Category: Lucius Carhart Civil War Letters

Morganza La Sept 22 (1864) Dear Sister I received this morning your letter of Sept 5th was glad to hear from you you said you had just received my letter of Aug 14″ I have wrote 3 or 4 time since that.. it appears that Kelsey has played out. I dont know as it makes much difference to me although if I had those things you were going to send they would come in good play.. I have not drawed the clothing I need for I expected Kelsey would be here in a few days with those things but I now will have to draw some clothing. so you need not send any thing by Mail.. you may keep the things & mayby I will be home some time & they will not be lost.. John Rader will be at home I expect before this reaches you. he went up the river some 3 days ago. all of our boys that were sent to New Orleans sick have gone home.. John said he would bring anything to me you were amind to send but I dont know as you need to send anything for there is no telling when he will come & I cant tell whether I shall want anything or not when he does come.. I expect John will come to see you if he does not you go & see him. he can tell you all about the affairs. he will give a correct Idea of things & what he tells you may beleave.. you Spoke of the friends being on a visit from the Reserve. I thought that Edd Conanat was in the army. but it appears he has got out some way mabe the same way a good many other play out.. let me know how it is with Kelsey what Regt he had been transfered to.. the 96th are still at Morganzas Bend.. I think we will stay in this vicinity for some time to come. keep running up & down the River to keep the Guerrillas from firing into the Boats.. the Regt has been out on one scout since we have been here. I have had a very sore hand at the time so I did not go out.. but I am now all right for one.. our Brig are about all that are left here at present there was an expedition left here a few days since going out to the Achafalya River the Rebs said to be erecting a fort there.. I have not heard how they are making it. about the Presidential Election I dont know hardly how the Regt would go but I rather think Abe will get the Majority. there are not near so many for old Mc now as there was before he was nominated. they do not like the platform he came out on.. if any party had of nominated him besides the Copperheads I think he would have got the Majority of the Army but as it is if the Soldiers get a chance to vote old Mc might as well hunt his hole.. I tell you we hate Copperheads as bad as we do the Niggers.. all the soldiers can say against Abe is that he is promoting the niger rather to much. I guess I have wrote enough for this time. (On another sheet)

I have told you all that is necessary here to fore about sending those things by John Rader.. you spoke of having Cider & making Apple Butt & sugare & I would like to beat home to partake of some of those ere things for we uare drawing rather slim rations nowdays. they have been cutting us down we do not draw as much as we used to * what we do draw is pretty poor. I have to by Considerable of the Suttler to get along Kinder halfway.. Hart tack & sowbelly are the principal articles we draw & they are very poor. the tack are full of worms & bugs those at home that have plenty know but little how we get along away down here our suttler has on hand a pretty good stock but everything is high.. Lucius Carhart

(On reverse) Potoatoes 10 center per lbs Onions 15 cents per lbs..Soda Crackers 25 cent per lbs.. sweet crackers 50 cents per lbs butter 75 cents per lbs Cheese 50 cents per lbs & all other thing according

Direct your letters in this way Lucius Carhart Co “G” 96th Regt O.V.I. Morganza. La

P.S. We are now in the 19th Corps there is no mo 13th Corps Lu Carhart

Sept 2nd 1864 Cedar Point, Ala

Dear Mother Again I attempt to write you a few lines to let you know I am well. the 96th are now camped acrost the bay & 13 miles from Fort Morgan at Cedar Point. about 20 miles from Mobile. the Boys are well as usual. Mell & Will Flagg. Ell Finley & Jo Griggs are with the Co now. I beleave the last I wrote was just before the surrender at fort Morgan. the Fort surrendered on the 23rd day Aug after a bombardment of 24 hours. there were five hundred Rebs 7 hundred stand of Arms & 54 large Guns and six months supplyes.. the fort was considerably damaged by our morter shells. they caved in the bomb proof works & set on fire the wood work & distroyed most all the inside of the fort. the Rebs distroyed their ammunition & spiked most all the guns just before they surrendered.. I had a channce to go inside the fort. it was a hard looking old place. it had the appearance of being a very nice place before the bombardment.. Some of the Rebs said they had no men killed others said they had a good many killed. they did not want to let us know how many they lost. it is generaly supposed that old Gen Page will be delt with pretty severe for spiking the Guns just before the surrender. on the 25th the 96th with 5 other Regts moved acrost to Cedar Point a very nice place only there are most to many musquetoes to suit me. it is the greatest country for them I ever saw. we have to have nets to sleep under & then sometimes we can hardly sleep. it is a good place for Oysters. we have all we want. all we have to do is to geather them out of the Shells cook them or take them raw just as you please. I wish I had a channce to supply you with 5 or 6 Barrel of them

