Dear Sister,

I received your letter yesterday and was very glad to hear from you all.  We left Roanoke the 10th of March and reached Hatteras at night.  The next morning we started for Newbern.  We sailed up the Neuse River till we came to a bend.  We anchored here for the night.  The next morning we landed on the southern shore at a place called Otter Creek.  We started for Newbern before night.  We came to an entrenchment.  It was deserted.  The railroad was just beyond.  We tore up the tracks and ate our dinner and took the railroad.  It was nine miles to Newbern.  It rained all day.  At dark, we stopped and laid down in the woods.  We built fires and dried ourselves.  We had our blankets and laid nice, although it rained all night.

The next morning we fired off our guns and loaded them again so as to be sure that they would go.  We started about 8.  We had not gone far before the guns began to crack and the canon began to roar.  We kept on the right wing, slit off and we marched a little further and halted.  The New York 51st came up with us.   We were on the left of the railroad.  There was a battery right ahead of us.  It was all still there.  Then the rebels rushed into it from another direction and poured a volley into us.  It did but little harm.  We were on the side of the hill.  We rushed down and came up on the other side.  There was heaps of brush and logs.  We crept up behind these and commenced firing.  Not a rebel showed his head that was not fired at.   We kept at it for three hours.  There was one killed, two wounded in our company.  Our ammunition was most out.  Some fired 70 rounds.  Then we saw the others coming over the railroad.  They fired a few volleys and charged.  The rebels saw they were flanked and took to their heels and run.  We got up and gave them a parting salute in their backs.  We then rushed down the battery.  There was only the 51st and our left wing on this side of the railroad.  I did not know the rest of the movements of the divisions until afterwards.  The forces on the right escaped to the cars that was ready to take them.  Those on the other side were taken prisoner.  The cars crossed the bridge with a Union Flag or our gunboats would have blown them to pieces as they were near enough.  I will not say anymore about the battle.  There is prospect of having another.

This is Secesh paper.  The other is Love letter paper I will send you a letter, stamp and envelope.  I am glad to hear that you are no worse and hope that you will get better.  It is Spring here now.  The peach trees are in blossom, the grass is green, the weather is pleasant.  I hope the war will be soon over and I shall live to see you all.  I have not got the papers you sent yet but they will probably come in the next mail.  Direct your letters to: Burnside's Expedition, Second Brigade, 21st Regiment, Company F.  Write as soon as you get this.  My love to you all.

Goodbye for this time,