Year: 1862

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CAMP, NEAR SUFFOLK, Va, Oct. / l, '62


Ded,. Mother,


Being off duty to-day, lying in camp
thought would drop you word or two.


The weather is very warm here now. The
sun comes down the short treck. 1t is too hot
through the day to sit down and enjoy good
meal after you have foraged for it or 3 mile:
outside of the picket lines.


There are plenty of sweet potatoes and ap-
pies in this country, but we have to 60 great
distance to find them, as the soldiers have got
them all gathered that were near at hand. l
had a good mess of apple dumplings yesterday,
but no milk on them. That can't be got.
am pretty good cook, and generally get share
of what the country produces. The great South
ern Planters, as these people are called up North
by some of our big folks, or 'would-be's' that
never saw Southern plantation, appear very
common. Their dress is not very noticeable,
neither for elegance nor costliness have lookI
ed at both the country and town folks. Those
that live in town don't seem to mind the war.
You can see them march through the streets
with as careless tread, as if they trod on land
that had belonged to. their ancestors since the
days of Adam and Eve.


have talked with some men here, that Lave
taken the oath, and appear to be gentlemen
They seem to think if the proper means had
been taken, by both sides, the name of war
would never have been breathed in our councils.
l told them thought not. That both sections
were in for war, and war it is, just what they
wanted But if the persons that make war,
had to fight the battles, we would have very
peaceable country.


This was once a land of beauty and plenty,
before war and violence laid it waste. We have
had a pretty brisk time of it since we have been
here There is a large rebel force up at place
called Franklin, on the. opposite bank of the
Blackwater, some 20 miles from here. Our reg
iment marched up there the second week after
we landed here, but found no force on this side,
and the consequence was, we exchanged few
shots across the river with them, and turned a.
round and marched the 20 miles back with no.
body hurt Last week we received orders to
have rations on hand for two or three days
scout, against morning. Morning came and the
orders were to fall in, every man that was able
to carry gun. That the rebels had crossed the
Blackwater, and were coming down on us in
great force. We fell in with our little sixty
rounds of blue pills. and away we went, tow
ards Blackwater, to meet the boys. But we did
not have to 90 over ID miles before we fell in
with their pickets, drove them in, and found it
to be a true bill that they were coming. We
had a small engagement, and drove the enemy
back. Two of our boys lay rigid in deaths
cold embrace, and several were wounded in that
days reconnoitring But there was none hurt
in our regiment. The suddenness. of soldier
being rushed, uncared for, to the presence of his
God, creates no alarm. For he is like stran-
ger in strange land, and no one seems to care,
only so it is not he. You may simply hear the
remark, that such one is dead or killed out of
such company or regiment. A soldier be-
comes so that he doesn't care about any one
but himself. He becomes used to all the scenes
as they are unfolded from the panorama of war.
A soldier killed in battle is buried sometimes
sometimes he is not. 1t is owing to circum=
stances IF killed where his companions have
an opportunity to bury him, he is just rolled up
in his blanket, his garments saturated with
blood, and put into his last resting place. But
every one knows, death is omnipresent, in war
or out of it. He enters and departs and no
man knows when he shall knock at the door of
his heart. But man in the army never feels
the bitterness of the cup he might have to
swallow. So you may see that there IS not
much sorrow in the parting of soldier, for we
are drilling on the threshold of two worlds


We have this town well fortified since we came
here. We expect to be attacked every day and
night. If they try to take this town from us,
they will meet with warm reception.


received your letter wanting to know if l
had got the box you sent me. have never re-
ceived yet or heard from it. T'got Boor's letter
with the express receipt on it.


You said you heard was sick, | was very
sick about that time, had something like the
swamp fever and diarrhea, disease that is prev
alent in this country, but | am better now.


Over has been sick for three or four days,
was afraid he would die. He has got pretty well
again. Three of our men died last week at
Point Lookout hospital, an old man by the name
of Cook, from Pittsburg, and Henry Otto, from
our County, he was William Showman's SON.
in-aw Snowman, himself, died in New
York hospital some time ago.


saw the death of Major Tate in the paper,
l could hardly believe it. We have not been
paid off yet for this time. l expect we will
have to wait four months again, like we did the
last time. Yours affectionately,


JOHN b. HELM.