Morganza Bend, La Sept 9

Since I commenced to write this letter have moved from Cedar Point to Morganza Bend so we are once more on the “Miss” we left the Point on the 3rd and got to the Band on the 8th we laid over one day at New Orleans. while there I saw McFarland. he is in the same Hospital with John Rader he said he was getting along very well & was still nursing. I received a letter from Almeda this morning dated Aug 20 & mailed 27 stating you had not recd any letter from me for 5 weeks. I wrote 2 while at Fort Morgan but there was quite a while I did not write on account of not have a channce.

(on a scrap of paper)

there is some talk of old Hood’s going into Kentucky with his Army but how it is I dont know. I expect we will leave here in a few days we are now under marching orders but where we will go is more than I can tell.. if we can have as good luck for a year to come as we have had on our last expedition I shall not complain. we have not had a man killed or wounded & but one died with sickness.

(Other side) You spoke of Kelsy starting for the Regt. Melve Flagg got a letter Stating that he had his Furlough lengthened 30 days I have not recd any Papers from you for a long time I would like to have you send one ocasionly.. the Battery man fired a selute yesterday morning for Shermans posession of Atlanta (September 2, 1864 — Fall of Atlanta)

Near Fort Morgan, Alabama Aug 19, 1864 Almeda I received your letter of Aug 3rd a few moments ago. I was very much pleased to hear from you.. you will please excuse me for not writing to you oftener. I have received several good letters from you lately and have not answered them as I should have done. but I have had but little chaunce to write lately. I have about as much time to write today as I have had for some time. it is very quiet to day.. we have had very good luck so far on our expedition about the first of Aug we left Algiers and went down near the mouth of Mobile Bay where the rebs hold two Forts. one on an Island at the mouth of the Bay the other on a Peninsula not a great ways from the Island the Fort on the Island is Ft. Ganes. the one on the Peninsula is Ft. Morgan our Gunboat fleet run past the Fort up in to the Bay and that cut of the Rebs get out. for they could get to Fort no other way only as they came down the Bay. the Gunboats also captured the Rebel Ram “Tennessee” and several Transports. at this time our Infantry force numbering about 15 hundred landed on the Island about 5 miles from the Fort. we marched into within about half a mile and began to fortify & plant some large Siege Guns. we got about ready to commence shelling them and they surrendered.. there was about 8 hundred men. the highest officer was a Colonel. I beleave I told you in my other letter that there was 17 hundred men but I was mistaken. we then crossed over on to the Peninsula and drove the Rebs in to the Fort. we were then reinforced by Gen. Herrons Div. so our Inft force now number about 4 thousand: we are planting large Siege Guns & a good many morters & are going to soon be ready to open on them. they throw over a shell accasionly but have not hurt any one yet. there has 13 come out from the Fort and 3 came up from Mobile since we have been on the Peninsula they say there are about 8 hundred men in the Fort comdy by Gen Page. he says he is going to hold the Fort as long as he can. I dont think that will be long when we get to work at them. When we were on the Island (the name of the Island is Dolphin) [Dauphin] I was pretty sick for 2 or 3 days. I had 3 chills but I got them broke and feel very well again. the boys are pretty well except Mell Flagg he has some sores on his feet that bother him some. there has been no one in the Regt Killed or hurt yet since we left Algiers. we left John Rader at New Orleans in the Hospital he had very sore eyes but I understand he is about well and is acting nurse now. You say you expect to have a big time with the Copperheads you need not expect them to fight much. all they make such a fuss for is because they are afraid of the draft they are to cowardly to go in the army. I would like very well to attend you(r) Picnic at the close of your school & if I have good luck & your school does not close untill next year about this time perhaps I will be with you. (To Father) you said twas the hardest work you could do to write. it seems that way to me some times still there’s nothing that I like better than to get letters from home. I think you are going in pretty big to do all your work and work out besides. I would like to be with you 2 dollars would be rather better than 5 cuts per day.. You said you had received the money I sent I am glad it went through all right. you asked if you should by a piece of land. I would like first rate to have you. I want you to use it in some shape anyway.. if Finley does not pay you the money on that order send it back to me & I will get it of Riggs Pay day. dont be afraid to risk my money in some thing for if you dont risk anything you will not make anything.. I am working in rather risky business now but I expect to accomplish something after while. I have to go up within about 2 hundred yards of the Fort every 2 or 3 days and dig rifle pits and help throw up embrasiers for the large Guns and the Rebel sharpshooters try to hit a fellow…………hard & come pretty near some times, but if we as luckey as we have been we are going fetch them out after while. I will have to close for this time. My respects to all write soon, from Lu Carhart.

