A transcription of the letter is below.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Transcription by Nadia Shahab Diaz, class of 2017

Fort Heckman Moorehead
Citty Nov. 24, 1863

Mr. Warren,

Dear friend,

I received yours of the 7th
a few days ago and since
then I have receive two
papers, a Congregationalist,
Ploughman, and a tract
by the name of a Prayer for
the Oppressed. I thank you
very much for them, I am
always glad to see the
Congregonationlist Congregationalist
for it reminds me
of dear old New England,
where the sabbath is kept
holy, for I am sorry to
say it is not and insteed
can not be kept so in the [[end page]]

[[start page]] Army, I have not
been to church but once
since I enlisted., it being
the first time and only
time I have had a chance
reading matter no matter
what it is is always gratefuly
received in the army.
I have no news of any
consequence to write at present
except that Gen. Betler has
arrived and taken Comand,
his headquarters being at
Fortress Monroe, he has
been around her a few
days inspecting the defences of
Moorehead Citty and Beufort
and Fort Macon also
the Hospitals located here
and Beufort. [[end page]]

[[start page]] We have had one alarm since
not we have been in this
place, we ordered to be
ready to man the guns at
a minute notice. Three
Companys of the 158 N.Y.
went out to scout and see
what caused the alarm
and found two mule teams
that had go belated [[???]] so that
they could not before the
countersign was out, they came
in about eleven o’clock but
as far as I was concerned
{at least so my tent mates say) the
whole rebel army might have
marched into the place and
not have wakened me. all
I know is I did not wake up
untill reveille next morning and
then with a great deal of shaking.
There is a rumor that our Captain [[end page]]

[[start page]]offered the services of the Company
to go to Wilmington to help take
that place, but I don’t hardly
believe it, if it is true, by the
time you get this, I may be under
fire my first fire. You spok in
your last letter that you had
the had directed one letter
to Fort Meacon Georgia, I received
it but Fort Macon is in South
Carolina. To give you an idea
how we look when we turn out
for [illegible] inspection
or gourd mounting, I will tell
you how we how we have to
have our guns and equipments.
I will begin with our clothes,
they have to be brushed neatly,
butons polished brightly, and
not a dirty spot seen any where
on the cloth, our boots and [[end page]]

[[start page]] shoes neatly blacked.
our brasses polished so as
to look like glod gold. our
belt’s cardtridge box, cap box,
bayonette scabbard , blacked better
than I ever had blacked or had my
boots shined to home our
guns, I think I may safely
say that you may go through
the entire Company and
not dirty. a white kid glove
inside or out or any where
about them I care what place
you put your hand, they are
perfectly clean, the stock is
is scraped and varnished,
the barrel, lock plate, trigger,
gaurd, hammer, nipple
bands, guide night. in fact, every
thing piese of steel or brass [[end page]]

[[start page]] is polished so bright that
you can see your face in
it. I have scoured away two
guns and the third one well
under way but honestly and
fairly, I have not exagerated
it at all, you may not believe
but Company C is called
the Cleanest body of men
in this department and the
Captain says he intend it
shall be the best in every
respect in U.S. service.
I still enjoy good health
and keep in good spirrits.
We have not been paid
of yet and I do not know
when we, I do not expect to
before January, I wish you
would enclose a five dollar [[end page]]

[[start page]] bill as I have no money
and am of obliged to buy oil,
wax, tripoli, and utensils to clean
my gun with and very well get
those out without money.
perhaps
Perhaps the price of various
articles of may interest you.
Butter here is 45 cents a pound,
cheese 40 cts. Lb., sugar 20 cts. Lb., boots $10 at [[??] $26,
shoes $[illegible] at $16, and other articles
in proportion app, I wish you
would send my English grammar
Wells when you would send them
as soon as possible.
I send enclosed a photograph
of one of my old schoolmate.
I wish you would put it with
the rest of my pictures which you
will find in an envelope in
my trunk, I think it is in the
little pocket on the top lid in [[end page]]

[[start page]] case I never return and you
and can find any old schoolmate
of mine that was with me in ’63,
give them all to him.
Please remember
me to Mrs. Warren and all
inquiring friends.

Yours Truly,
Eugene C. Houghton

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