Lyman Barton to Melissa Barton
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I now take this opertunity to answer your most welcom letter that
I received a long time ago and should have aswerd it before
but as you was in no hury to write I supposed that you was
in no hurry to hear from me so I would take
my
time you say you have got nothing to write a bout nor no
news it makes but little difference to me what the sub ject
is, if its about the war farming or about that long leged
yankee of yours if it is onely a letter I am satisfyed but
longer the better. You think we have a great deal of fun in
camp but it is not so it gets to be an old story it is
rather lone some all of the time one letter from the north
dose me more good than all the fun we have in a month here
in camp
you see at the botom of the first page
all the battles that this Regt have been in I was in the
four last and am happy to say that I got out all right and
am able and willing to go into an other if need be if we
stay here the prospect for fighting is rather slim I think
the Rebs have got their hands full without comeing here.
July has been a great month to us there has been more good
done than there has been before since the war comenced if
Sumpter and charleston falls I think the Rebells chance
rather slim. We get dailey papers most every day so we know
pretty near what there is going on in the fighting line You
think that I hear from Crown Point and Moriah pretty often
but I do not think so I havent hardley herd from Moriah
since I left home I wrote to Pheby Moon but did not get any
answer
and in C P they think as you do that they
have got no news to write I have thought some times that I
would not write again but I dont suppose that would plague
them half so much as it dose to have me write and I am bound
to plague some body if I can and I care but little who it is
I think you will get your share of it before you get this
letter read and then onely think of it I’ve not got half
done yet I must take you up onto the Peninsula back to
Portsmouth up onto the West branch of the Elizabath river
where we are now building a fort it is vary warm here now we
onely have to work four hours a day I received a letter from
Father the other day he said the folks wer all well and that
Henry and James wer drafted I see that this sheet is most
full but what of perhaps you will find out I dirst not try
to read it for fear that I could not
Aug 3 I
will try and finish this letter now If I am not mistakand we
wer at Suffolk when I wrote you last We left Suffolk the 20
of June took the cars for Getties station with in 3 milds of
Portsmouth we started from there the morning of the 22 at 1
oclock for Portsmouth took the boat from there to Yorktown
got there about 2 A M
Took the boat from Yorktown for the White hous Va got there the
same day 26 lay still untill the first of July then we took
up a line of march in the direction of Hanover Junction for
the purpos of distroying Railroad Bridge depot &c we
crossed the Pemunkey River on R Bridge at White hous landing
passed through Larnsvill the first day
the next
day we marched a bout 5 milds and at night 5 of us went out
and confiscated a beef that would weigh a bout 5 hundred so
we had plenty of fresh meat there is one consolation for a
soldier he dose not steal any thing onely confiscates it but
we have to be pretty carefull and not get catched fetching
it into camp but when it is once in it is all right then the
next day we marched a bout 15 milds by King Williams C H
Brandy wine Mongohick to what is called Taylors farm the
rest of the troops went on except our Brigade they went with
in 5 milds of the Junction found plenty of Rebs there but
they did not do any thing they came back the next day the
4th the 118 had 1 killed and some wound then we started back
for the White hous
marched from the white house
to york town from there to big Bethell encamped on the
battle ground from there to Hampton got there the 12 took
the boat the 14 for Portsmouth marched up to camp lay in
camp 2 days and moved to this camp The weather is vary warm
here now (you would not believe me if I should tell you that
it is so warm that we can cook our coffee in the sun) you
wanted to know when my time would be out I enlisted the 7 of
June 1862 for the term of three years so my time will be out
the 7 of June 1865 the Regts time will be out in one year
from next October but the Regt is to be filled up with
conscripts so probably I shall have to stay my time out I
expected to get my discharge with the Regt
but
if it is filled up I stand a poor chance I can not think of
anything more to write this time and I think you will be
glad of it before you get this read so good by write soon as
conveneant
From your Brother L A Barton
Co K 8 Regt C V Portsmouth Va
M M Barton