(across to of page, upside down) excuse my writing with a pencil for I have about doned the use of ink & pen.

Near Port Morgan.Alabama Dear Friends: Aug 14th (1864?)

To day I received two letters. one from Almeda and one from Mother. the first from home since the 29th of June. I wrote an answer to that on the 9th of July as then I concluded not to write untill I got a letter. So to day I have to two and will answer both in one.. Since I wrote my last letter (which was at Baton Rouge) I have been touring around some. about the middle of July we left Baton Rouge and went to Algiers lazed there about two weeks and started for Mobile we landed on an island near the mouth of Mobile Bay on which was Fort ganeo.. The Gun boats run past the fort up into the Bay and out of their git out. and our men on the Island advanced up within 3 hundred yards of the fort and built breast works. they (the Rebs) lazed in the fort a day or two and found there was no get out so they surrendered without any fighting. A Colonel & 11 hundred men a number of large guns were in the fort. we are now within half a mile of fort Morgan. right acrost from fort Ganco on a Penisula. we have a General & 8 hundred men in the fort and no get out. we are planting some big siege guns and are going to shell them out if they do not surrender in a day or two. after we get the fort we are going up to Mobile which is about 30 miles. the boys are in good spirits no one in the Regt been killed or hurt yet. our force beside the fleet number about 4thousand comdy by Gen Granger. the mail is going out in a short time so I will have to cut my letter short. I have no ink and have to write with a pencil. don’t know as you can read it.. I was glad to hear from you and hear you were well. Almeda wrote a good letter if I had time would like to write an answer to it but this for all. and you will have to excuse me till after while You spoke of having my shirts & shoes about ready to start. send them along I will except them any time. I will have to stop I will write again after while. the Boys are well as usual. My best wishes to all Lu Carhart.

Baton Rouge La July 9th/64

Dear Mother

I have just received your letter of June 26th was glad to hear from you for it has been some time Since I hears, you speck of its being very dry no rain. it seems that it don’t rain only at one place at a time last spring when you were having so much rain it did not rain here at all hardly now it is very dry with you and we have rain most every day.. we will have a shower then the sun will come out warm enough to rost a man.. the weather is so warm when it does not rain that we do (don’t?) drill much now days but we have considerable duty to do. I come on guard or Picket about twice a week. then we have considerable Fatigue duty to do, such as loading and unloaing Boats of forage and commissary stores and halling wood & water and policing the quarters.. we have just finished up a job of unloading a large Vessel loaded with Ice that lately Sailed from the Kenebeck River. the Ice is for the benefit of the Hospitals furnished by the Sanitary Commission.. when we were working at it we had all the Ice water we wanted, and when we went up for dinner or at night we would take a chunk with us..then we would have Ice cold Lemonade, all ready made, right in the shade, Stirred up with a spade paddle. you seem to think you are going to have trouble with the Copperheads, I don’t know but you may, but if Gen Grant is Successful in his campagne which I feel shure he will be, the Copperheads & Rebs both better dry up. I think they have not much spunk up that way to be scared out by old Vallandigham.. if old Abe lets him stay in the State he is going to loose a good many Votes by it. you said you had heard from me by the way of Bill Smith when I was in Orleans. I was down after our things we left there before we went on the Red River expedition. Bill has got a pretty good position Qtrmasters orderly. All he had to do is to carry orders. you spoke of my getting George’s letters I have got but one with his Photograph.. that is the only letter and the only Photographs.. I wrote to him the other day. the 23rd Wis Regt of our Div. has gone to Orleans and I guess the rest of us will stay here. there is no other here now than our Div.. the 48th Ohio Regt of our Div have gone home. they are Veterans, there are some in it from Delaware Co.. there is no particular news to write all quiet at Baton Rouge.. there was considerable going on the Fourth but I was on Picket untill about noon so I did not have much of a time.. there are said to be about one thousand Rebs out about 40 miles from Baton Rouge quite a number of them have deserted and come in since we have been here.. the other night there was two Capt and one Lieut come in.. the boys from our post are well.. let me know if you get my money I sent.. Send yours letters by the way of New York.. I will send some postage Stamps that have no musalege on them. I had them in my pocket they got wet. maby you can fix them so you can use them. when you write let me know how the Folkes are getting along especialy them that have boys in the Co. they are all anxious to hear when I get a letter.. and I am same when they get a letter. I will stop I never wrote so poor before I dont know what ales me Write soon an often and oblige

