Valentine G. Barney to Maria Barney
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To day is Sunday and I will Keep my habit good in writing. I believe I have not
missed a Sunday since I Commenced but it is not likely I will be obliged to
write to you many times more and happy I shall be when I Can be near you and
dispence with pen, ink, and paper in Communicating my thoughts to
you. the time will not be longer than to the 9th of Aug and perhaps a few days
sooner. I try to Keep my thoughts from home as much as possible so that the time
will seem Shorter to me but with all my trying I Cant help thinking of you and
the little ones a great Share of the time and as the time draws to a Close when
we shall again meet it seems very long
and I begin to count the
days, and Ere long will Count the hours and then the minuets till at last we
will be in Each others presence And better prepared to live hapily
and contented than Ever before. Nothing new has happened since I last wrote you
of much interest though we have got a telegraph wire from here to the Fort and
it is abt ready for operation This will be of much benefit to the officers and
will be a quick way of information as to the movements of troops &c. &c.
There are Evry day sent out from here Scouting parties, and day before
yesterday a party of 30 Dutchmen went out and Came in Contact with some 2 or 3
hundred Secessionists and as far as I can learn they Killed one and wounded 3
and took 10 prisoners of our men. They were pursued by 5 companies of
the Dutch
Regt but they just got inside their
intrenchment and were being Cheered as our men came in sight of
them. Skirmishes quite often happen between their scouting parties and ours but
without much loss on Either side and I guess this will be the most fighting that
will be done in this vicinity for some time. I recd your letter yesterday dated
at your Fathers and was pleased to Know you had a good visit at
[Lucille]’s and I hope will you Continue to Enjoy yourself
till my return, and after also. Gen Butler is here to day and they have just
been testing the power of the Rifle Canon by firing over the river They find it
acapable of throwing shells abt 5 miles so the rebels will be
prevented from Erecting their Batteries any Closer than at present There is a
Camp of Rebels abt 6 or 7 miles from here on the opposite Shore
and
we can see their tents very distinctly with the naked Eye. The other day one of
our Gun boats ran over and threw a few Shells in amongst them to let them Know
that they were within our reach. I have not yet recovered from my illness
Entirely as my bowells are very irregular but I am very
Carefull of my diet and hope to be strong and tuff in a few days
but I dont expect to be very Strong until I Can get into Vt and breath some of
the fresh mountain air and drink of its Pure water. It seems that Fred has not
lost any flesh this warm weather he must be a burden to you to get about with
from place to place. And Carrie has got to wiping dishes well I hope She will
begin to help her Mother and lighten the Task you have to perform Tell her I
will give her a chance to comb my head when I get home Kiss them both and think
of me.
I remain with much love your Affectionate Husband Val.G. Barney