Year: 1864

givings that / attempt to write at this
time, knowing that while in other parts
the armies are hard at work in the " glo-
rious cause" and here every thing is
nearly as quiet as in times of peace. Oc-
casionally few rebels make themselves
ridiculous by a descent upon some of the
outer pickets, or by removing portion of
the track from the Rail Road, which can
be no help to them, and only causes a lit
tie confusion with us for few hours.


All the troops that could be spared
from this district were taken away at the
opening of the spring campaign; and
scarcely enough left here to do the picket
duty.


July llth, our regiment came to New
Berne, and we are now doing picket duty
at the outposts, generally one company in
place. Co. H, is stationed several
miles from New Berne, doing picket duty
on the Rail Road leading to Morehead
City. We have the most pleasant camp
we ever had, and have our tents stock
AIDED" in beautiful street covered with
bower extending across the county road,
to and over the officers tent, making it as
cool and pleasant as soldier could ex.
pect. Wear but short distance from
the Neuse River, where the men bathe
twice each week. The country about our
immediate vicinity is quite low, and the
continuous rains of July and August,
have made it very damp and muddy.


The health of the company is far bet
ter than that of any othe in the regiment,
there being but three Or four unable to do
duty. The boys are feeling first rate ;
and though the guard duty is hard, they
do it cheerfully. Yesterday our usual
quietude was disturbed by squad of reb-
els who came from the opposite side of
the river in boats, and marched to the
Rail Road, four miles below our station,
and captured hand ear, with had four
colorcd men aboard, killing one, and
wounding two others. They then loos:
ened a rail, just before the morning train
to New Bernc came along, which caused
quite smash up. The engine passed over
unharmed; six cars were thrown from the
track, three of them being demolished.
The train was loaded with passengers, but
luckily only one was seriously injured.


One soldier from the I'd Mass, Heavy
Artillery, had his thigh fractured SO bad
ly. that the surgeon thinks it very doubt
full about his recovery. 1t was probably
the intention to rob the train, but as it
happened there was large number Of
men on board, and few soldiers with
arms. Co. H, was up and after them as
soon as the news arrived, but the weather
being quite warm by the time we had
marched four miles, some of them were
played out" All who could march
we're deployed as skirmishers and the
country was all hunted over for miles
around. At length we found their trail
which we followed for miles, coming in
sight of them once. We learned where
they landed, went and found their boat
which was fine Yawl capable of carry
ing thirty men; probably once it was a
boat belonging to some vessel.


1t being near night, and alltired, hun.
cry and wet fourteen of us jumped on
board, and with few poles we started.
1t was three or four miles to the river
down through a narrow creek but We
worked along splendidly, until we met q
small schooner going up tho creek after
turpentine. We informed the master Of
the trouble, when. he Immediately "about
ship" took us in tow" headed toward
New Bcrne, and when we had got nearly
opposite our camp we managed to get or
shore and into camp, where we arrived at
10 o'clock ?. NJ.


One company was sent down from New
Berne to the scene of the disaster, where
they hunted in vain for the raiders. The
number Of raiders was from twenty tt
thirty as near as we could learn. To-day
the track is cleared. repaired, and two OF
three trains have run over the road un
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