The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1863-03-11
From the I7Ist Regiment.
NEWBERN, n. c., Feb. 5, 1868

NEWBERN, n. g., Feb. 3, 1868.
| hear that the editor of the Journal
thinks | grumbled too much in my last.
1t was written in no grumbling spirit,
nor with thought of fault,6uding. Many
of my friends desired | should write to
them the minutla of soldiers life, ex-
actly as it appeared to me, and if | in
serted too much of my own thought, while
still sore from one of the hardest marches
on record, | must still assert its truth and
the belief that time will, at last, set all
things even.
The health Of the Reg't is frst.rate.-
But very few attend to the Doctors morn
ing call, and there is but one of the Pot
ter County men in the Hospital-M Manss-
sa Courtwright of Harrison. He has
been and is very sick with a fever, but
is getting better The care of the sick
in hospital is frst-rate; the Sisters of
Mercy, like angels of mercy, fitting
around their bedsides. Just as we Lad
fitted up our quarters and camp comfort
ably We were ordered to pack up and
march. We moved two miles and pitch
ed our tents on the bank of the Neuse
River, one mile South of the city of New
bern. We moved Jan. 23d, and imme,
diately commenced fortitying. We are
surrounded by many other camps, ours is
fanked on the left by the River Nsuse-
here some two miles wide, float large ves-
sels-aud on the right by a deep creek
Il l..
borough r. R. runs through our camp.
We worked digging On the breast works,
three days and part OF tho nights, with
out relief, until they were done. The
men worked with will, and the General
remarked, (although he believed iu using
the blacks where they can be useful, }
that we moved more sand in three days,
than so many negroes would in month.
There are other extensive Notifications
around here, and more continually build,
ing, all of which seems 10 indicate our
staying here for some time
The expedition which left here some
time since, took off all the troops which
could be spared, and these later move
ments here seem to point to smaller
force holding the place than formerly
We have no word from the expedition yet
There are, besides large numbers of ne
groes gathering in here, who must have
the protection Of considerable body of
men or their liberty might be cut short |
There are several extensive quarters for
blacks here, all we'll filed up and contin-
ually oularging. One is on the bank of
the river to the left of our camp, in which
are several hundred families: all regular
ly rationed by the Government. To 60
amongst them of warm, pleasant Sun
day, when taking their holiday, visiting,
talking and showing in their rude way,
those courtesies to one another which ali
people do in some way or other, is both
laughable and pitiable. The men are
smoking, and conversing with look of
wisdom which would do credit to knot
of Congressman the women chatting
their gossip and eating snuff; the child
rem, barefooted and in rags, playing the
usual games of childhood | have seen
many of the men with spelling books
learning their letters and reading short
words, but never woman nor have |
yet seen a man who was slave who could
read. | have seen few bibles among
them, and have sometimes, at their re-
quest, read a chapter or two to them, at tue
recital of the sublime and simple language
at which they appeared enraptured,-
Standing on the long wharf in the twi,
light where you have fine view of river
and shore; the cabins peeping from
among the trees, the watermen in their
boats, the sound of singing voees,fr tho
shore and the blaze of the light wood {
fires, present scene romantic aud en-.