are down on him because they dont agree with him in politics when they
know or ought to that he is our best Gen.
I enclose in this some
orders for state pay which I got of my boys who wanted the money here. also for
my own allotted pay all amounting to Two hundred Dollars. You will have to
endorse them and send them to the Treasury and state in a letter that you wish a
check for the amt on the Union Bank and you had better let the money remain in
the bank till needed. I hope you will not borrow any trouble about me for I am
doing finely and will no doubt be well and hearty in a very few days. direct to
this place till further notice. Love to all Your
Aff. Hus. V.G. Barney