Lu Carhart

No year on letter 1864

Baton Rouge, June 30th

Dear Friends: I received a letter from you last night the last date of it was the 14th of June.. I cannot see why it takes so long for your letters to come through. they aught to come through in 7 or 8 days as least.. Some of the boys get mail within six day after it is started.. if there is any news abroad I generaly get it before you get it to me. I beleave that hereafter you may send your letters by the way of New York they will come quicker & safer.. I have not much to write this time as there is but little news.. You get the news from Sherman and Grant the same that we do or perhaps a little later. So there is no use telling what we hear of them. and perhaps you have already heard what you want to of Banks the larger part of the Army of this Dept are still at Morganza Bend and tis rumored that the 4th Div are going back there again but I hardly beleave the report.. at least I dont want to beleave it for I would as soon stay here untill my time is out as not.. and would little rather stay then go on another expedition, especialy if it would be like the last one we took a part in. I like this place very well a very nice place and appears to be some very nice folkes in it. Mostly Union people that are in it now.. the Citizens and Soldiers hold meetings togeather in the City there are three large Churches besides the Catholic Church and they have meetings in all of them but the Methodist have rather the largest attendance. on Sabbath they have Preaching Fore and After noon and at Lamp lighting. Prair meetings Tuesday & Friday Even. Temperence meeting Wednesday Even. Thursday Eve we have Temperance meeting in the Regt.. about the only objection I have to this place is that all eatiables are very high, and if we eat anything but Army rations it costs a good deal to live.. last week I expressed 70 Dollars to you & send in a letter an order on Andrew Finley of Ten Dollars. Please let me know if you get it.. I spoke to you in my last letter about sending something by Sargt Cryder but the Furloughs have plade out so he will not be at home right away but the Cap shoes & socks I would like to have if you can send them by any one else. but you need not mind about the shirts I spoke of for I can get along without them.. if you do not have a chaunce to send by any one you can send a pair of socks by mail roal them up in a long roal and about two stamps will bring them through. Melve Flagg got a pair in that way. Our Boys that were wounded and taken at Mansfield have been Paroled and are now at Orleans. Doc Hays of the 96″ and Chapl Scott were with them and have now come to the Regt. they tell us a good deal of news about the Rebs.. the say the Rebs admit their loss of dead and wounded at Mansfield to be as heavy as all of ours Killed wounded & Taken Prisoners. they say that their loss in Killed was Five our one.. that shows whither the 13″ Corps will fight or not. I will have to stop.. the Boys are well as usual, today, this afternoon is Muster & Inspection and we have got to come out in style. I will have to commence to scout the Old Gun & Brasses you better beleave I get tired of it “but: when this cruel war is over “yey”yey”Sir. Write soon & often. Lu Car

