Copy.Hampton, VirginiaMay 26th, 1861, Saturday.Friend Harding:

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Your letter, I forget of what date, came safely to hand today. I was glad to hear from you and Bradford, and have but one fault to find and that is that you did not write more particulars about the village and its inhabitants.

I have written a long letter to my wife, to which I refer you for particulars up to today. She will probably allow you to read most of it.

Since closing her letter we have had orders to be ready to march at 5 o'clock tomorrow morning without tents or baggage and with two days rations of pork and one of bread. Where we are to go we dont know. The Cumberland is to act in concert with us; and the 4th Mass. and a New York Regt. that has just come in and has not yet landed, are detailed to go with us as well as twelve pieces of artillery, manned probably by the regulars. The rumor or surmise is that we go to Sewells Point. You was correct in your idea that the firing at the battery a few days ago was within hearing. We could see every gun.

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Of course the boys have enough to busy themselves about. You will probably hear from us before this reaches you, and if I can judge anything from the way the whole Regt. looks at the matter, our good reputation and that of the state will be fully sustained. Whatever our labors may be for the next two days every man is determined to do his part as a true Green Mountain Boy. Today is Sunday, and just before dark we had religious services, and now we can hear at the extreme right of our line some of the boys singing a hymn, Cromwell style, as Stearns has just suggested. Capt. Andross is "on his muscle" as they say. This afternoon at the pistol practice the Capt. beat the crowd with one exception.

We are all in good spirits and hope that there is spring enough to our courage to keep us up for two days.

You shall hear from me again soon. Write often-

Yours trulyRoswell Farnham

P.S. Direct to Fort Monroe as before - not to care of Fairbanks & Co.

P.P.S. Maj. Worthen has just stepped in and he is as prompt as a Major - full of fight.