Lyman Barton to Melissa Barton
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I received your most welcom letter of Mch 8th and was glad to hear from you and
that you wer well I am well at presant and enjoy my self pretty well as I have
every since we left Fredricks Burg the mud and cold weather was enough to make
any one sick of living We left Fredricks Burg February the 4 took the cars for
Acqua creek took the Steemer John Brooks for Newport News got there the 8 and
went into the Barrecks that wer built by the Mass troops It is a vary pleasant
place there it was not muddy there the soil is sandy a fine view of the river
one Monitor and the Gallena Iron clad lay in sight all the time and the Rebell
gunboat was expected down every day Merimack No.2 the Cumberland
and Congress that wer sunk wer partly in sight It was pretty cold whilst we wer
there and considerable rain well I have got to go out to role call now. well we
have had a role call and I will try and finish this letter before taps role call
at 8 oclock taps at ½ past then the lights have to be put out We started from
Newport News the 13 took the boat to Norfolk cars this place Suffolk got here
yesterday about 2 oclock it is not muddy here but we can not see any thing,
except woods the dismal swamp on one side we are encamped close to the villedge
I have not been into it yet quite a place I guess where we shall go next that is
the question If you here of a battle at Black water you may calculate that we
wer there
Theodore was right when he said that he did not see many
drunken men for the vary good reason that they cant get it but that troubles me
but very little for I have not taken a fancy to drinking yet I am bad enough
with out but I do not know as that would make me any worse for I am as bad as
can be hard spoiling a rotten egg I got a letter from R More the other day he
was well I have not herd for some time I can not think of any more at this time
So Good Night and good By write soon and all the news and if there is no news
write what is in your mind about matters and things of this world excuse bad
writing for I am sitting on the ground holding my paper in my lap a beyonet
stuck into the ground with a piece of candle in it our tent is about as big as a
good sised hencoop it looks like rain tonight direct as
before
So good Night
from your Brother L A Barton
To M. M Barton