Hiram H. Barton to Lyman Barton
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Dear brother
I received your letter April 1 I was glad to hear that you were
well I was surprised to hear that you was at Suffolk I
suppose they expected a fight you said there was 2 inches of
snow there it was a cold rain here but no snow If you go to
Ohio I hope and think you will find a better and healthier
country if you go I hope you will write as soon as you can
make it convenient give as good a description of the place
and the journey and the times as you can There has been
considerable excitement here for a week and a plenty of
stories about affairs at Little Washington there has a part
of the force gone from here there and heavy guns have been
heard for 3 or 4 days in that direction I dont think there
has been any thing told that can be relied of on
General Foster is there that is certain The reports have had
him
surrounded and he could hold the place 14
days the rebs had a batery on a point and cut off
communication gunboats had gone and could not get within 10
miles of the place the rebs guns could reach 5 miles and had
fired into our boats Brigadier General Spenola had got
killed General Foster said he would give any amount if he
could get word to Newbern A Lieut volunteered to come and
took 10 niggers with him the niggers was all killed or taken
and the Lieutenant got here safe troops have been going from
here all are under marching orders and all such stories have
been going all the while Foster had got 8,000 reenforcement
from Fort Monroe if that is so it must be the 9th A C the
158 Pa in from here had sunk on a boat and all was lost but
the pilot and 3 or 4 and the pilot was in jail this is the
style of the stories so far and it is my opinion they was
started by someone who knew nothing about it
April 8 the mail Closes to day 1 oclock nearly all the
troops have gone from here last night in the night going to
Little Washington I suppose they was mooving all night the
96 is gone I heard It seems that General Spenola want killed
for he got back yesterday couldnt get to Little Washington
because the rebels fired at him you may expect there will be
a fight for I think it is the plan to relieve Foster at any
rate it is said he is surrounded if they whop him there no
doubt they will try this place next but a small force can
hold this against a larger one if they have men enough to
man the guns in the forts but they could come in now very
easy as the troops are all away most I got a letter from
James the same time I got yours they are all well 4 ft of
snow and very cold I have not got a letter from Theador yet
I dont know as he gets my letters there is a great many
lettrs that never
get through where they are
directed Nelson sent a dollars worth of stamps to me and 2
dollars in money and I never got it I supose it will be a
long time before you get this and it may not I should not be
much surprised if there was stiring times here before long
the rebels are hanging around here watching the movements
they know what is done and doing here as well as we do and
if they are ready at the right time they can give us a hard
try they wont come here for any thing but stores and they
would get a pretty good lot here there is a good many stores
and groceries I am in the hospital yet getting better when I
take medicin and when I stop the diareah comes on so I cant
get very fat on that If you go west write as soon as you can
after
Direct to Hiram H Barton Co C 96 NY
V 1st Brigade Wessells
Division Newbern NC
Stanley Hospital Good Luck