Dear Parents,

I received your letter this morning and was very glad to hear from you all. I should have wrote before but I thought I would wait until I got a letter from you. I am sorry to hear that you and Electra are worse but I hope you will be better.

Things seem now like the war would soon be over. Our pickets have skirmishes with the Rebels every day. We have a regiment of calvary close by our camp and two
companies of artillery, four guns each. They drill every day and some times practice shooting at targets. 

Last Thursday, 3 companies of calvary and the second Maryland went out about five miles to a place called Pollocksville. When they got most there, about 85 of the calvary went about 3 miles ahead. They were attacked with 60 calvary and some infantry were concealed in the woods. They had a brisk skirmish which lasted about an
hour. They killed six Rebels and took 3 prisoners. The major of the calvary was wounded and one lieutenant had his horse wounded. He went to go back to the rest and lost his way and was probably taken prisoner. Four others are missing and several were wounded. They drove the Rebels across a creek. The Rebels burned the bridge. If the infantry had been there, they might have taken the whole of them. There seems to be a considerable number of Rebels. The next day the infantry waded the creek. It was up to their necks. They carried their cartridge belts on the bayonet. They had a skirmish and took several prisoners and lost several. They could not get all the Rebels very well.

Saturday morning, about 2 o'clock we were routed up and told to get ready to march in an hour. The cook got some breakfast for us and we were in all ready on a line by four. We took our rubber and woolen blanket and left our overcoats. It was reported the Maryland regiment was surrounded and out of provisions and we had to go and help them out. 

We started at four and marched for ten miles. There was a steady rain all the while. The roads are different from those at home. The soil is clayey and a little rain will make 3 or 9 inches of mud. It was very hard marching but we did not feel it much. Everyone felt like fighting. I never felt more like it in my life. We passed the plantation of Colonel Evans. It was one of the best plantations I have seen. The family have left. The Negroes remained. There is a safe guard at this house. The Negroes have planted the farm. There is a very large peach orchard. The trees hang full. They are nearly grown. There is also a very large orchard of young apple trees. Figs and peanuts grow well here. This is the only plantation I have seen planted. We passed a saw mill, a grist mill and 3 cotton gins. After going about ten miles we were ordered to halt and about face. The Maryland regiment got out of the scrape. It was found they were surrounded with water instead of Rebels. They had a very hard time of it. It rained all the time from the time they started till they got back. They only had what provisions they carried in their haversacks. Being wet, hungry and tired they could not do much. They were ordered back and met with us. We had a large quantity of provisions with us. The tins were stoked and our cook made coffee for them. We went back.

We got back at twelve o'clock., pretty well tired out. It was thought strange that Maryland 2nd did not take them all prisoners. It has been ascertained that they had them all hemmed in, in a swamp. Our calvary went with us and if they had stayed we would have taken them prisoners. As it was the Marylanders came back. Two companies of the 11th Connecticut went out on pickets this morning. I don't know if they are to take the place of the others and go farther out ahead. I am rather lame today. I am as well as usual. 

We heard today that Mc McClellan had took 30,000 prisoners I hope it is so. It is also reported through Rebel sources that Richmond is taken. The 25th had a little skirmish with the Rebels toward Kingston.

We have had 21 new recruits in our company. About 50 have been discharged. All the regiments in this division have had orders to their full standard. We drill 2.5 hours every day now. It is warm and pleasant today. I think we shall stand the hot weather pretty well. 

I have not been sick any yet. We can go to the river and wash as often as we please. There have been some strawberries here. Blackberries are getting ripe. Mulberries are ripe. Flowers are plenty in the city but it is not so easy to get them. I will get some of the prettiest when I go there again.

They are rebuilding the railroad bridge that was burned across the Trent River. An engine is coming from New York. I don't know the man you spoke of from the 11th Connecticut. I found a good many things I did not feel were worth sending home. I found a large blanket made of lined carpeting. It was a handsome blanket but very heavy. I swapped it for an army blanket and got a dollar to boot. I think it was better than to send it home. I had a very large knife, over a foot long and two edged but I had no sheath and gave it to another fellow to send home. The Rebels had a great many knives and pistols. They threw them away at rivers or buried them. They were made of iron. The 11th Connecticut had a better chance to get things than we did. They went to the city as soon as the battle was over and we stayed near the battlefield and all we got was what we got in the camp.

Do not be afraid to write anything. My nerves are strong enough. It would make me feel a great deal better to hear that you all were well but if the sickness comes I want to know it. I hope Electra will be better by the time you get this letter. I will try and go out bye and bye and if I see any pretty flowers I will pick some. The cactus grows wild here and has pretty blossoms.

I don't think of much more to write. I thank you for writing all the news. I send my love to you all and my respect to all the neighbors. Goodbye for this time.

From your Son,