Baton Rouge June 20/64

Folks at Home It has been some time sinc I have wrote & a good while since I have received a letter from you. the last one I got on the 5th of June.. I have not had much time to write in the past week or two. I was at Orleans one week after our Camp & Garrison Equipage turned over before we went up Red River. Since I came back we have been moving Camp. moved about 1/2 a mile on to a little better piece of ground. it is a good deal of trouble to move now for we have to fix up very nice put on a good deal of style.. in fact this is quite a Stylish place but not so much so now as it used to be yet there is considerable business done about as much as there is in Delaware.. there are a great many loitiyers come in from Country to trade.. they have not been permitted to come in the lines untill this summer.. and they are very glad of the chaunce.. they were very distitue of closing and some things to Eat. they have plenty of Garden trash but no flour they are mostly woman that come in. Some of them appear very Genteel cleaver and nice. others appear very crank and lofty & seem to dislike the soldiers but necesity compeles them to be a little more humble than they otherwise would be.. Some of them bring in garden trash to sell.. they Sell Cabage heads 10 & 20 cts a pound Milk 10 cts a pint Eggs 65 cts per dozen (and according) We are having some pretty warm weather now with a shower of rain most every day.. it is quite cool when it is raining but when the Sun comes out it is warm weather better I can stand it to work better here than I used to at home and it is a great deal warmer.. One good thing I am not as fleshy.. I do not weigh as much as I did at home.. I weighed 157 when at home & I now weigh 145.. The red River expedition was rather hard on us it took of some of the weight.. but if we stay here very long I expect we will fat for uncle Sam is feeding us up pretty well now.. they are going to get us in good order by the time our two years are up so we will make good Veterans.. We drawed pay the other day. the first for some time. I am going to send about 70 Dollars home by express I want to start it to day. I will sent it to Delaware. I wish you would put it to some use for after while Greenbacks are not going to be worth much and I would like some good property or other money instead of them. Sargt John M. Cryder of our Co is going to start home on Furlough in about a week he lives about three miles west of Delaware on the road that old Schons Tavern stands on.. if you want to see him he can tell you all about the affars.. he says he will bring anything you want to send.. and I would like to have you send me another pair of Socks, them that you sent are midling good yet but I wore them on all of that big march and it give them a big trial. I have pleanty of yarn to mend them with you need not send any more. I would like to have you send me a pair of Calfskin Shoes some after the style of them I ware at home. doubled soles but not nailed for it spoiles them.. midling fine uppers & good no 8. The Red River expedition was very hard on Shoe leather & these government shoes are not worth much.. Shoes wil do as well as boots for me and they will not cost as much that is why I send for them. I cannot get a pair of shoes here in the City for less than five Dollars boots 10 Dollars.. I want also a Military Cap & two Shirts they make us all ware Caps now & the Caps that we draw are very poor do not last very long in fact all of their Clothing is very poor we have to keep drawing most all the time. I want just a midling good Cap with a cover. one of the right style they will know what you want where you get it.. it wants to be the same siz of my Caps at home one to fit Father’s head will be about right.. & my shirts I want half wool half cotton with the seams sowed down. I have good reason for it to.. Make them something after the Style of the ones I wore at home.. these articles will cost about 10 Dollars I suppose & down here they will cost 18 Dollars. I will send verces got up about our fight near Mansfield about as correct as anything I have seen. I beleave I have wrote about enough for this time remember if you send the Shoes to get No. 8 good sice. I will send some money and you use that.. I want to send it this afternoon if I have time to go down to the express office I send in this letter an Order on Andrew Finley for Ten Dollars for money I lent Jo Griggs some time when you have a little Spare time I wish you would go up and get it he lives up near Rodney Smiths.. I have been having the Toothache some in past week. Some of the time my face was swelled so that I could eat nothing but bread & Coffee getting better now the Boys are well as usual. Give my best regards to the yong Folkes of Berlin & all of the relatives. Write soon and oblige

Lu Carhart ð 7 3

Morganza Bend. La 5/28″ –64

Folkes at Home

As I have a few moments to spend in some usefull way I will improve them by writing. I have written Several times since I left Franklin La I wrote the 27″ of March while at Alexandria Apr 4″ while at Nachitoches.. April 12″ while at Grand Ecose. Apr 15″ at Grand Ecose May 5″ while at Alexandria & May 26″ after we got to the Miss” And I received from you one letter the 14″ of March while at Franklin La another April 25′ while at Alexandria & one May 22 after I got to the Miss— I have tryed to tell you Something about our expedition but don’t know as I have told you anything of importance and there is no use of telling anything about it now for the papers tell you more than I ever thought of or any body else ever saw… I read an account of our fight near Mansfield in the Delaware Gazett. it told some big lies and some of it was true. I dont remember just how it read all the way through. but it stated that A. J. Smith retook Nims Battery on the 9″ that was taken on the 8″ which was no such thing. Nims Batter was taken on the 8″ but it was not retaken at all. and about the 13″ Corps being in reserve at Pleasent Hill while the 19″ Corps & A. J ‘s men were in position is no such thing while the fight was going on at Pleasent Hill the 13″ Corps (what was left of them) were with the wagon train on their way to Grand Ecose.. and that abomnible thing the wagon truain they said some how another got in the way.. I think tis very easy to see how it got in the way.. a wagon train 12 miles long in the Pine woods and the road so narrow that a team could not turn round and clear up with our advance Cavelry. it looks strange how it could be in the way I think..—– May 29?

