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Bill Osborn to his brother David Osborn, October 26, 1861

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  • Bill Osborn writes to his brother David in this letter of October 26, 1861. From outside of Wilmington, NC, he describes illness affecting many of the troops and conditions about life in the army. He looks forward to returning home as soon as possible.
  • Bill [?] Osborn to his brother, David Osborn, October 26, 1861 Direct to Willmington [?] 24 Reg M__ Va Care T __ Lenoir Camp Davis Oct the 26/ 61 Dear Brother David We are now camped on the Distant shore of the N. Carolina 11 ½ North West of the Beautiful town of Willmington on this sea cost where the sand is a Bout a ________ _____ and the good situation of the Country is low and swampy As to the general health of the country it is good so for as I know if it was not for the sea Breas I look uppon this as one of the sicklyest country that I have seen. I this will Be a splended place for soalgers [?] to stay in the Winter time though it is not thought that we will stay hier long it is thought [that ?] we will [go ?] from hier to Goldsburrough in this State to Put up our Winter quarters I think I had juist as soon stay hier as any place except with my Wife at home that would Be fare more preferable than any place an the tap side of this green Earth. If God should spare me to get home I am [gowing; going ?] to stay there. I can tell you what hurts me the most when I come down heir I saw young men steping about heir and caring nothing at all about the condition of the country, and say that there is no use [?] for us hier, and right hier I will say to you it goes [?] prety hard with me to live without eating, to eat what we do get is not fit to eat and only [?] half rashions at that, you know that I have all ways had that which was good and plenty Oct 26th 1861 Since I wrote the last Page there has bin two of our men cared off to the Hospittle with Tyfoid fiver Mr James A Blalock and Tillman Bug. the last named is very low. I think uncertain whether he recovrs or not. J.A Blalock is one of my mess and is very clever young man if we should lose him I should reget it very much. I hope our kind Protection will return him to health a gain. Our Dr says that there is gowing to a greadeal of fever heir for the last month I have not Bin able to Drill my self But I now Beter than I have Bin I Pray God that he may restore my Father, that I many return to my friends. I have kindly treated Buy my friends heir As it regards this regiment geting into a fight with our [common ?] enamy it is not probable nor likely our Col gows on to day if there is no more propabilty of us geting into a fight than there is now he intends to get us off Buy the first of March he says that he knows that his men is composed of farmers and thire time will Be out at such a time as will cause them to lose there crops if we was to stay till our time was out it would be the first of June to through the regiment [on ?] and equalility [?] I have nothing more that would interest you. I want you and Mr Johnston to write to give my Best Respects to Mr Johnston and his Wife as you may be ____ to Haywood I will Direct you and Mr Johnston Both you Brother [Bill; Rll ?] Osborn
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  • Bill [?] Osborn writes to his brother David in this letter of October 26, 1861. From outside of Wilmington, NC, he describes illness affecting many of the troops and conditions about life in the army. He looks forward to returning home as soon as possible.
  • Bill [?] Osborn to his brother, David Osborn, October 26, 1861 Direct to Willmington [?] 24 Reg M__ Va Care T __ Lenoir Camp Davis Oct the 26/ 61 Dear Brother David We are now camped on the Distant shore of the N. Carolina 11 ½ North West of the Beautiful town of Willmington on this sea cost where the sand is a Bout a ________ _____ and the good situation of the Country is low and swampy As to the general health of the country it is good so for as I know if it was not for the sea Breas I look uppon this as one of the sicklyest country that I have seen. I this will Be a splended place for soalgers [?] to stay in the Winter time though it is not thought that we will stay hier long it is thought [that ?] we will [go ?] from hier to Goldsburrough in this State to Put up our Winter quarters I think I had juist as soon stay hier as any place except with my Wife at home that would Be fare more preferable than any place an the tap side of this green Earth. If God should spare me to get home I am [gowing; going ?] to stay there. I can tell you what hurts me the most when I come down heir I saw young men steping about heir and caring nothing at all about the condition of the country, and say that there is no use [?] for us hier, and right hier I will say to you it goes [?] prety hard with me to live without eating, to eat what we do get is not fit to eat and only [?] half rashions at that, you know that I have all ways had that which was good and plenty Oct 26th 1861 Since I wrote the last Page there has bin two of our men cared off to the Hospittle with Tyfoid fiver Mr James A Blalock and Tillman Bug. the last named is very low. I think uncertain whether he recovrs or not. J.A Blalock is one of my mess and is very clever young man if we should lose him I should reget it very much. I hope our kind Protection will return him to health a gain. Our Dr says that there is gowing to a greadeal of fever heir for the last month I have not Bin able to Drill my self But I now Beter than I have Bin I Pray God that he may restore my Father, that I many return to my friends. I have kindly treated Buy my friends heir As it regards this regiment geting into a fight with our [common ?] enamy it is not probable nor likely our Col gows on to day if there is no more propabilty of us geting into a fight than there is now he intends to get us off Buy the first of March he says that he knows that his men is composed of farmers and thire time will Be out at such a time as will cause them to lose there crops if we was to stay till our time was out it would be the first of June to through the regiment [on ?] and equalility [?] I have nothing more that would interest you. I want you and Mr Johnston to write to give my Best Respects to Mr Johnston and his Wife as you may be ____ to Haywood I will Direct you and Mr Johnston Both you Brother [Bill; Rll ?] Osborn