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Fortress Monroe, March 24 '62
Dear Mother,
You may think it strange to get a letter dated here We broke camp last
Thursday at 2 o'clock pm and marched three miles beyond Alexandra in the
rain, poured right down all this afternoon and it was not verry pleasant
marching. we were lucky enough to find some empty tents in camp Calafornia
so that we did not have to lay out in the rain that night Friday at 4
o'clock we started for the boats and made out to get on board about 10
o'clock at night. There is some twenty or thirty thousand troops in the
fleet and among them are the 14th Col McLamartin and the Ellsworth
Regiment. We came down the river on one of the Hudson River boats. There is
quite a number of them here, it was a splendid sight to see the fleet
coming down the river. There was no less than twenty steamers in sight all
the while and with the flags flying and bands playing it made rather a gay
scene. The Captains of the Albany boats had a number of races yesterday
which made rather exciting times. We are laying now between Fortress Munro
and Sewalls Point Can see the Stars and Stripes on one side and the
Palmetto flag on the other. The gun boat Monitor that the papers have said
so much about is lying but a short distance from out boat, it looks like a
long platform with a large cask setting on top of it that is the best
description that I can give of it. We are attached to Gen. Porters division
which is said to be the best lot of troops in the Army. I can not tell
where we are going too Some think to Richmond and some to help Burnside. I
do not care much which way it is if we only come out at the top of the
fight. We have been living on Sea biscuits since last Tuesday I have had
only one Cup of Coffee since we started from Camp. If you write to me you
will direct your letter to Washington just the same as you have done all
the time. I have not time to write any more at present
Your aff Son,
CJH
Historical Notes
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