Well I had to stop writing the other day and get ready to move.. we went on board the Steamer Univerce and sailed down to Baton Rouge. and we are now in Camp in the suburbs of the town (scratched out) City.. we have a very nice Camp ground on the Sod..the Ordely just came round and told us to have our letters wrote by 4 oclock for the mail was going out at that time.. So you see I will have to pitch in. I got a letter from you last night before I got of the Boat it had several dates fixed to it good deal like mine.. I was glad to hear the news.. glad to hear they were so many going to war I expect there will be Some thing done now.. but I was writing Something about our fight when I had to stop and move the other day.. there was a number of coppies of the Telescope came in the mail last night and were distributed among the Boys and I saw an account of our fight in one of them.. it was the nearest right of any account I have seen only it did not say anything about the wagon train. It was wrote by Chap. Chittenden of the 67 Ind Reg of our Brig.. in the coppie of May 11.. it is about true as far as it goes only it says nothing of the train which was the cause of our getting defeated. and untill we get someone at the head of the heap that will do little different in regard to matters and things we will never acomplish anything. Gen Banks for himself and staff had 35 wagones & Gen Franklin & staff had 30 they carried everything you could think of even to Bird Cages.. the ð 7 3 Rebs took a lot of the train and when we were at Grand Ecore they sent in a flag of truse and told Banks that they would exchange a wagon load of his Paper Collars they had taken from us for a load of Hard tack if he wished to do so. but we had rather a slim supply of hard tack so he thought he

(continued at top of first page)

would not trade.. the cause of the 19″ and 13″ Corps not likeing one another any better is because the 13″ does not put on Style enough.. but I will stop for the mail goes out in a little while. write soon give me the news.. from L.C.

(No year on scrap of paper

I received a letter from the 26th of April I was pleased to hear from you glad to hear you were well and doing well. it had been some time since I had heard from you and was anxious to hear. I got a letter the 14 of March while at Franklin and then did not get another untill the 25th of April, over five weeks. I saw McFarland this morning he is not with the Co. is on detached Service at Corps Hd “Qrs” he said those shells that I sent in his Box were at his house they have gone through Safe. he told that his woman lives 4 miles below the mansion house on the opposite side of the River.

(Other side of paper)

May 5th It has been some time since I commenced this letter but the mail has not gone out since I wrote it. the mail goes out this morning. So I will send it. the 15th Corps are now camped 3 miles in front of where they were when I commenced this letter. The boys with the Co are well as usual. I will have to stop and put this in the office so Good by. Write often. Lu

4 miles from Franklin March 13, ’64

Dear friends: This pleasant Sabath day I am away down in Louisiana in an old sugar house writing.. we left Berwick City on the morning of the 7th and on the evening of the 8th we camped 4 miles from Franklin where we still remane.. we put in two days of pretty hard marching but I stood it very well.. we are camped on a large plantation clost to an old sugar house.. we have fixed up seats and are holding meetings in it. last night we had a temperence meeting fifty two joined the pledge. to day at 11 Oclock we had Preaching by the Chapl of the 19th KY Regt. and now I am in the old house writing. this afternoon at 2 oclock we are going to have Bible class. at 4 Preaching by our chapl and to night soldiers speeking meeting and about tomorrow or next day I expect we will march, so goes the afars in Dixie. today there has quite a number of men come to the Regt that have been home on furlough including Col Brown, Capt Kimball and Sargt Harbottle.We are fixing things for another expedition. and perhaps will go about the same direction we went before and go farther. tis thought our destenation will be Elexandre.. there are no Rebs very clost at preasent and til thought that we will not meet with much opposition.. We have turned over our tents (large tents) and have drawn what are called shelter tents. and have to carry them perhaps you would like to know what for a load we have to carry on a march.. I have a Gun, Cartridge Box & 40 rounds of Ammuntions.. Canteen, Haversack with 2 or 3days rations.. Knapsack with one wool blanket one rubber blanket..2 prs of drawers.. 2 shirts..2 prs of socks.. Portfolio. Testament.. & a half of a tent.. our tents are fixed to Button togeather and each man carries one half, which is about the size of a bed quilt. when we get our traps all on it makes quite a load for a man to march under all day. and the great trouble in this Country of Marching is that it is most always warm and dusty.. I have just received a letter from you dated Feb. 26th was much pleased to hear from you. you spoke of the death of Lewis Holly. it seems to be very sickly in your part of the country. our Army in this part seems to be very healthy. I did not hear of a death for a great while untill the death of George Case and have not heard of any since. I have no news of importance to write I think this expedition will be the means of distroying the army this side of the River. I think that by the close of this summer the Rebel army this side of the River will be wiped out.. I will close for the present. write soon & often. Yours with respect.. Lu Carhart.