Dear Parents,

I received your letter last night and was very glad to hear from you and to learn that  you are all so well.  I am in good health.  There is nothing of much interest going on about here.

Just now, the 29th Mass. and Howard’s Marine Battery had a skirmish near Washington City, NC, last Friday in which they routed the rebels consisting of one regiment, killed the colonel and many more, the number not known.   The Federal loss was 7 killed and 10 wounded.  Rumors came just now that Richmond was taken.  Ten thousand rebels laid down their arms and many more captured and one hundred and twenty thousand came into Goldsborough.  We may have a chance to have another little skirmish before long.  Perhaps they intend to attack us here.  I should like to have them.  They cannot take this place with their whole force.

We get the news here pretty soon after it happens here.   Now the canal being open to Norfolk , things seem to be moving pretty fast.  Now I hope they will push things along so as to close the war by the first of August.

Today is pretty cool.  We have had some pretty warm weather here but I think we shall stand it as well as the rebels.  The flies and mosquitoes are very thick here.  The latter are very large and are true Secesh.  Even cold steel will not frighten them.  You can judge something of the enormity of their size by the following:  I was on guard duty and sat my gun by a tree for a minute.  When I took it, the bayonet was gone and looking up I saw a mosquito picking his teeth with it.   There is a great many poisonous snakes such as the copperhead, moccasins, king snakes and bullheads and many of these have been killed when we were on picket.  In Maryland , we were all laying under a tree when two or three boys from another squad came along and found a large snake crawling into our tent.  He picked up a stick and killed him.  He was what the niggers call a bull snake, about four feet long.  He would have got into the straw and bit some of us.

The railroad bridge across the Trent River has been rebuilt.  An engine and cars will soon be brought from NY and run between here and Beaufort.  Beaufort is said to be a beautiful place.

There is not as much sickness in our regiment as there has been.  The prevalent disease has been chronic diarrhea and typhus fever.  Diarrhea has been the worst thing.

As for fruit, there is not much to be had here now.  We can get figs and lemons from the sutlers and plenty of blackberries and mulberries about.  Here that is all the fruit we can get.

I don’t think of much more to write.  I have sent twenty dollars, by express, the third.  You will get it as soon as you do this letter, I suppose.   Please send me some three and one cent stamps.  I will send you some papers.  We have a pretty easy time, 3 hours of drill each day in the cool of the day.  We had some brigade drill yesterday afternoon.  If I come across things to buy, I will send an oilbox.  We have passes to go to the city pretty often.  I guess I will write the rest to the girls.  Give my love to the boys and my love to both of you.

Goodbye for this time,

Henry

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Pvt. Henry Brown, Newbern, NC, June 10, 1862

Dear Sister Ada,

I received your letter yesterday and was glad to hear from you.  I am glad you are well.  I hope you will like your place.  Give my respects to Mr. Elliott.  I don’t think of any more to write.  I send my love to you.  Goodbye for this time.

Yours truly,

Henry Brown

Dear Sister Electa,

I am very glad to hear that you are better.  Tell father to give you some of the money to buy something that you can eat.  I send my love to you.  Goodbye for this time.